The Issues

Paid Family & Medical Leave

We can all agree that:

• Human dignity should inform all policy and budget priorities;
• The first five years of a child’s life – especially the first few months – are critical; and
• Babies being at home with their parents during these most pivotal months is beneficial to their development and overall well-being. 

Yet, the U.S. is the only wealthy country – and one of only nine countries in the world – without national paid family and medical leave. And only 27 percent of our civilian workers have access to paid family leave, and only four in 10 have short-term disability insurance if they are seriously ill or injured. This means millions of Americans, including postpartum mothers, are facing impossible choices between earning a paycheck and caring for their families. 

Research has shown that paid leave improves both maternal and infant health and decreases rates of infant mortality. However, the reality is that most families cannot afford to stay home from work. Seventy-four percent of mothers would have to use up their cash savings if they took eight weeks of unpaid maternity leave, and more than half of Americans say they don’t have enough money in savings to survive three months. 

The U.S. would add $775 billion to its GDP per year if women participated in the labor force at rates similar to those in comparable countries with more robust work-family policies. Research also shows that paid leave policies contribute to reduced turnover and increased employee engagement and loyalty, leading to significant employer cost savings. 

Join us as we urge Congress to enact a national paid family and medical leave policy that leads to healthier families and stronger communities.

Child Care

We can all agree that:

• Human dignity should inform all policy and budget priorities;
• All children deserve safe, reliable, quality child care; and 
• Families should be able to choose the child care structure that works best for them.

Yet, fifty-one percent of Americans, and 60% of those living in rural communities, do not have child care providers nearby, and nearly three-quarters of working parents have experienced challenges with accessing child care. This is especially true for families who have children with disabilities and parents who work non-traditional hours, such as police officers and nurses. 

Even when child care providers are available, the high costs and concerns over quality create significant barriers for parents. In 2023, the national average price of child care was $11,582. For married couples, this equates to 10% of their median income and more 32% of a single parent’s median income. These barriers force parents, mostly women, out of the workforce, resulting in $122 billion in lost revenue, earnings, and productivity.

Join us as we urge Congress to work toward solutions that provide families with access to high-quality, safe, and affordable care for their children. 

Maternal Health

We can all agree that: 

• Human dignity should inform all policy and budget priorities;
• The prenatal and postpartum periods are the most vulnerable times of a woman’s and a child’s life; 
• All mothers and babies are deserving of the highest quality healthcare; and 
• No child should lose their mother to a preventable death. 

Yet, the U.S. has the highest maternal death rate of any high-income country and more than 80 percent of these deaths are preventable, according to the CDC.  

American women across the entire country, in both rural and urban settings, and of all religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, are impacted by the maternal health crisis. Over the last 20 years, maternal death rates have tripled in the South and quintupled in the Midwest, and black and Indigenous women are dying at rates of 2 to 3 times that of white women.

More than 35% of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts. This means that in 1,104 counties, there is not a single birthing facility or obstetric clinician. Women living in maternity care deserts and counties with low access to care have poorer health before pregnancy, receive less prenatal care, and experience higher rates of preterm birth.
Join us as we call on Congress to prioritize improving maternal and infant health outcomes in America.

Legislative Agenda

Paid Family & Medical Leave Legislative Agenda

Americans deserve a paid leave policy that reflects our shared values of hard work, family, and opportunity. Providing time to care for loved ones is a smart investment in our economy and society. 

The Chamber of Mothers calls on Congress to pass the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, or FAMILY Act (S.2823). This legislation:

• Provides workers with up to 12 weeks of partial income to take time to care for their own serious health conditions, including pregnancy and childbirth recovery, the serious health condition of a family member, the birth or adoption of a child, to address the effects of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, and/or to make arrangements arising from the military deployment of a spouse, child or parent.
• Enables the lowest-paid workers to earn up to 85 percent of their normal wages, with the typical full-time worker earning around two-thirds of their wages. The wage replacement rate has a $4,000 cap per month and provides:
  • 85% on the first $1,257 of monthly wages
  • 69% of monthly wages from $1,258-$3,500
  • 50% of monthly wages from $3,501-$6,200
• Covers workers in all companies, no matter their size. Younger, part-time, lower-wage, contingent, and self-employed workers would be eligible for benefits.
• Ensures that workers who have been at their job for more than 90 days have the right to be reinstated following their leave, and that all workers are protected from retaliation.
• Allows states with existing paid leave programs to continue administering them.

Click here to view the Chamber of Mothers’ memo of support for the FAMILY Act (S.2823).

Click here to urge your Members of Congress to pass the FAMILY Act (S.2823).

Maternal Health Legislative Agenda

Mothers are the foundation of our families and our future. Investing in maternal health ensures that every child has the best start in life, while reducing long-term healthcare costs for all.

