The United States is the only developed country in the world without mandatory paid parental leave.
Now, a bipartisan proposal is looking to change that by giving new parents access to some of their future tax benefits.
Republican Sen, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona came up with a plan that would change the tax code to give new parents access to more money to help relieve the burden of unpaid leave with a new child.
The proposal would allow new parents to take a $5,000 advance on their child tax credit. That would reduce the $2,000 annual benefit to $1,500 for the following 10 years after the birth or adoption.
"If they want to use it to buy diapers, they can. If they want to use it to pay for someone to care for their child if they have to return to work, they can," said Cassidy.
Ultimately, the bill still doesn’t give American parents actual time off from work. It just allows them to use money now instead of later.
Keep in mind, fewer than one in five American workers get paid leave through their employers. The Family Medical Leave Act gives most American workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.
According to The Washington Post, the United Kingdom grants new moms up to nine months of paid leave. Moms in Canada get 12 months.
One year ago, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio introduced a bill that would have allowed new parents to use their future Social Security benefits for paid leave, but the legislation never went anywhere.
“It’s encouraging that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle are in agreement that Congress should enact a program for paid family leave," Rubio told 10News. "I am hopeful that Democrats and Republicans can eventually come together to pass a paid family leave proposal that provides the flexibility and benefits working and stay-at-home moms and dads deserve.”
10News reached out to Florida congressional leaders about the Cassidy-Sinema plan.
Rep. Charlie Crist of St. Petersburg said, "In a nation as economically strong and progressive as the United States, it is disheartening to recognize that we are one of few countries that does not mandate paid leave for new parents. No biological, adoptive, or foster parent should feel like they have to decide between their gainful employment and spending time with the newest addition to their family. I am strongly supportive of comprehensive legislation that keeps our working-class families at the forefront of this conversation - paid parental leave is simply the right thing to do. I’m glad that Senators Sinema and Cassidy are talking about this issue.”
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