Walorski, Wagner voice support for paid family leave during White House summit

U.S. Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and Ann Wagner (R-MO) support making paid family leave a reality in America.

During a Dec. 12 bipartisan panel discussion on paid family leave during last week’s White House Child Care and Paid Leave Summit, the lawmakers outlined their stances for finding common-sense solutions to expand access to child care and paid leave for new parents.

“There is bipartisan agreement that paid family leave has tremendous benefits for workers and families, as well as for our nation’s economy and workforce as a whole,” said Rep. Walorski, ranking member on the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support. “We need to work together to find solutions that build on what many employers are already offering to help working families thrive.”

“The United States is the only industrialized country in the world that does not offer paid maternity leave,” Rep. Wagner said. “I will not rest until we have provided more solutions and flexibility for all American families.”

Rep. Wagner, chair of the Suburban Caucus, in March sponsored the New Parents Act of 2019, H.R. 1940, to create a voluntary option for paid parental leave by allowing parents to use a portion of their Social Security after the birth or adoption of a child, according to a bill summary provided by her office.

Last week during the summit, Rep. Wagner praised inclusion of the measure in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, S. 1790, which on Dec. 11 received approval from the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I have labored on this issue for many years and yesterday we passed a historic bipartisan NDAA that included paid parental leave,” she said during the summit, where she and other lawmakers and advocates joined President Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump, Advisor to the President.

“I thank Ivanka for inviting me to the bipartisan White House Child Care and Paid Leave Summit,” Rep. Wagner said. “Ivanka has been a strong partner as I advocate for paid family leave, and I am confident that with her help and the support of President Trump we will see paid family leave become a reality for all Americans.”

Rep. Walorski added that she looks forward to “continuing to work with my colleagues and President Trump to help American workers raise strong, healthy families.”