Helping Grieving Parents

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, the death of a child is a loss like no other, and I extend my heartfelt sympathy to any parents who face such circumstances, but our current laws leave no time for parents to grieve and begin the recovery process before returning to work.

The current Family and Medical Leave Act allows Americans to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth of a child or the care of a loved one experiencing a serious health condition. We need to extend these same protections to parents grieving the loss of a child, which is why I introduced the Sarah Grace-Farley-Kluger Parental Bereavement Act.

This is bipartisan legislation. I was proud to be joined by three Republicans and two Democrats in introducing the bill. This is a commonsense and compassionate step we should all agree on.

I am particularly inspired by the families of those in whose memory the Sarah Grace-Farley-Kluger Act is named. They have turned the pain of the loss of a child into advocacy on behalf of other families facing the same terrible tragedy.

I urge my colleagues to join us in this bipartisan effort to support parents in the toughest times imaginable.

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