By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer
In America, our news cycle is often fraught with controversy and dispute. From watching the news or scrolling social media, it might seem like there are few issues where Americans see eye to eye. Of course, it may be true that we disagree on some big issues, and those issues may be important. But behind the headlines and social media posts, there are still things Americans agree on.
One of those is paid family and medical leave.
The Pew Research Center found that the vast majority of Americans support paid parental leave—up to 82 percent. Eighty-five percent of Americans say people should receive paid leave to deal with their own serious health conditions, and 67 percent say they should receive leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition.
We rarely see Americans so united on other issues. But it’s for good reason that Republicans and Democrats come together on paid family leave.
The reality is that Americans shouldn’t have to choose between their paychecks and caring for their families. Whether an employee is caring for a newborn, nursing an aging parent, or recovering after surgery, they deserve time to tend to themselves or their loved ones without risking the income they need to survive.
That’s why I spearheaded our nation’s first-ever federal family leave policy in 2017 with Senator Angus King (I-Maine). As part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we passed a Paid Family and Medical Leave tax credit that encourages businesses to offer leave to their employees. Employers are able to receive the tax credit if they voluntarily offer up to 12 weeks of paid leave. Our credit increases access to paid leave without penalizing small businesses with limited resources, like a government entitlement program or a mandate would.
Almost eight years later, this tax credit is about to expire. And Congress is set to work on another tax package. I’m pushing hard to get my bill with Senator King, the PFML Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act, included in that tax package. This is a priority for Americans, a priority for Nebraskans, and a priority for me as I negotiate with my colleagues in the Senate.
I reintroduced our bill this week with Senator King, and a bipartisan group of our colleagues in the House introduced companion legislation. Our legislation makes the PFML tax credit we passed in 2017 permanent, as well as improving the credit. It supports additional options for financing paid leave, such as paid family leave insurance. It also allows employers to begin offering paid leave to workers sooner after being hired.
The bill includes a strategy for educating employers and employees about the option to receive this credit. It requires the Small Business Administration and the Internal Revenue Service to provide targeted outreach and assistance to those who need it, which will raise awareness of the credit and expand the number of Americans who have paid leave.
Passing this bill in our upcoming tax package will deliver on the promises Republicans made to the American people this November. We promised to make families’ lives better, more prosperous, and more affordable. More access to family leave will contribute to that goal. Our tax credit is a tried-and-true method, one with a bipartisan track record of success. It’s the best option for paid family and medical leave: the one that will do the most good with the smallest price tag.
I’m determined to get the PFML Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act passed to expand access to leave for more Americans. As tax package negotiations continue this month, American families will be at the forefront of my contributions—and I’m optimistic that this package will deliver for them.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.