U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) recently unveiled bipartisan legislation to expand access to paid family leave across the country through state-driven and sustainable solutions.
“We’re not mandating a one-size-fits-all federal program,” Rep. Bice said. “We’re building a flexible federal strategy that supports state innovation and addresses the real challenges families face today.”
The congresswoman on April 30 signed on as the lead original cosponsor of the More Paid Leave for More Americans Act, H.R. 3090, alongside her fellow co-chair of the Bipartisan House Paid Family Leave Working Group U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), who sponsored the bill.
H.R. 3090 consists of the Paid Family Leave Public Partnerships Act and the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network Act (I-PLAN-Act) and is the culmination of two years of collaboration between an evenly split group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
“As a mother myself, I recognize the challenges and the importance of uplifting working parents so that they do not have to choose between caring for a newborn and a paycheck,” said Rep. Bice. “The More Paid Leave for More Americans Act empowers states to create their own sustainable paid leave programs through public-private partnerships, while also ensuring coordination and consistency across state lines.”
H.R. 3090 would establish a three-year pilot program to be administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, which would provide competitive grants to states that establish paid family leave programs through partnerships with private entities.
To qualify, states would have to offer: At least six weeks of paid leave for birth or adoption; wage replacement of between 50-67 percent based on income with a maximum benefit amount equal to 150 percent of the state’s average weekly wage; and participation in the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network for harmonization across states, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Bice’s staff.
Additionally, the bill would create a national framework to help states coordinate benefits, share data, and reduce confusion for workers who live and work in different states, among other provisions, the summary says.
“Regardless of party, Americans believe that Congress must act and support efforts nationwide to advance paid family and medical leave,” Rep. Houlahan said. “I am grateful to the partnership of Rep. Bice and my six other colleagues who join us in this introduction.”
Among the six other original cosponsors who joined Rep. Bice in introducing the bill were U.S. Reps. Julia Letlow (R-LA) and Randy Feenstra (R-IA). The Bipartisan Policy Center Action endorsed the measure.