“As our name suggests, MomsRising is a moms organization and we are saying, clearly, loudly, and without equivocation that a paid leave program that provides parental leave only, and fails to cover the vast majority of caregiving needs families face, as U.S. Sen. Cassidy discussed this morning, would be fatally flawed. Moms need paid family and medical leave to provide care not just for our babies, but also for older children and family members at all stages of life when a serious illness strikes – and we need paid leave to recover from serious illness or injury ourselves. And it’s not just moms who need this; our economy, communities, and our nation need a comprehensive policy too.

“While we are glad paid family/medical leave is finally getting the bipartisan support it deserves, the details matter -- and so far this year, the GOP proposals have ALL focused exclusively on parental leave, which entirely disregards the experience of most families. Three in four workers in this country who take leave do so to address their own serious medical conditions or those of family members. It would be reckless to ignore that as we develop a national paid family/medical leave program.

“MomsRising members have been fighting for paid family/medical leave for more than a decade. It is an issue that matters deeply to us, to all people in this country, to businesses, and to our economy. We will not accept a program that ignores the needs of millions of working people. Any approach that leaves behind millions of families, or requires any cuts to Social Security or unemployment insurance benefits, is a non-starter.”

--Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO, MomsRising

“Our country needs a paid leave program that is inclusive of all working people, comprehensive, offers a meaningful duration of leave, is funded in a sustainable way and protects workers who take leave from retaliation or other harms. We need the Family And Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act, which would create a social insurance fund that benefits all workers in this country. The plan Sen. Cassidy discussed this morning is grossly inadequate. If he really wants to support families, he will support the FAMILY Act.

“Make no mistake, the program that Sen. Cassidy is proposing would do nothing to stop the push out of the labor force that many working people are experiencing. Already, one in five people are having to leave the workforce earlier than planned because of emergency caregiving responsibilities, often associated with eldercare. When that happens, people lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in retirement income and are more likely to experience poverty in old age. With our population aging, that will become an even greater problem in the years ahead.  We need a comprehensive paid family/medical leave policy that lifts people of all ages in times of crisis.”

--Statement of Ruth Martin, vice president, Workplace Justice Campaigns, MomsRising