Home Democrats urge Biden to protect paid leave in Build Back Better Act
Local News

Democrats urge Biden to protect paid leave in Build Back Better Act

Contributors
us politics
(© Andrea Izzotti – stock.adobe.com)

Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Judy Chu (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) led 105 House Democrats urging President Biden to defend paid family and medical leave provisions in the ongoing negotiations over the Build Back Better Act.

The signatories represent a broad ideological swathe of the House Democratic Caucus.

They wrote:

“We write to express our support for maintaining robust paid family and medical leave in the final reconciliation package. Paid leave is a top priority for us and the workers we represent.

“The need to take leave is inevitable over the course of a lifetime, whether to care for a loved one with a serious medical condition, welcome a new family member, as in the birth or adoption of a child, or to handle a personal health crisis. Without universal paid leave, as our population ages, more and more workers will find themselves forced to choose between dealing with family and health challenges and staying in the workforce. Yet, the United States is the only Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country that does not require paid leave for new mothers, is one of only two OECD countries that does not require paid medical leave, and is increasingly out of step with its peer countries who now offer caregiving leave.

“Furthermore, we cannot ignore the economic benefits of paid leave. Enacting paid leave also means that families will continue to earn some income at the very time when they need it most – when a family is growing or a member is sick and needs medical care. Workers will be able to continue to earn a portion of their wages, allowing them to continue to meet their basic needs and pay bills before returning to work. Moreover, lack of paid leave has meant that workers lose an estimated $22.5 billion in wages each year when that could have been used to keep a family afloat and spent in local economies.

“Lack of paid family and medical leave has a particularly detrimental impact on women’s economic security, as women are more likely than men to serve as primary caregivers and are therefore more likely to need paid time off to ensure that their children or other family members receive the medical care and attention that they need. Paid leave also increases women’s labor force participation and attachment, which is a key driver of economic growth.”

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.

Latest News

How To Bet On The Daytona 500 in Florida
Sports News

How To Bet On The Daytona 500 in Florida

How To Bet On The Daytona 500 in South Carolina
Sports News

How To Bet On The Daytona 500 in South Carolina

The 67th annual Daytona 500 is right around the corner and NASCAR fans in South Carolina can put the pedal to the metal by cashing in with some of the top online sportsbooks. With the season-opening race set to kick into high gear on Sunday, the best offshore betting sites are giving away up to...

5 Best Betting Apps for the 2025 Daytona 500
Sports News

5 Best Betting Apps for the 2025 Daytona 500

The NASCAR Cup Series will shift into high gear this week with the 67th annual Daytona 500. The stakes have never been higher for the 2025 Daytona 500 and the top online sportsbooks are going full throttle with over $5,000 in free bets and bonus offers for the Great American Race. Below, we’ll break down...

uva ryan dunn ncst
Basketball, Sports

UVA Basketball alum Ryan Dunn set for NBA All-Star Game Tournament on Sunday

South River Greenway
Local News

Waynesboro: Section of South River Greenway to close for 30 to 60 days for improvements

uva football o line
Football, Sports

UVA Football: Elliott adds talent, depth, experience to O line from the transfer portal

army soldiers in uniform
Politics, U.S. & World News

Tim Kaine sees parallel between Trump’s Gaza plan, Vietnam: ‘Massive mistake’