[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 1836]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, last Friday, America celebrated the 23rd 
anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act--landmark legislation 
that transformed American workplaces for the better.
  I am deeply proud to have voted for this bill in 1993 when I served 
in the House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation was a 
major victory for many working families, providing workers the ability 
to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family needs.
  This meant working parents could take care of their newborns without 
fear of losing their jobs and sources of income. Workers could care for 
an ailing family member or care for their own serious health conditions 
without having to worry about whether they would be able to come back 
to their careers.
  Before the Family and Medical Leave Act, being a working parent meant 
having to choose between your job and taking care of yourself and your 
family. Today, thanks to this legislation, this attitude has changed 
for many families.
  Since 1993, American workers have used the leave provided by the 
Family and Medical Leave Act more than 200 million times. This 
legislation has helped balance workplace demands with family needs for 
millions of hard-working men and women across the country. And there is 
no doubt that these are achievements we should all be proud of.
  But we need to do more.
  As families change, so should the laws designed to help them--our 
workforce, our economy, and our family responsibilities have changed 
dramatically over the past two decades. Women now make up half the 
workforce, and many families depend on two incomes. Family caregiving 
needs are on the rise, and both men and women provide critical care.
  But according to a recent Department of Labor survey, only 60 percent 
of employees have access to FMLA leave--and 8 out of 10 eligible 
workers cannot afford to take leave when they need it.
  For too many Americans, unpaid leave is not an option--it is 
unaffordable. Just 13 percent of the workforce has paid family leave 
through their employers, and less than 40 percent have personal medical 
leave through an employer-provided disability program.
  It is clear that we need to do more to ensure families can earn the 
support they need. I am proud that both Senator Murray and Senator 
Gillibrand have stepped up and introduced legislation this Congress to 
address these shortcomings. I hope we will continue to see support for 
these bills and get more of my colleagues from across the aisle to talk 
about these concerns.
  The reality is ensuring paid family and sick leave would help keep 
new parents and family caregivers in the workforce and boost their 
earnings and savings overtime. Studies have already shown that mothers 
who are able to take paid maternity leave are more likely to return to 
their jobs and stay in the workforce. That just means more money for 
families to spend and put back into our economy.
  Expanding paid family and sick leave makes moral sense, and it makes 
economic sense. It is about time we get it done.
  As we mark the anniversary of this groundbreaking legislation, I hope 
we take the time to recommit ourselves to the values that inspired this 
law. Let's continue to lead on this issue and expand paid family and 
health leave to cover more families.
  I will continue to fight and protect the benefits provided by the 
Federal and Medical Leave Act and help ensure fairer workplaces and 
healthier, more secure families.

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