Paid family leave in spotlight as Senate weighs Biden social spending
plan
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[November 22, 2021] By
Susan Heavey
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fresh off securing
U.S. House of Representatives passage of President Joe Biden's social
and environmental spending plan, his fellow Democrats are pressing ahead
with it in the Senate, where the bill may undergo major changes on
issues such as paid family leave to satisfy party centrists.
The $1.75 trillion legislation, approved by the House on Friday over
united Republican opposition, includes four weeks of family leave paid
by the government for reasons such as the birth of a child or caring for
a sick relative. It is likely to become a battleground issue in the days
ahead.
The legislation, which aims to bolster the U.S. social safety net and
fight climate change, must win over divided Senate Democratic moderates
and liberals, as Republicans remain opposed. Democrats have said they
want an agreement by year's end. Any Senate changes would need House
approval again.
"There's going to be some changes," Democratic Senator Jon Tester told
NBC's "Meet the Press" program, urging compromise. "We don't all see the
world the same way."
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Biden has said he looks forward to signing the bill into law as soon as
it passes Congress, which is narrowly controlled by the Democrats. The
bill must secure support from the 100-seat Senate's 48 Democrats and the
two independents who caucus with them because no Republican backs it.
Centrist Democrats Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema in particular have
raised concerns about its cost and scope.
Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand mentioned differences with Manchin
over paid family leave but said she hopes they could reach a compromise
in the next three weeks.
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"This is the only moment to get paid leave done. ... Now is the time,"
Gillibrand told CBS's "Face the Nation" program.
The cost of the four weeks of federal paid leave has been estimated at $200
billion over 10 years. Gillibrand said the legislation could include an
employee-employer contribution system similar to those used by some U.S. states.
The United States is the only wealthy country that does not pay woman on
maternity leave.
The White House is reaching out to lawmakers to get the legislation passed,
Biden's National Economic Council Director Brian Deese said.
"We will work with every member of the Senate on this bill," Deese told the "Fox
News Sunday" program, adding that the legislation has "a lot of momentum."
"We really do now have a good understanding of where the consensus lies," Deese
added, on issues such as government support for childcare costs, family benefits
and tax increases on corporations and the wealthy.
The House passed the bill with just one Democrat voting against it. It was
scaled down from Democrats' original $3.5 trillion vision.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Will Dunham and Heather Timmons)
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