[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 84 (Monday, June 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1339-E1340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           FEDERAL EMPLOYEES PAID PARENTAL LEAVE ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. NITA M. LOWEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 4, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 626) to 
     provide that 4 of the 12 weeks of parental leave made 
     available to a Federal employee shall be paid leave, and for 
     other purposes:


[[Page E1340]]


   Mrs LOWEY. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of the 
Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act. This long overdue and 
deficit-neutral measure will make the federal government a more family-
oriented workplace.
  As a mother of three and a grandmother of eight, I understand the 
challenges families face. Balancing work with child care, especially 
after the arrival of a new baby, is a challenge Congress can and must 
do more to address. By providing federal employees with four weeks of 
paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child, H.R. 626 is 
an important first step in this worthwhile effort.
  As the nation's largest single employer, the United States government 
should be leading the way in adopting family-friendly employment 
policies, not struggling to catch up. Not only do 75 percent of Fortune 
100 companies already provide paid parental leave, but a Harvard 
University study of 165 nations revealed that the United States joins 
Lesotho, Liberia, Swaziland and Papua New Guinea as the only nations 
that do not guarantee paid parental leave to their federal employees. 
Like many of my colleagues, I am pleased that the House of 
Representatives will act tonight to rectify this embarrassing 
discrepancy.
  According to the Office of Personnel Management, roughly three 
million federal employees or nearly 60 percent of the current federal 
workforce will be eligible to retire within the next ten years. The 
bill under consideration this evening represents a strategic investment 
in the future of our federal workforce, ensuring that the United States 
government is able to recruit and retain young, talented professionals.
  Madam Speaker, with our nation embroiled in two armed conflicts and 
confronting the worst economic recession in decades, I believe that 
this measure is an essential step toward maintaining and enhancing the 
quality of the federal workforce in years to come. I urge my colleagues 
to join me in supporting the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act.

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