Support Life, Support Families

(BISMARCK, ND) – For families that are working hard to make ends meet, an unintended pregnancy can strain finances. This session, Democratic-NPL legislators took the initiative to prioritize the needs of working individuals and families. Unfortunately, they were unable to convince their Republican colleagues that being truly “pro-life” means supporting life after birth and helping families that are already struggling to keep afloat. Most parents are guaranteed time off from work after childbirth. The problem is making that work without a paycheck. The United States is the only developed country in the world with no federally mandated paid family leave.

A paid family leave bill was championed by Representative Karla Rose Hanson and Senator Erin Oban, which would have created a paid family leave program so that North Dakotans wouldn’t have to choose between caring for a loved one and their job. Most families simply can’t afford to take unpaid time off when a baby is born, and this legislation would have established a self-sufficient fund with contributions from both employers and employees.

The most ironic part about the House Republicans killing this legislation is that in February 2019, during his State of the Union speech, President Trump called for federal paid family leave. He claimed his plan would allow every new parent a “chance to bond with their newborn child.”

“If women know they’ll have the ability to care for their newborn, that would be a game changer,” said Alison Jones, Communications Director for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. “Protecting babies in the womb has become nothing more than a talking point for North Dakota Republican legislators who can’t seem to find it in their heart to support any bill that assists in childcare once a child is born.”

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