U.S. Senators Todd Young, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Bill Cassidy, along with U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan and Stephanie Bice, have joined a bipartisan and bicameral working group to gather input on a paid leave proposal. The lawmakers are seeking suggestions from various stakeholders to expand access to paid parental, caregiving, and personal medical leave in a fiscally responsible manner.
Senator Todd Young emphasized the importance of addressing workforce challenges through paid family leave solutions. "Employers across our nation are struggling to fill open positions," he stated. He expressed his support for federal partnerships with states and employers to offer more flexibility for working parents.
Senator Gillibrand highlighted the unique position of the United States as the only industrialized nation without national paid leave. She noted that most Americans support such measures, seeing benefits for both families and businesses. "I am proud to partner with this strong group of bipartisan lawmakers," she said.
Senator Cassidy pointed out the difficult choices faced by Americans between caring for newborns and returning to work. He stressed the need for input from parents, experts, and business leaders to create a solution that supports families without burdening businesses.
The working group also includes Senators Bob Casey, Maggie Hassan, Cynthia Lummis, Thom Tillis, Kyrsten Sinema, and Representatives Colin Allred, Julia Letlow, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Haley Stevens.
In their letter inviting input from stakeholders, the lawmakers emphasized their interest in diverse perspectives on expanding access to paid leave sustainably. They assured confidentiality for individual submissions while valuing trustworthy data with proper citations.
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