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News release

Sandwich Mom to Visit Oregon Legislature to Urge Passage of Family Leave Bill

April 6, 2009
Paid Family & Medical Leave

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

What’s that wandering around the state Capitol? It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No – it’s Sandwich Mom! An Oregon mom in a sandwich costume will encourage state lawmakers to support paid family leave by delivering peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with messages from moms across the state immediately following a news conference at:
 
2:00 PM, Wednesday, April 8
Capitol Press Room, State Capitol Building
Salem
 
Confirmed speakers include:
Regan Gray, Children First for Oregon
Andrea Paluso, Parents for Paid Leave
Katie Bethell, MomsRising.org
Gretchen Peterson, Vice President of Human Resources at Hanna Andersson
 
MomsRising.org, the online grassroots organization for moms and everyone who has a mom, collected the messages from Oregon moms who feel “sandwiched” between competing priorities at work and home, and who are urging the legislature to pass the Family Leave Insurance bill pending in the state Senate. The message delivery will follow the Time to Care for Oregon Families Coalition news conference to push for passage of Family Leave Insurance bill, SB 966.
 
A steady source of income is more important than ever to families struggling in this economy, but working and taking care of a family should never be competing priorities. MomsRising.org's members are sending hundreds of messages telling lawmakers that family leave policies are more important than ever because they alleviate the stress of trying to balance work responsibilities with taking care of kids or aging parents.
 
SB 966 would provide six weeks of paid leave for a new baby or an ill family member, out of the twelve weeks of family leave already allotted by law.
At 3pm, the Senate Commerce and Workforce Development Committee will hold a hearing on the legislation.
 
MomsRising.org Campaign Director Katie Bethel will be on-site at the State Capitol beginning at 2pm to discuss the campaign.
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.