Statement of National NOW President Christian F. Nunes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pregnant and nursing mothers no longer have to worry about choosing between a healthy pregnancy or keeping a job. NOW members are celebrating the bi-partisan passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) Act as amendments to the omnibus spending package.
Once these laws are enacted, pregnant and postpartum women will finally have access to accommodations that will enable them to perform their jobs more efficiently while taking care of their well-being – a win for women and a win for the economy.
The PWFA and the PUMP Act both have broad support from members of Congress, as well as major business and religious groups. We look forward to seeing President Biden sign these vital rights into law, overcoming a major hurdle on the road to gender equality.
# # #
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the nation’s leading membership-based advocacy group dedicated to defending women’s rights, advancing equality and combating injustice in all aspects of social, political and economic life. Through educating, mobilizing, and convening a vast network of grassroots activists across the country, NOW advocates for national, state and local policies that promote an anti-racist and intersectional feminist agenda. Since its founding in 1966, NOW has been on the frontlines of nearly every major advancement for women’s rights and continues to champion progressive values today. More about NOW’s efforts and resources is available at NOW.org.