[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 18, 2023

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this spring, we mark the 30th 
anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act, known as FMLA. This 
groundbreaking law allows millions of workers to take unpaid leave from 
their jobs when necessary, without the fear of losing their jobs or 
being forced to choose retaining a job over the needs of themselves or 
their families.
  Prior to the passage of the FMLA, there were no uniform laws or 
guaranteed leave for workers. None. In 1993, with bipartisan support, 
Congress passed, and President Bill Clinton signed into law, the Family 
and Medical Leave Act.
  FMLA has remained crucial for workers all over the United States for 
three decades. It has provided workers across the country with 12 weeks 
of leave to care for a new child, an ill family member, or their own 
health. During this time, one's job is guaranteed. Unfortunately, FMLA 
leave is entirely unpaid, only about 56 percent of workers are eligible 
for the program due to strict eligibility requirements regarding tenure 
and worksite size, it restricts the definition of family to exclude 
millions of caregivers, and the stark reality is that many workers 
cannot go without income.
  As we celebrate 30 years of FMLA, Congress should recognize that paid 
family and medical leave is long overdue. The pandemic made crystal 
clear that the current patchwork system fails to cover many workers, 
especially low-paid workers, and harms our economy by removing millions 
of workers from the labor force and hundreds of millions of dollars in 
earnings. Limiting leave to those who can afford time off without pay 
harms workers of color and lower-wage workers, in particular. For 
example, Black workers are 86 percent more likely to be unable to take 
leave when they need to care for others or themselves. Indeed, 68 
percent of Black women are the sole breadwinners in their households, 
making any loss of pay due to illness or caregiving a tremendous 
hardship. Families should not face the unethical choice of earning a 
paycheck or caring for their loved ones or themselves.
  As the lead Democrat of the Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on 
Worker and Family Support, which has jurisdiction over paid leave, I am 
proud that House Democrats passed out of the House the first-ever, 
universal, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program. Had the 
Republicans in the Senate not blocked its final passage, this program 
would have provided all U.S. workers with up to 4 weeks of paid leave 
to address a serious personal or family health issue, or to care for a 
newborn or newly-adopted or fostered child.
  Universal paid leave is not a gamble; we have decades of research 
from state and international implementation that comprehensive 
protections help businesses retain qualified workers and government 
support helps level the playing field for small businesses while 
supporting workers and strengthening the economy. Fourteen states and 
the District of Columbia have passed laws to provide or require paid 
leave: Arizona; California, New Jersey; Rhode Island, New York; 
District of Columbia; Washington; Massachusetts; Connecticut; Oregon; 
Colorado; New Hampshire; Maryland; Virginia; and Delaware.
  Research by the Rutgers University Center for Women and Work found 
that implementing universal paid family and medical leave would result 
in higher post-birth wages for women who take paid leave than for those 
that do not. Given that women are more likely to serve as primary 
caregiver and, therefore, are more likely to need leave, a federal paid 
leave program would strengthen the economic security of women. 
Additionally, research by Zero-to-Three found that the well-being of 
children would improve dramatically given the availability of parents 
to care for children and help obtain needed healthcare. Finally, the 
improved economic well-being of families would boost the economy and 
business revenue. In fact, paid leave policies creating gender equity 
would boost GDP by $2.4 trillion by 2030, and policy allowing 
caregiving for older adults $1.7 trillion by 2030.
  I am proud to recognize my home state of Illinois is one of three 
states (i.e., Illinois, Maine, Nevada) that has enacted mandatory 
earned time off, a policy that is a substantial leap forward to 
universal paid family and medical leave. The Illinois Paid Leave for 
All Workers Act will begin in 2024. It allows workers to accrue one 
hour of paid leave for every 40 hours workers, with a limit of 40 hours 
per year. Importantly, workers can use this leave for any reason, not 
just health care. I also am proud to recognize that ordinances in Cook 
County and Chicago proved that these policies benefit both workers and 
employers. This flexible time off for shorter life events coupled with 
paid family and medical leave for longer periods could substantially 
support workers, allowing them to remain in the workforce and advance 
their careers over time while still meeting the needs of themselves and 
their families.
  We must take action to ensure equity for women, workers of color, and 
low-income workers through comprehensive, universal, paid family and 
medical leave legislation. Although my Republican colleagues have 
repeatedly blocked Democratic efforts to enact paid family and medical 
leave, I promise to continue to champion comprehensive paid family and 
medical leave legislation to give workers the protections they deserve 
that will strengthen families, communities, and our country. As we 
recognize the 30th anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act, we must 
commit ourselves to moving toward a future in which all workers enjoy 
the right to paid leave.

                          ____________________