Dads Caucus

Dads Caucus Helps Secure Procedural Win for Family-Friendly Reform, Paving Way for Final House Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Congressional Dads Caucus, led by Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), is applauding a bipartisan effort to allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy for up to 12 weeks after the birth of a child. A total of 218 Members of Congress—including 41 Dads Caucus members—signed a discharge petition to force a vote on the resolution, bypassing House Speaker Mike Johnson after he refused to include the measure in the House rules package for the new Congress and publicly opposed it.

The bipartisan resolution, introduced by Reps. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Mike Lawler (NY-17), ensures that Members can represent their constituents while caring for their families. It also allows pregnant Members to vote by proxy if a medical condition prevents them from traveling.

“This resolution is a simple, common-sense step toward making Congress work for working families,” said Dads Caucus Chairman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34). “New parents shouldn’t have to choose between caring for their newborns and serving their constituents. That’s why I urged all Dads Caucus members to support this effort—and thanks to Pettersen’s leadership, we have a real opportunity to remove a major barrier for young parents in public office.”

“No Member of Congress should have to choose between caring for their newborn and representing their constituents,” said Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07). “While Speaker Johnson decided to not move forward with our resolution – despite bipartisan support – we refused to back down. I’m so grateful for all the people who stepped up and helped us get one step closer to modernizing Congress. Sam is only 6 weeks old, but he got to be a part of changing hearts and minds and addressing a barrier that prevents regular people from serving in Congress.”

“The American people are desperate for change – and one of the best places to start is by who represents them in Washington,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51). “That’s why I’m so proud that we’ve forced a vote on our bipartisan resolution to allow parental leave for Members of Congress. Once passed, this will be a green light for more young people, more parents, and more soon-to-be parents to serve in this institution and pave the way for more pro-family policies. We have a long way to go to make the House more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming, but this is an amazing step forward.”

“Our country is stronger and our government more representative because of the incredible leadership of moms and parents in public office. At long last, this resolution would eliminate an outdated, totally unnecessary obstacle for new parents serving in Congress,” said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and founder of MomsRising. “Moms are grateful to Rep. Pettersen for standing up for parents and to the Dads Caucus for helping to get this bi-partisan resolution over the finish line. We urge every member of Congress to support it to make Congress more family-friendly.”

“No one should be forced to choose between caring for their new baby and their job, including members of Congress,” said Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “This bipartisan resolution will allow new parents to take the time they need to care for their newborn and recover from childbirth, as well as allowing pregnant members of Congress to follow their doctor’s instructions about traveling late in pregnancy. The National Partnership strongly supports this resolution, and we urge all members of Congress to vote in support.”

Other original co-sponsors of this resolution include Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Young Kim (CA-40), Joe Neguse (CO-02), and Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02). With the House in recess until March 24, the resolution must remain on the calendar for at least seven legislative days before it’s eligible for discharge. Only after a discharge vote can the bill move to the House floor for consideration and a final vote.

The Congressional Dads Caucus was founded after the 118th Congress Speaker vote to provide a forum for members of Congress to push legislation that supports working families. Since then, the caucus has gained momentum as a leading voice for policy solutions that help families thrive and make America more affordable—including creating a national paid leave program, increasing access to affordable child care, expanding the Child Tax Credit, and ensuring working parents have the resources they need to provide for their families.

Learn more about the Dads Caucus here and read the Dads Caucus 118th Congress report here.

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