“America’s moms and families are looking to the new Congress to make speedy progress on the issues that matter most, and paid family and medical leave is at the top of our lists. We need a comprehensive paid family and medical leave program that allows all workers to care for their families without risking their jobs or financial security. The FAMILY (Family and Medical Insurance Leave) Act, which is being reintroduced today, is the only paid leave proposal that would cover all workers, address the range of caregiving needs families face, and be affordable for taxpayers and businesses alike. It is the legislation America needs now! 

“The FAMILY Act would provide workers — including those who are self-employed and/or work part-time — with much-needed income while they, or a family member, welcome the arrival of a new baby or deal with a serious health issue. The self-sustaining program it creates would leave nobody behind. Funded through small, shared costs to employees and employers, it is modeled after proven, successful paid leave programs in California and New Jersey. 

"Moms want to see meaningful action on paid family and medical leave and have no time for lip service and fatally flawed proposals. Again this year, President Trump paid lip service to paid leave in his State of the Union address. It’s a reliable applause line for him, but the program he supports would fall terribly short because his parental leave-only program leaves behind the vast majority of people who need to use paid leave to care for their own serious illness or that of a family member, and can lead to increased discrimination against women. Our businesses and our families need a real policy, not fluff -- and we need paid family and medical leave to care for new babies, for a spouse with cancer, a sibling with Parkinson’s or a parent struggling with dementia or to recover from serious illness. We need Congress to pass the FAMILY Act now.”

--Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising

“We thank Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Danny Davis (D-Ill.) for introducing the FAMILY Act today. This essential bill would improve health, boost moms and all family caregivers, make our workplaces more equitable and strengthen our economy. The social insurance fund it creates with small contributions from employees and employers would provide all workers with a meaningful amount of leave to meet the full range of caregiving needs. The need is urgent and the time to act is now.

“But what Congress passes must be comprehensive and meaningful. A paid leave program that provides only parental leave would fall far short. Nobody should lose income or a job when an urgent family matter arises. We need a paid leave program that provides paid leave to care for a newborn you swear already smiles, a mom who is severely ill, or a spouse battling cancer.

“The FAMILY Act is the paid leave plan America’s moms and families need. We urge both the House and Senate to pass, and President Trump to sign, the FAMILY Act into law, to finally give moms and all workers access to paid family and medical leave.”

--Statement of Ruth Martin, Vice President, Workplace Justice Campaigns, MomsRising