Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act. This bill, which I also introduced in the 111th Congress, would extend the important protections of the Family and Medical Leave Act to same-sex couples in America. I am pleased to introduce this bill with a coalition of Senators who are committed to ensuring justice and equality for all Americans. I would like to thank Senators Akaka, Blumenthal, Coons, Gillibrand, Kerry, Lautenberg, Leahy, Merkley, Sanders, and Whitehouse for standing with me in support of the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act. In 1993, Congress passed the Family and Medical Leave Act to, among other things, protect American workers facing either a personal health crisis, or that of a close family member. People in the workforce who suffer a serious illness or significant injury should be able to take time to heal, recover, follow their doctors' orders, and return to their jobs strong, healthy, and ready to be productive again. Thanks to the FMLA, they can take that time knowing that their jobs will be there when they recover. As we all know well, most employees are not only concerned about their own health and wellbeing. They are concerned about the health and wellbeing of those that they love. The FMLA gave workers with a child, parent, or spouse that was sick or injured, an opportunity to provide the needed care and support, knowing that their jobs would be there when they returned.…
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