The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle wrote an open letter to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, advocating for paid parental leave, as she reminisced her childhood and being a mom to her children.

In the letter addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Markle argued that the pandemic made working mothers face a dilemma on being present with their kids or being paid in their work.

"At an alarming rate, millions of women dropped out of the workforce, staying home with their kids and daycares were closed, and looking after their loved ones full time," the Duchess of Sussex said in her open letter, adding that the sacrifice of either being a present mother or being paid "comes at a great cost."

Despite making her case, Markle pointed out that she was writing to Congress as a mother, arguing that Congress has the capability to "shape the family outcomes for generations to come."

Meghan Markle Says Paid Leave Muste Be a "National RIght"

In the letter, the Duchess of Sussex recalled their experience when she gave birth to her second child, Lilibet, as she shared that she also faced the dilemma faced by other parents.

"In June my husband [Prince Harry] and I welcomed our second child. Like any parents we were overjoyed. Like many parents we were overwhelmed," Markle said.

The Duchess of Sussex also underscored that like fewer parents, they were not slapped with the reality of having to spend the critical moment with their children or go back to work.

Markle then insisted that no family in the United States should "choose between earning a living and having the freedom to take care of their child" or even a loved one.

"Paid leave should be a national right, rather than a patchwork option limited to those whose employers have policies in place, or those who live in one of the few states where a leave program exists," The Duchess of Sussex pointed out.

Markle went on to say that taking care of a child amounts to taking care of the community and country, contending that making paid leave a right will establish the foundation that helps in addressing "mental health outcomes, health care costs, and economic strength at the starting line."

Markle ended her letter urging Schumer and Pelosi to push paid leave to be a "shared goal" that unites the Americans, contending that her advocacy is not about the Right or the Left.

Paid Leave on the U.S.

To date, at least six states, including New York and New Jersey, offer some form of paid family leave.

Meanwhile, a bill pushed by Democrats called the Build Back Better Act also known as the 3.5 trillion Reconciliation Bill, included paid family and medical leave. However, Republicans are opposing the said bill.

On October 15, President Biden admitted that the $3.5 trillion bill will not pass unless it was pared down.

"To be honest with you, we're probably not going to get $3.5 trillion this year. We're going to get something less than that," Biden said.

To date, the said bill that included paid medical and family leave is debated by Congressional Democrats. However, the length of the benefit is not yet finalized by the lawmakers.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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