“Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a long time advocate for women and families, is the right person to lead and Chair the House Appropriations Committee as American families navigate recovery during this pandemic. DeLauro is a longtime friend of the National Partnership and our work, starting from her time as political director of EMILY’s List more than three decades ago. To say we worked closely together is an understatement, since we literally worked in the same building — on the same floor.

“As a survivor of ovarian cancer, DeLauro brings her lived experiences to the policies she fights for. She learned the importance of paid leave first hand after being diagnosed while working as a staffer for Senator Chris Dodd. She worked with Senator Dodd on the issue of paid leave as he wrote and led the effort to pass the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In the House of Representatives, DeLauro carried this mantle as a champion for paid leave and paid sick days, and introduced several policies important for working families including the FAMILY Act, the Healthy Families Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Schedules That Work Act. All are policies that help to ensure no one has to make the impossible choice between staying healthy, or holding down a job and supporting their family.

“DeLauro is a true champion of women’s health and reproductive rights. As chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee she worked to increase funding for family planning and evidence-based sex education, and fought for abortion access, opposing the Hyde Amendment. She continues to be a lead advocate for the Affordable Care Act, the greatest advancement for women’s health in a generation.

“DeLauro understands that during this critical time, the government has a job to do in supporting parents and families through this economic crisis. This will mean advancing a variety of policies — workplace, health, childcare, and anti-racism policies — to accomplish this goal.

“She is an advocate who listens to us and then goes out and fights for us. And we know she will continue to do so in this role. For that reason and so many others I’m proud to support her as chair.”