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S. 1571 · 117th Congress

Servicemember Parental Leave Equity Act

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 117th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

7 cosponsors · 7 D

6 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

This bill modifies Department of Defense parental leave provisions for members of the Armed Forces.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · May 11, 2021

Servicemember Parental Leave Equity Act

This bill modifies Department of Defense parental leave provisions for members of the Armed Forces.

Specifically, the bill increases parental leave for primary caregivers to 18 weeks (currently 12) following the birth of a child and to 12 weeks (currently 6) following the adoption of a child. The bill increases parental leave for a secondary caregiver from 21 days to 12 weeks in connection with the birth or adoption of a child.

Primary or secondary caregivers of a long-term foster child are authorized to take up to 12 weeks of leave in connection with such placement.

Parental leave for a primary or secondary caregiver for a birth, adoption, or foster child placement may be taken in more than one increment. For primary caregivers, the leave must be utilized within one year of the event.

The bill authorizes up to 12 weeks of leave to certain service members who would have been secondary caregivers but for a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.

The following activities required of an active-duty member within a 12-month postpartum period must have the approval of a health care provider and be at the election of the member or in the interest of national security: (1) an order of temporary duty overnight travel or to participate in physically demanding field training exercises, (2) meeting of body composition standards, or (3) passing a physical fitness test.

The bill also reduces the service commitment required for participation in the Career Intermission Program.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Servicemember Parental Leave Equity Act

Latest action (May 11, 2021): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security · Origin: Senate · Introduced: May 11, 2021

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.