Political Quotes

“six years ago, I came to the floor of the U.S. Senate to introduce the Family and Medical Leave Act. That introduction and the signing of the bill into law a few weeks later by President Clinton was the culmination of an eight-year struggle to make job-protected leave accessible for working Americans, in times of family or medical emergency. Today, at a time when many Americans are deeply cynical toward the work we do here in Washington, the Family and Medical Leave Act stands in sharp contrast. It responded to a deep and genuine need among American Families. Over the last six years, I have heard from many working Americans about what this law has meant to them. But no story captures the impact of our work better than the one expectant mother I heard from who kept a copy of the Family and Medical Leave Act in her bedside table. She had a difficult pregnancy and was often on doctor-ordered bed rest; she said she kept the FMLA nearby and read it as reassurance that she wouldn't lose her job or her health insurance. The Family and Medical Leave Act has been a lifeline for tens of millions of families as they have responded at those key moments that define a family--when there is a new child or when serious illness strikes. With the FMLA, working Americans can take 12 weeks off to cope with these basic family needs without worry that they will lose their jobs or their health insurance. Yet, even with the success of the FMLA there is still more work to be done.…”