Gillibrand rolls out ‘Family Bill of Rights’ to ease parents’ financial burdens

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday unveiled a proposal that would codify the rights of parents in the nation’s laws, including the right to affordable delivery, child care and protections for LGBTQ parents.

The 2020 Democratic presidential contender vowed to pass the “Family Bill of Rights” legislation within her first 100 days in office, should she be elected. 

The bill would protect adoption and IVF rights for all parents regardless of religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, a provision that would overturn state laws allowing such discrimination by private adoption agencies, the senator announced in a press release.

Other rights outlined in the legislation include the right to “a safe and healthy pregnancy” as well as the right “to personally care for your loved ones with paid leave, including care for your child in its infancy.”

{mosads}Universal pre-K and affordable child care are also included in the wide-ranging legislation, which Gillibrand said would ensure that children across the country would have a better chance at succeeding in life.

“My new proposal, the Family Bill of Rights, will make all families stronger — regardless of who you are or what your zip code is — with a fundamental set of rights that levels the playing field starting at birth,” Gillibrand said in the release.

“Passing the Family Bill of Rights will be my priority in my first 100 Days as president, and I believe it will transform American families and their ability to achieve the American Dream.”

Gillibrand has been a longtime supporter of some of the proposals, such as universal paid family leave. The broad legislation makes the New York senator’s proposal stand out as one of the most defined family rights proposals of any Democrat running in the 2020 primary.

The legislation would also address recent calls from black congresswomen to tackle African American infant and maternal mortality, and would encourage hospitals to adopt standardized best practices for maternity care while providing more federal resources for OB/GYN care, especially in rural areas where shortages exist.

Fellow 2020 candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) recently outlined her plan to combat black maternal mortality, one of many detailed policy proposals the senator has rolled out as part of her campaign.

Universal pre-K, one of Gillibrand’s proposals, is also supported by other 2020 contenders including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, who proposed such a plan as part of an education reform package earlier this year.

Gillibrand is currently polling near the bottom of the pool of two dozen Democrats running to take on President Trump. A RealClearPolitics average of recent national polls has the senator at 0.8 percent, a fraction of the 37.6 percent rating for front-runner former Vice President Joe Biden.