Bill would extend maternity leave for military women

Legislation introduced by Reps. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) would extend maternity leave for women serving in the military.

The bill, called the Military Opportunities for Mothers (MOM) Act, would lengthen the time military women can take off for the birth of a child from six weeks to 12 weeks.

{mosads}Duckworth and Noem, who timed their measure with the weekend of Mother’s Day, said the bill would make military policies on par with maternity leave available to federal employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

“Mothers in the military inevitably face separation from their children when they are deployed and serving our nation around the globe,” Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, said. “Extending maternity leave for these women is the least we can do for those who sacrifice so much for our country.”

Noem said that women serving in the military should have at least as much maternity leave as other workers.

“For working moms, going back to work after having a child is one of the most difficult days,” Noem said. “But when you put on fatigues instead of a business suit and return to a military base halfway around the world instead of an office around the corner, that day can be even more difficult.”