[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 25 (Friday, February 8, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H1468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HELPING GRIEVING PARENTS

  (Mr. SCHNEIDER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, the death of a child is a loss like no 
other, and I extend my heartfelt sympathy to any parents who face such 
circumstances, but our current laws leave no time for parents to grieve 
and begin the recovery process before returning to work.
  The current Family and Medical Leave Act allows Americans to take up 
to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth of a child or the care of a 
loved one experiencing a serious health condition. We need to extend 
these same protections to parents grieving the loss of a child, which 
is why I introduced the Sarah Grace-Farley-Kluger Parental Bereavement 
Act.
  This is bipartisan legislation. I was proud to be joined by three 
Republicans and two Democrats in introducing the bill. This is a 
commonsense and compassionate step we should all agree on.
  I am particularly inspired by the families of those in whose memory 
the Sarah Grace-Farley-Kluger Act is named. They have turned the pain 
of the loss of a child into advocacy on behalf of other families facing 
the same terrible tragedy.
  I urge my colleagues to join us in this bipartisan effort to support 
parents in the toughest times imaginable.

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