Congressional Paid Leave Scorecard 2024
/The second-ever Paid Leave Scorecard by the National Partnership for Women & Families Action Fund and Paid Leave for All Action highlights where members of Congress stand on efforts to support the creation of a national paid family and medical leave program.
This year, we are scoring three bills: the FAMILY Act (H.R. 3481/S. 1714), the Job Protection Act (H.R. 694/S. 210), and the Caring for All Families Act (H.R. 789/S. 242). We are also giving a special notation to Members of Congress who have introduced legislation that expands access to paid or unpaid leave, or have led on the issue in other ways.
The FAMILY Act is the only bill before Congress that would create a universal, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program. It would provide up to twelve weeks of paid leave to welcome a new child, whether through birth, adoption, or foster placement; care for a family member or a servicemember; care for one’s own health conditions; address a domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking situation; or address needs related to a family member’s deployment. It ensures that low-income workers are able to take leave by providing a higher percentage of their wages back, and guarantees the right of employees on leave to return to their jobs. It also allows family caregiving leave to be used to care for a wide variety of family members, making it inclusive for members of the LGBTQ community and immigrant families in particular.
The Job Protection Act and the Caring for All Families Act would make key expansions to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that would complement the FAMILY Act. Currently, the FMLA only protects the jobs of 56 percent of the workforce while they are on leave, leaving the rest vulnerable to being fired while out on leave or preventing them from taking leave at all for fear of being fired. The Job Protection Act solves this problem by expanding eligibility for job protection under the FMLA, so that all workers have the guarantee of paid, job-protected leave.
Even among those who are otherwise eligible for FMLA protections, the FMLA only allows family caregiving leave to be taken to care for a spouse, child, or parent. This fails to meet the needs for so many families that are structured differently or that rely on other family members for care — siblings, grandparents and grandchildren, and chosen family just to name a few. The Caring for All Families Act fixes this by broadening the definition of who is considered family to truly meet the needs of all caregiving relationships.
These evaluations come on the heels of moments where policymakers have come closer than ever to the passage of a federal paid leave policy. Reflecting that, over three-quarters of freshman Democrats in Congress are scored as paid leave champions or supporters. Recent polling from Morning Consult has confirmed ahead of November’s election and the start of the next Congress that voters are overwhelmingly in favor of paid leave, with 82% of voters supporting a national paid family and medical leave program it remains one of the most widely supported policies in the country — and one that would benefit every working family and small business in the country. It’s time for Congress to finish the job and pass paid leave for all.
Members in leadership and chairs of relevant committees limit co-sponsorship due to their leadership role. We look forward to continuing to work with those in leadership positions who have worked to advance comprehensive paid family and medical leave like Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8), Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA-5), Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA-1), and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA-3).
Paid Leave Champion
Cosponsor of all three bills — the FAMILY Act, the Job Protection Act, and the Caring for All Families Act
SENATE
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN)
HOUSE
Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC-12)
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA-33)
Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT-At Large)
Rep. Donald Beyer Jr. (D-VA-8)
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16)
Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13)
Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-8)
Rep. André Carson (D-IN-7)
Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8)
Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL-6)
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY-9)
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-5)
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-9)
Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO-6)
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL-7)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3)
Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA-3)
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22)
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10)
Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García (D-IL-4)
Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10)
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34)
Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5)
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7)
Rep. John Larson (D-CT-1)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12)
Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12)
Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49)
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA-36)
Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA-8)
Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI-2)
Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-3)
Rep. James McGovern (D-MA-2)
Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ-8)
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-6)
Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA-31)
Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-2)
Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-NC-13)
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At Large)
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-5)
Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-7)
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-7)
Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL-3)
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5)
Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA-9)
Rep. Melanie A. Stansbury (D-NM-1)
Rep. Haley M. Stevens (D-MI-11)
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12)
Rep. Jill N. Tokuda (D-HI-2)
Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA-3)
Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25)
Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-5)
Paid Leave Supporter
Cosponsor of one or two of the three bills — the FAMILY Act, the Job Protection Act, and the Caring for All Families Act
SENATE
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE)
Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)
Sen. Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH)
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Sen. Christopher Murphy (D-CT)
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA)
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY)
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
HOUSE
Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX-32)
Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI-1)
Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA-44)
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH-3)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3)
Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-At Large)
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1)
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2)
Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH-11)
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA-26)
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO-1)
Rep. Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA-24)
Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29)
Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA-2)
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX-35)
Rep. Ed Case (D-HI-1)
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14)
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20)
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-28)
Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA-11)
Rep. Donald G. Davis (D-NC-1)
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4)
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO-1)
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-1)
Rep. Christopher Deluzio (D-PA-17)
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10)
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37)
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-16)
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13)
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-7)
Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL-11)
Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC-4)
Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA-8)
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA-42)
Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29)
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5)
Rep. Al Green (D-TX-9)
Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ-7)
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD-5)
Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR-4)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18)
Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-1)
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51)
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37)
Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL-2)
Rep. Daniel Kildee (D-MI-8)
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA-6)
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ-3)
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-8)
Rep. Ann Kuster (D-NH-2)
Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH-1)
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-3)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18)
Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC-6)
Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA-7)
Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA-7)
Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-4)
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-4)
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY-5)
Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-7)
Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI-04)
Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-NY-25)
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23)
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-6)
Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-IN-1)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12)
Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ-1)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06)
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-9)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11)
Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK-At Large)
Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA-50)
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN-3)
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1)
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-2)
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA-47)
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-5)
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8)
Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC-2)
Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25)
Del. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP-At Large)
Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR-6)
Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38)
Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD-3)
Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL-9)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30)
Rep. Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL-10)
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA-32)
Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11)
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-7)
Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10)
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14)
Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-39)
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13)
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS-2)
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV-1)
Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20)
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15)
Rep. David Trone (D-MD-6)
Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-52)
Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX-33)
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY-7)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43)
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12)
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10)
Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA-7)
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24)
Paid Leave Leader
These members of Congress have gone above and beyond by introducing legislation that expands access for paid or unpaid leave for working people, or leading on paid leave in other ways.
