Momentum grows on Capitol Hill to pass paid leave nationwide

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — With more than 50,000 signatures, advocates delivered a petition to Congress to pass national paid leave on Wednesday.

“Nothing ever gets done in Washington unless regular people stand up and demand it,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said.

Gillibrand joined a group of Democrats, who say it’s a struggle many families face.

“Not being able to leave work to be with that loved one in their time of need,” Gillibrand said.

They want to lift some of the burden.

“But be able to go back to work after to not miss that paycheck. It’s everything,” Gillibrand said.

The U.S. is an outlier. The organization, Paid Leave for All, says currently, the United States is one of seven countries that does not have guaranteed paid leave.

“This means people are losing wages. They’re losing jobs. Some of the responses we got were I lost my home, I lost my savings and my retirement. I lost the ability to have a second child,” Paid Leave for All Director Dawn Hucklebridge said.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) went through these struggles when she took care of her own parent.

“Federal policy should exist to stabilize families and communities through these major life challenges,” Pressley said.

Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) is optimistic that Congress can make this a bipartisan issue that works for families across the country.

“This isn’t a blue or red urban or rural issue. This is about every family in every state, in every zip code across our country,” Clark said.

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