Washington, D.C. — NOW applauds President Biden’s new framework for his Build Back Better Agenda that sets a course to achieve our climate goals, expand affordable healthcare and the Child Tax Credit and support childcare services, like free pre-school. While this is a historic investment in our future, we are deeply disappointed by the removal of funding for a national paid family leave policy.
It’s a policy that contradicts the White House’s own recent pledge from its Gender Policy Council’s National Strategy, which clearly stated, “We will support workers and their families by creating a national paid family and medical leave program that is available to parents and caregivers.” The United States is the only industrialized country that does not guarantee paid medical and family leave, and our legislative compromises should not stand in the way of economic security and peace of mind for parents and families.
NOW is encouraged that we’re building back better, but without paid family leave, it’s still not good enough. We call on the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress to renew the push for real transformative change that will truly lift families out of poverty and provide the support they need by incorporating paid family leave in future legislation. As President Biden mentioned today, we need to begin investing in our citizens again. So NOW will continue to hold our representatives accountable to keep the promises made to strengthen working families and the economy by investing in care infrastructure.