FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 18, 2024
CONTACT: [email protected]
One Country Statement on Bipartisan Paid Family Leave Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, One Country Project (OCP) founder and former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp released the following statement regarding the release of discussion drafts by the U.S. House of Representatives' Bipartisan Paid Family Leave (PFL) Group:
“For far too long, American families have struggled to balance the demands of work and family life without support. This week, exciting progress has been made on providing more working families across American with paid leave. The House Paid Family Leave Working Group, led by Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK), released two discussion drafts detailing a legislative framework for paid leave, providing groundwork for the incoming 119th Congress. This framework represents a significant step forward in ensuring that every worker has the opportunity to care for their loved ones without sacrificing their financial stability.
“As an organization that is dedicated to uplifting rural communities, OCP recognizes how the lack of federal paid leave legislation disproportionately affects rural workers. Paid family leave will provide much-needed relief to rural communities, ensuring that all families, regardless of where they live, have the support they need during critical times. Paid family leave is not just a matter of economic necessity; it is a matter of basic human dignity. No one should have to choose between a paycheck and caring for a newborn, a sick child, or an aging parent.
“The drafted legislation provides guidance and incentives for states to create paid family leave programs and establishes a process to enable states to coordinate and harmonize benefits. Currently, we have a fragmented system of regulations as states implement their own paid leave programs. The proposed Interstate Paid Leave Action Network (I-PLAN) is intended to remedy these issues by forging federal and state connections.
“The PFL Working Group’s framework aligns with our vision to help ensure all Americans have access to workers benefits. We applaud the members of the PFL Working Group for their efforts in introducing these discussion drafts and laying the groundwork for more progress to be made in the next Congress.”
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About One Country Project
Rural America holds an essential role in moving the United States forward and the One Country Project is dedicated to ensuring rural America’s priorities and values are heard and reflected in policy at the federal level. To learn more, visit us at www.onecountryproject.com or on Twitter or Facebook.