SENATE
Notable leadership:
Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR): convened the first-ever full committee hearing on paid family and medical leave
Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT): convened the first-ever markup of the Healthy Families Act (S. 1664)
Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): secured an expansion of parental leave for members of the National Guard or a reserve component who are on inactive-duty training through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Members of the Senate’s bipartisan working group on paid leave:
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY, co-lead)
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA, co-lead)
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA)
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC)
Sen. Todd Young (R-IN)
Notable bill sponsors:
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK): Senate co-lead of the Living Donor Protection Act (S. 1384)
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL): lead Senate sponsor of the Support Through Loss Act (S. 3137); lead Senate sponsor of the ESP Family Leave Act (S. 226)
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL): lead Senate sponsor of the Caring For All Families Act (S. 242)
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA): lead Senate sponsor of the Fair Access for Individuals to Receive (FAIR) Leave Act (S. 2574)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY): lead Senate sponsor of the FAMILY Act (S. 1714); lead Senate sponsor of the Living Donor Protection Act (S. 1384); lead Senate sponsor of the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act (S. 4552)
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH): lead Senate sponsor of the Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act of 2023 (S. 1095)
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI): lead Senate sponsor of the Time Off to Vote Act (S. 3901)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): Senate co-lead of the Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act of 2023 (S. 1095)
Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT): lead Senate sponsor of the Healthy Families Act (S. 1664); lead Senate sponsor of the Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act (S. 4003)
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI): lead Senate sponsor of the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (S. 274)
Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN): lead Senate sponsor of the Job Protection Act (S. 210)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA): lead Senate sponsor of the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act (S. 2850)
HOUSE
Notable leadership:
Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Don Beyer (D-VA): secured an expansion to federal employee leave through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that allows military service to count toward the 1-year tenure requirement for accessing paid and unpaid leave (see here)
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) founded the Congressional Dads Caucus alongside Reps Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Dan Goldman (D-NY), and Joe Neguse (D-CO).
Members of the House’s bipartisan working group on paid leave:
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA, co-lead)
Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK, co-lead)
Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX)
Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA)
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA)
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI)
Notable bill sponsors:
Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-CA): lead House sponsor of the Public Health Emergency Response Act (H.R. 4009)
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA): lead House sponsor of the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (H.R. 856)
Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK): lead House sponsor of the Safe Leave for Victims of Domestic VIolence Act (H.R. 2996)
Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA): lead House sponsor of the Time Off to Vote Act (H.R. 5322)
Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL): lead House sponsor of the ESP and School Support Staff Family Leave Act (H.R. 770)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT): lead House sponsor of the FAMILY Act (H.R. 3481); lead House sponsor of the Healthy Families Act (H.R. 3409)
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA): House co-lead of the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (H.R. 856); House co-lead of the Life Saving Leave Act (H.R. 3024)
Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT): lead House sponsor of the Caring For All Families Act (H.R. 789)
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA): House co-lead of the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (H.R. 856)
Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-NC): lead House sponsor of the Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act (H.R. 2597)
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA): lead House sponsor of the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act (H.R. 8732)
Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI): lead House sponsor of the Protected Time Off (PTO) Act (H.R. 7752)
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC): House co-lead of the Living Donor Protection Act (H.R. 2923)
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY): lead House sponsor of the Living Donor Protection Act (H.R. 2923)
Rep. Zachary Nunn (R-IA): House co-lead of the Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act (H.R. 2597)
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN): lead House sponsor of the Life Saving Leave Act (H.R. 3024)
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA): lead House sponsor of the Fair Access for Individuals to Receive (FAIR) Leave Act (H.R. 5037)
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA): lead House sponsor of the Support Through Loss Act (H.R. 6103)
Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA): lead House sponsor of the Grandparent-Grandchild Medical Leave Act (H.R. 2528)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL): lead House sponsor of the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act (H.R. 5578)
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI): House co-lead of the Safe Leave for Victims of Domestic Violence Act (H.R. 2996)
Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL): lead House sponsor of the Job Protection Act (H.R. 694)
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM): lead House sponsor of the Rail Worker and Community Safety Act (H.R. 5871)