WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, members of the bipartisan Paid Family Leave Working Group, co-chaired by Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK), released a new report summarizing their first year and six Member-level meetings to date. The summary comes in advance of a legislative framework the Working Group intends to complete and distribute in the coming weeks.

In the new report, the Paid Family Leave Working Group wrote: “In January 2023, we proudly launched the bipartisan Paid Family Leave Working Group in the House of Representatives - the first bipartisan working group of Members dedicated to this issue. The working group’s primary objective is to lead the development of bipartisan paid leave policies that will provide American workers, families, and businesses with the support they desperately need.

We began our work by developing a deep understanding of the problem, familiarizing ourselves with relevant stakeholders, and exploring all potential solutions. Over the past year, we conducted six member-level informational briefings which drew a diverse group of over 40 stakeholders for a thorough exploration of paid family leave policy.

We kicked off our briefings in February with a commemoration of the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). We learned from key players involved in the FMLA’s passage about the process of enacting a sustainable policy that supports workers, families, and businesses. Over the subsequent seven months, we heard from state paid leave program administrators, representatives from private insurance companies offering paid family leave benefits, small business owners, representatives of large employers and trade associations, and advocates from caregiving communities. Each participant brought forth a unique and valuable perspective, enriching our understanding of the issue as we prepare to transition into shaping policy solutions in 2024.”

Read the new report here.

In addition to Co-Chairs Houlahan and Bice, the evenly divided House group includes Representatives Colin Allred (D-TX), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (R-IA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), and Julia Letlow (R-LA).

ICYMI: On December 1, the Working Group sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson urging consideration of paid family leave legislation during the 118^th Congress.

The House bipartisan Paid Family Leave Working Group was launched in January of 2023 to explore federal paid family leave policies. Supported by the Bipartisan Policy Center and other organizations, the working group’s mission is to bring more paid leave to more Americans through enduring policy solutions.

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