WASHINGTON
– U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ranking
Member Ron Wyden of Oregon today announced the formation of a bipartisan
Finance Committee working group that will consider the issue of federal paid
family leave policy.
Sen.
Bill Cassidy, M.D. of Louisiana and Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire will
serve as co-chairs of the working group.
Sens.
Tim Scott of South Carolina, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Mike Crapo of
Idaho, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Todd Young of Indiana and Sherrod Brown of
Ohio will serve as members. Grassley and Wyden will also serve as ex-officio
members.
The
paid family leave working group will meet regularly and devise a list of
principles on which all members reach agreement by consensus. Members will
consider:
- Existing
paid family leave plans and any gaps in coverage; - Opportunities
to make paid family leave more widely available; - The
type of benefit, criteria for eligibility, wage replacement rate,
protections for workers and other parameters of coverage; - Potential
funding mechanisms and potential offsets; and - The
possibility of reaching consensus on legislation in this area.
“Most
parents work outside the home and childcare costs are a burden for many
families. The first months of life are a critical period for newborns. We
should take a look at any policy that might help in their development,” Grassley
said. “It’s been several decades since we’ve updated federal family leave
laws. I look forward to working with my colleagues in both parties to explore
ideas.”
“It
is unacceptable that so many people are forced to choose between their jobs and
their health or family. I am committed to advancing policies that
comprehensively address paid family leave and make it easier for everyone to
balance work and family without sacrificing their current lives or jeopardizing
their futures,” Wyden said. “We have a big job to do and it’s going to
take as many big thinkers working on this as we can get.”
“This
working group reflects the widespread interest in helping moms and dads have
financial flexibility to raise children,” Cassidy said. “The policy must
be fiscally sustainable and not bury taxpayers in even more red ink. We will
find a bipartisan solution that empowers families and business owners to
succeed.”
“I
look forward to being a part of this working group to attempt to find a
bipartisan path forward to ensure that no American is forced to make the
impossible choice between making ends meet and having the necessary time to
care for a loved one or navigate a personal health crisis,” Hassan said.
Employers
in every state must comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which
has not been updated since its enactment 25 years ago. Certain employees are
entitled to up to 12 work weeks of parental, family or medical leave in a
12-month period. The statute includes no requirement that such leave be paid
time off.
The
Senate Finance Committee has jurisdiction over federal tax policy and
significant federal health care policy. The working group will consider ideas
and principles relating to the issue of paid family leave and will also
consider existing legislation introduced by several senators on and off the
committee and from both parties.
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