Hoyer: Paid Family Leave ‘Pro-Moms, Pro-Dads’

Congressman Steny H. Hoyer and some of his colleagues in the US House of Representatives recently held a news conference on the reintroduction of the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act.

FEPPLA would provide federal employees six weeks of paid leave following the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child. Currently, federal employees are entitled to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid family and medical leave, but unpaid leave makes parents choose between a paycheck and caring for a new child during the critical first weeks.

Joining Mr. Hoyer (D-MD, 5th) on the steps of the US Capitol were Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY, 12th), Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA, 8th), and Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD, 8th).

Below are some of Congressman Hoyer’s remarks:

“I am so pleased to be here with Carolyn Maloney from the state of New York, who has been a champion.

“This bill is pro-family, it is pro-moms, it is pro-children, and yes, it is pro-dads, as well.

“I am pleased to be here with Tony Reardon, one of the great leading advocates of fighting for women and their rights, and their benefits, for a long time. Thank you, Tony Reardon. I’m glad to be here with Teresa Oberti, who is going to speak in just a minute. And with my colleagues [Reps.] Don Beyer and Jamie Raskin, and our cold holder of the poster board. …

“Many of the leading private sector companies already provide their employees with paid parental and family leave – but employees without paid leave are forced to use what few vacation days and sick days they have accrued. If we’re going to encourage more private sector businesses to adopt paid leave policies, we ought to set an example as one of the largest employers in the world, by doing so for the federal workforce.

“At the same time, we owe a great deal more to the hardworking men and women of the federal workforce than they are receiving, particularly amid the pay freezes, hiring freezes, and benefit cuts they’ve had to endure.

“Adopting this legislation would help us retain the best workers we have and recruit other talented Americans to serve their country in the civilian federal workforce. Because we are competing for the best talent with companies not only here, but around the world that have these leave policies already in place.

“This bill would help American workers across the country. Let’s not forget that 85 percent of the federal workforce lives outside the Washington metropolitan area. It will benefit workers in every congressional district in the country. Promoting paid leave policies is good for employers too, helping them retain talented workers and making their workforce more productive.

“So we’re urging our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and this is a bipartisan bill, to join us in supporting this legislation. And I encourage Republicans and the Trump administration to work with us on this issue if they really believe that paid parental leave ought to be a priority. Again, pro-family, pro-children, pro-moms, pro-dads, good for them, and good for our country.”

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For more information about House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer, visit his Leader Page.