Schneider Expands Paid Leave As Part of National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill included an Amendment introduced by Rep. Brad Schneider that would give federal employees two weeks of paid leave specifically to mourn the loss of a child.

"I was proud to help pass the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA demonstrates Congress's bipartisan commitment to national security and our servicemembers and their families who serve and sacrifice in defense of our country. The priorities encoded in the NDAA reflect the shared values of our nation, and I am grateful that, for the first time ever, in this bill Congress is guaranteeing paid leave for the loss of a child for federal employees. This legislation represents the most progressive reform for federal bereavement leave to pass Congress in U.S. history. The death of a child is an unimaginable loss, and I am deeply proud that my amendment will now give grieving parents time off in order to begin the recovery process. Now, we must work to expand this leave for all workers," Schneider said.

Schneider introduced the bipartisan amendment alongside Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16).

In addition to Schneider's amendment, the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act:

• Provides a pay raise for members of the military, strengthens parental leave for caregiving servicemembers, expands access to child care, improves financial security of low-income military members and those with families members living with a disability, protects military communities from PFAS chemicals, strengthens access to health care including mental health care and reproductive care, and combats sexual assault and harassment in the military
• Combats our adversaries with new tools to deter aggression from Russia and China and action against transnational threats, and supports our allies.
• Brings our defense into the modern era with an historic 32 percent increase in defense-wide R&D, $2.5 billion to fix aging infrastructure and support security-related R&D, $1 billion in new cybersecurity investments, over $1 billion for artificial intelligence efforts and investments in new partnerships with the private sector and academia, including HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions.
• Makes critical investments to combat climate change and improve Department of Defense energy security
• Builds on Congress's bipartisan action in passing Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) legislation to provide for the relocation of our Afghan allies and partners, as it authorizes $500 million for this effort, and requires the Secretary of Defense to continue to provide in-depth reports and briefings to Congress on the situation in Afghanistan.

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