The Chamber of Mothers calls on Congress to pass the Momnibus Act. This legislation aims to save moms’ lives by directing multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health for moms across the entire country. The legislation, comprised of 13 evidence-based bills, builds on existing legislation to more comprehensively address the multiple factors contributing to the maternal health crisis in the U.S. It makes critical investments to support community-based organizations, addresses non-medical factors that impact health, grows and diversifies the perinatal workforce, expands access to care for people with maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders, and advances maternal health research. 

Note: The Momnibus has not yet been reintroduced during the 119th Congress. 

Additional Maternal Legislation

The Chamber of Mothers also supports the following pieces of legislation that would help address the maternal health crisis.

Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act (S.5330): Creates a Department of Defense (DoD) pilot program to designate pregnancy as a Qualifying Life Event under the TRICARE program, empowering dependents of service members to choose a health care plan that meets their needs during pregnancy.

Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act (H.R.1317/S.575): This bipartisan legislation would increase healthcare access, improve quality of care, and lower costs by removing the remaining barriers imposed by the federal government in the Medicare and Medicaid programs that prevent Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) from practicing the full scope of their education and clinical training to the level that is approved in the state where they practice.

Midwives for MOMS Act (S. 1599): Bipartisan legislation that will increase access to evidence-based and culturally congruent maternity care as provided by certified professional midwives (CPMs), certified nurse-midwives (CNMs), and certified midwives (CMs) by establishing two new funding streams for midwifery education: one in the Title VII Health Professions Training Programs, and one in the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. Additionally, the bill will prioritize students from minority or disadvantaged backgrounds.

MIDWIVES for Service Members Act (H.R.3202): Bipartisan, cost-neutral bill that establishes a pilot program requiring TRICARE coverage of Certified Midwives (CM) and Certified Professional Midwives (CPM) in states where they are licensed and regulated the same as Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM). 

Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act (H.R.1254/S.380): Bipartisan legislation that will support rural hospitals and prepare doctors to handle obstetric emergencies.

Child Care Legislative Agenda

By ensuring families have access to affordable child care, we can empower parents to pursue careers, grow our economy, and secure a brighter future for the next generation.

The Chamber of Mothers calls on Congress to pass the Child Care for Working Families Act (H.R.4418/ S.2295). This comprehensive legislation would make high-quality, affordable child care accessible to working families by:

• Ensuring all working families have access to high-quality child care through the Birth Through Five Child Care and Early Learning Program.

• Caps child care costs at 7% of a family’s income, regardless of the number of children they have. Families earning below 85 percent of the state median income will have free child care.
• Provides grants to cover start-up and licensing costs for new child care providers.
• Increases child care options for children whose parents work non-traditional hours, such as law enforcement, and children with disabilities.
• Supports training and professional development for the early childhood workforce.
• Pays child care workers a living wage and achieves parity with elementary school teachers who have similar credentials and experience.
• Creates a federal-state partnership where the federal government covers 90 percent of the cost of high-quality child care services and the State covers only 10 percent.
• Providing states with Building an Affordable System for Early Education (BASE) Grants to help stabilize child care programs and enable child care providers to offer high-quality services for families.
  • These funds must be used to provide sustained, increased staff wages and graduated pay increases. Funds can also be used for staff bonuses and benefits, staff professional development, to help pay for rent or mortgages, and improve access to inclusive and developmentally appropriate care for children with disabilities.
• Providing States with funding to establish and expand a mixed-delivery system of high-quality preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds.
• Providing funding for Head Start agencies to provide full school year and full school day services, and ensure Head Start and Early Head Start teachers and staff receive wages that are comparable to wages for elementary educators with similar credentials and experience in the State or, at a minimum, receive a living wage

CLICK HERE [Insert Link to PDF memo] to view the Chamber of Mothers’ memo of support for the Child Care for Working Families Act (H.R.4418/ S.2295). 

Click here to urge your Members of Congress to pass the Child Care for Working Families Act (H.R.4418/ S.2295).

Additional Child Care Legislation

The Chamber of Mothers also supports the following pieces of legislation that would help address the child care crisis.

Child Care Availability and Affordability Act (H.R.1827/ S.847): Bipartisan bill that increases the size of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and makes it refundable, strengthens the DCAP program, and bolsters the Employer-Provided Child Care Tax Credit.

Child Care Workforce Act (S.846/ H.R.1826): Bipartisan bill that would establish a competitive grant program for States, localities, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations who are interested in adopting or expanding pay supplement programs for child care workers to increase supply and reduce turnover.

Leveraging Estate Gains for America’s Children and Youth (LEGACY) Act (Pending): This bill would create a designated revenue stream to supplement the Child Care Development Fund by transferring 15% of revenue generated from the estate tax.