Sometimes 24 hours isn’t enough. For working families across America, balancing work and home and children and bills and life – is a lot. But this week, House Republicans presented a package of bills that will make life easier for a lot of people.
Increasing flexibility in the workplace: Unfortunately, there’s no way to add hours to the clock. And, when you have to balance life at work and at home, time becomes valuable. The Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013 gives private-sector employees the ability to use overtime hours for paid time off – as public sector employees can now. This will allow parents to take time off to be with their kids, and go to things like baseball games, mission trips, or school functions.Increasing take-home pay: Every day costs – on things like gas, groceries, and air costs – are rising, as larger purchases like health care and education are skyrocketing. For families, this growing financial squeeze can be detrimental. Bills like the Child Tax Credit Improvement Act and the Student and Family Tax Simplification Act will put more money in the pockets of parents and make planning for future opportunities easier and more affordable.Rewarding those who work hard: And often, when both parents work, other costs are incurred – like childcare or automobile costs. The Empowering Americans To Work Act was introduced by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and would amend the tax code to provide a deduction for families with a second income worker, to help make those every day expenses more affordable.On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes children are left taking care of aging parents. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Families First Act, which updates the dependent care tax credit to match inflation – so that that Americans paying for expensive health care costs for parents or children get the relief they need financially.Advancing Opportunity in the Workplace: Rep. McMorris Rodgers has introduced a bill that will protect workers who discuss their salaries in the workplace. This bill would strengthen existing laws to help stop discrimination at work everyone, without adding unnecessary mandates and litigation to wage requirements.Also, by increasing job training programs, all Americans will have access to the skills they need for good-paying job opportunities. Four million jobs are unfilled in the United States, because of a lack of skilled workers to fill the gaps. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act would connect Americans with the programs they need – while also making the current job-training program more efficient and effective.Across America, families are making it work. But sometimes, we all need a little help. These bills have the potential to make life so much easier for so many Americans. As House Republicans, we want to empower all Americans so they can reach their full potential – no matter where they started.
5 things (still) on our summer wish listAugust 4, 2014
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Health Care VA progress is being made – but there is still work to be done Communications • August 14, 2014 
No walk with this talk – A timeline of Obama’s broken VA promisesMay 22, 2014
Reps. Renee Ellmers (R-NC), Martha Roby (R-AL), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), and Susan Davis (D-CA) visit with soldiers of the International Security Assistance Force Northern Regional Command at Camp Marmel in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan.
Members of the Bi-Partisan Women’s Mother’s Day CODEL visit with Afghan female students at the Women’s Resource Center at Marmal Airfield near Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. “The world has a significant interest in preserving the human rights gains made by Afghan women,” said Rep. Roby.
Congresswomen Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Renee Ellmers (R-NC), and Martha Roby (R-AL) outside the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan. “We must continue to remain focused on our mission there,” Rep. Ellmers said. “Our sacrifices on behalf of our freedom and national security have not been in vain.”
On Mother’s Day, Rep. Roby stands with other mothers, after delivering cards. “This annual Mother’s Day CODEL has become a really special trip,” Rep. Roby said. “I appreciate my colleagues for taking time away from their families to be with our troops, a small sacrifice that means so much to our military members.”
Rep. Renee Ellmers enjoys lunch with soldiers at a Mother’s Day luncheon at Camp Marmel. “What made this journey so heartwarming was the chance to spend Mother’s Day with our troops and share some quality time with so many women who are making painful sacrifices in order to protect the freedom of others,” said Rep. Ellmers.
Rep. Martha Roby dines with soldiers at a Mother’s Day luncheon at Camp Marmel. “It’s an honor to be able to travel to Afghanistan and spend time with our brave military men and women on the ground there,” Rep. Roby said while en route back to the United States.
Officer Josh Cooper and Police Officers from the Dallas Police Department stand in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. They joined hundreds of Americans in celebrating the lives and service of Law Enforcement Officials on the Washington Mall, March 15th, 2014.
