[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 18, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E740]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017

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                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 17, 2016

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4909) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     such fiscal year, and for other purposes:

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chair, this week the House 
considers the National Defense Authorization Act, and I rise to 
recognize the Armed Services Committee for its actions to expand paid 
parental leave for thousands of service members.
  On the heels of Secretary Carter's expansion of paid maternity leave 
to 12 weeks, this bill will increase parental leave to 14 days and also 
grant paid leave for adoptive parents.
  This is real progress, but we cannot leave out the more than 2.5 
million non-military federal employees who still lack any paid parental 
leave.
  As the Pentagon recognizes, the lack of paid leave for new parents 
threatens the government's ability to recruit and retain a talented, 
productive workforce.
  I am encouraged by the DOD's updated family leave policy, and hope 
that we can work in Congress to guarantee this essential workplace 
right for all federal employees.

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