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Democrats create the Dads Caucus in the House : NPR


U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., talks to Representative Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif.’s newborn baby, inside the House of Representatives during the vote for her next speaker House of Representatives on the first day of the 118th Congress at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 3.

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U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., talks to Representative Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif.’s newborn baby, inside the House of Representatives during the vote for her next speaker House of Representatives on the first day of the 118th Congress at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 3.

Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

California Congressman Jimmy Gomez gained national attention when the House of Representatives suffered 15 votes to elect a speaker earlier this month, but not because of the way he voted. It was to leave his baby in the chamber as the rounds went on for days.

Gomez brought her infant son Hodge to witness historical events unfold. A few weeks later, without a baby in her arms, Gomez launched the Fathers’ Conclave in Congress. While lawmakers have a tradition of bringing their children to witness the first days of a new Congress and many are already parents, you don’t often see a baby on the floor of the House of Representatives or a house. legislators wear such clothes, especially the father.

Speaking at a press conference this week to announce the new group, Gomez said he thinks his son’s arrival at work “gives visibility to the role of working fathers across the globe.” country,”

“We not only want to show concern but also support issues that affect working parents,” he said.

Other lawmakers before Gomez brought their young relatives to work. On one of Representative Nancy Pelosi’s first days as speaker of the House in 2007, her grandchildren came to the House with her. In a memorable moment, she received the hammer from Representative John Boehner along with the descendants of other lawmakers who surrounded her. In 2018, the Senate unanimous vote to change its rules so Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth could bring her newborn daughter to a floor vote.

Newly elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a hammer among the descendants of members of Congress at the US Capitol in 2007.

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Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP


Newly elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a hammer among the descendants of members of Congress at the US Capitol in 2007.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

Women—even those in Congress—are often the ones who take on many of the parenting responsibilities. survey conducted by the Pew Research Center Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was found that women were more likely to say that they had to shoulder more of a burden when it came to parenting than their spouses. In another Pew survey conducted in October 2020, a few months after the pandemic, working mothers more likely than working fathers say their work-life balance has become more difficult since the start of the pandemic.

“Fathers need to help advance policies that will make a difference in the lives of so many parents across the country,” Gomez said.

Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro, who founded the caucus with Gomez, said men have a role to play in supporting policies that help working families.

“(Female legislators) deserve special credit, but they can also count on male legislators to be partners in their fight in the first place,” Castro said.

“As a father of three young children, I look forward to using this caucus to help achieve real solutions that have not been achieved before.”

Debuting alongside other Democrats including Representatives Andy Kim and Dan Goldman, Gomez said the caucus will focus on key policy proposals such as extending the child tax credit, leave countries that pay and fund childcare programs.

While baby Hodge missed the press conference because he had to go home to Los Angeles with his mother, Gomez told NPR that he and his wife are trying to do the best parenting job they can, just like parents Go to another job.” Gomez explained his family’s day care situation, saying that they have carers up to three days a week, but they are still looking for help to cover the remaining two days of the work week.

One key element is missing: bipartisanship

Many of the Dads Caucus policy proposals were also a Democratic Party priority, but after the November election, the Democrats lost control of the House.

“I have yet to contact any Republicans,” Gomez said, adding that he wanted to start with a core group of House Democrats. “We’re going to invite more Democrats to join, and they’re going to have to reach out starting with some of the key committees.”

He noted that Ways and Means is one of the House committees where he wants to target potential new members.

But he acknowledged policy differences between Democrats and Republicans.

Representative Dan Goldman, DN.Y., holds up a letter from his daughter as Representatives Andy Kim, DN.J., (left) and Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., watch during a news conference to announce the announcement. Newspapers about the Congress Dads Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday. The group will advocate for issues such as reasonable child care, paid family leave and the expansion of the Child Tax Credit.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc via Getty Images


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Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc via Getty Images

“I come from a school of thought that we are not going to wait for bipartisanship to start campaigning on an issue,” he said.

But without the participation of Republicans, it is unlikely that any Democratic effort will make it to the House.

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