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Many American workplaces include some kind of maternity leave policy, but Congress isn’t one of them. In U.S. history, 12 federal lawmakers have given birth during their tenures, and in each instance, they were put in a difficult situation: As The New York Times reported, these members “can take time away from the office without sacrificing their pay,”… Read more »
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On Jan. 13, a very pregnant Brittany Pettersen missed the first of what could be weeks' worth of votes in the closely divided House of Representatives, prompting the second-term Colorado Democrat to renew a plea that the chamber's Republican leadership permit proxy or remote voting by lawmakers who are new parents.
Expecting her second child in a few… Read more »
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U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, who is a few weeks away from giving birth to her second child, is leading an effort to allow new parents to vote remotely in Congress.
Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, is unable to fly to Washington, D.C., due to medical and travel restrictions toward the end of pregnancy, leaving her unable to vote on legislation. She… Read more »
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Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), who is currently pregnant, is urging fellow lawmakers to support her in a bid to allow proxy voting for members of Congress who are new parents under the Rules of the House for the 119th Congress.
Pettersen is slated to become the 14th member — and the first from Colorado — to give birth while serving in… Read more »
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The start of a new Congress is like the start of the new year: Everyone is excited and filled with plans and resolutions, including Colorado’s congressional delegation.
Rep. Gabe Evans said he’s “just looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting to work on those crucial items that the American people sent us here to do.” The newly elected… Read more »
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The Founding Fathers no doubt didn’t imagine members of Congress being the ones going on pregnancy leave, but the foresight they showed in the creation of the Constitution as a living document surely could be reconsidered to accommodate the rights of a duly-elected representative. That is– if we expect the next generation of leaders to ascend to… Read more »
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As the 119th Congress commences, leaders from both parties are confronting the smallest margins in nearly 100 years. With this reality, every vote matters, and attendance on the House floor will be critical. As two members who served together during the 115th, 116th, and 117th congresses—one Democrat, one Republican—we both understand the… Read more »
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Colorado Representative Brittany Pettersen, who is unable to fly to Washington, D.C., for a vote due to her pregnancy, called the House of Representatives' unwillingness to let her vote remotely "unreasonable."
Why It Matters
Pettersen, pregnant with her second child, will be just the 14th member—and first from Colorado—to give birth while serving… Read more »
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U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen says she and other house representatives are making a push to allow proxy voting for members of Congress who have just had a baby.
According to Rep. Pettersen's office, she is unable to vote beginning this week. Pettersen is expecting a child soon and says she can not fly due to medical and travel restrictions.
“I… Read more »
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Representative Brittany Pettersen, a second-term Colorado Democrat, was not planning to have a second child at the age of 43.
“As if our life wasn’t complicated enough!” she said with a laugh as she arranged herself on a couch in her office on Capitol Hill earlier this week, staring down at her pregnant belly just weeks from her due date. She blamed the… Read more »
