CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Janelle Bynum (D-OR)

Supporting VA Families Act

H.R. 8041 · House bill Armed Forces and National Security

A Democratic bill with 12 Republican cosponsors · See all 95 cosponsors

Last activity — Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

In committee

Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.

The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill is known as the Supporting VA Families Act. It creates a right to extra unpaid parental leave for workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under this legislation, eligible employees get four administrative weeks of leave without pay during any 12-month period. This time off can be used for the birth of a child and to care for that child, or for the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care. The leave entitlement expires at the end of the 12-month period that starts on the date of the birth or placement. This new leave is in addition to any other leave entitlements the employees already have.

Yes· 3 of 6

  • Scored +4

    Would women be better off under this?

    Women often disproportionately bear caregiving responsibilities and benefit from expanded parental leave options.

  • Scored +4

    Would men be better off under this?

    Provides fathers with an additional entitlement to care for new children.

  • Scored +4

    Does this make child care cost less?

    Provides VA employees more time to care for new children through additional unpaid leave.

The opposite

  • Scored -2

    Would households on low incomes be better off under this?

    The unpaid nature of the leave may create financial strain for lower-income employees.