Paid Family Leave Is Primed for a National Debate (March 23, 2015)
By Tierney Sneed, U.S. News and World Report
Hillary Clinton’s widely anticipated presidential campaign is getting an early boost on Capitol Hill, with a bill supporters believe will draw wide support among crucial female voters.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., last week reintroduced the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, which would create a federal program for employees to continue to receive a paycheck while they take time off work for a long-term illness or to care for a family member. While the legislation faces significant challenges, it rides a wave of similar state initiatives, suggesting that even if the bill fails the issue is poised for a national debate heading into the 2016 campaign.
The measure was first introduced last term and went nowhere. This time around, it faces an even more hostile legislative climate, with Republicans controlling the Senate in addition to the House.