Congressional Dads Band Together to Fight for Paid Leave, Affordable Child Care

(Bloomberg) -- Their kids may have gone home after a week on the floor of Congress, but a group of House representatives are keeping their status as fathers front and center with a new caucus to advance issues crucial to working families.

The Congressional Dads Caucus officially launched on Thursday and will “highlight issues facing working families and advocate for policies that support all parents and children,” according to a fact sheet from Congressman Jimmy Gomez, a California Democrat. Other founding members include Rashida Tlaib, Joaquin Castro, Andy Kim, Jamaal Bowman, Rob Menendez, Dan Goldman and Joe Neguse. All are parents and Democrats.

“This is how we set an equitable path forward for the next generation and build a brighter future for our children — including my five-month-old son, Hodge,” Gomez said in a statement.

Their agenda includes supporting legislation on issues like national paid family and medical leave and affordable child care. Less than one in four workers have access to paid family leave, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. More than half of parents of children younger than 15 spend 20% or more of their household income on child care.