[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 17 (Thursday, February 4, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E156-E157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ON 17TH ANNIVERSARY OF ENACTMENT OF THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

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                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 4, 2010

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, tomorrow is the 17th anniversary of the 
enactment of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This landmark 
legislation, signed by President Clinton, established for the first 
time a minimum labor protection to help families balance their work and 
family lives. Under the law today, covered workers are entitled to up 
to twelve weeks of job-protected unpaid leave for the birth or adoption 
of a child, or to care for themselves or for a seriously ill family 
member.
  Recently, legislation authored by Senator Christopher Dodd and myself 
to provide FMLA for military families has been signed into law. These 
are the only changes to the FMLA in its history, but as a result 
covered workers are entitled to up to twenty-six weeks of unpaid leave 
to care for seriously injured or ill family members in the armed 
services. In addition, workers are also entitled to up to twelve weeks 
of leave for matters relating to the deployment of a family member. And 
in 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law provisions Senator Dodd 
and I had introduced in this Congress entitling family members of 
wounded or ill veterans the same twenty-six weeks of leave accorded 
active servicemembers.
  More than hundred million job-protected leaves have been taken as a 
result of the

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FMLA. However, only a small percentage of those workers entitled to the 
leave actually utilize it, and the number one reason why is that it is 
unpaid.
  We lag far behind other countries in providing ``family friendly'' 
policies, such as paid leave, to our workers. That's why in successive 
Congresses I have introduced H.R. 3047, The Balancing Act, which 
establishes a host of supports families need to balance their work and 
family lives.
  President Obama recognizes the need for ``family-friendly'' supports, 
and I was also pleased to learn that his budget for Fiscal Year 2011 
proposes $50 million for a State Paid Leave Fund that will provide 
competitive grants to help states launch paid-leave programs. In May 
2009, I introduced H.R. 2339, the Family Income to Respond to 
Significant Transitions (FIRST) Act, which provides $1.5 billion to 
states to start or improve paid-leave programs
  On this anniversary of the FMLA, it's good to reflect on how far we 
have come. But with half of women in the workplace, we need to move 
forward and enact legislation that provides paid leave and other 
supports to working families.

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