Paid parental leave was a priority during my campaign. I have long thought that the federal government needs to take the lead in providing family friendly working environments for new parents.
I will support paid parental leave legislation and work to make the federal government lead on family-friendly policies for new parents.
Occurrences
Evidence
Rep. Don Beyer joined Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney, Steny Hoyer, and Jamie Raskin as they reintroduced the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (FEPPLA). Beyer said: "Forcing new parents to choose between their child and a paycheck is an archaic practice that needs to end." FEPPLA would provide federal employees six weeks of paid leave following the birth, adoption or fostering of a child.
Beyer joined colleagues introducing the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA), which would provide 12 weeks of paid family leave for federal employees. Beyer said paid family leave for federal employees is needed because the federal government comes in last among developed nations on paid parental leave.
The statute compilation lists 'Federal Employee Paid Leave Act' as a short title within the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, Public Law 116-92. GovInfo also identifies Public Law 116-92 as the NDAA that contains the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act.
OPM states it is issuing an interim final rule to implement the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, which provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave to certain Federal employees covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act. The notice says the law was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 and becomes effective October 1, 2020.
OPM states that the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act provides qualifying federal employees with up to 12 administrative workweeks of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement events. OPM also states eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 administrative workweeks of PPL per qualifying birth or placement.
Congress.gov bill text shows H.R.1534 was introduced by Carolyn Maloney with Beyer among the named original introducers. The bill was titled the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act and provided that 12 weeks of family leave made available to a federal employee would be paid leave, including consideration of the federal government's role as a model employer.
The current eCFR version, up to date as of 2026-06-25, states that OPM's paid parental leave rules apply to covered employees and that the entitlement covers qualifying births or placements on or after October 1, 2020, for up to 12 workweeks.
Assessments
Beyer publicly backed and co-sponsored federal paid parental leave legislation, and the core policy was enacted for federal employees in the FY2020 NDAA and then implemented by OPM. That satisfies both the support-for-legislation pledge and the goal of making the federal government a family-friendly model employer for new parents, with the delivery occurring in the same congressional term.
Beyer supported and helped introduce paid parental leave legislation for federal employees, including H.R.1534 and related Federal Employee Paid Leave Act proposals. The core outcome was enacted in the FY2020 NDAA as the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, providing eligible federal employees up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement, with OPM implementation beginning in 2020. Because this occurred while Beyer remained in federal office and his legislative support was directly tied to the enacted policy area, the promise is fulfilled in the same term context.
Beyer promised to support paid parental leave legislation and make the federal government lead on family-friendly policies for new parents. The evidence shows he publicly supported and helped introduce federal employee paid parental leave legislation during his House service, including FEPPLA and FEPLA. The core outcome was enacted in Public Law 116-92, the FY2020 NDAA, as the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, providing 12 weeks of paid parental leave for eligible federal employees, with OPM implementing it effective October 1, 2020. Because the enacted policy directly matches the federal-government-as-employer parental leave promise and occurred while Beyer remained in federal office, this counts as delivered in the same term/context. The effort badge is warranted because he made documented legislative efforts supporting and advancing the policy.
The promise had two linked components: support paid parental leave legislation and make the federal government lead on family-friendly policies for new parents. The evidence shows Beyer publicly backed and helped introduce federal employee paid parental leave bills, and the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act was enacted in the FY2020 NDAA, providing 12 weeks of paid parental leave for eligible federal employees effective October 1, 2020. That satisfies the federal-government-leadership component for new parents, even if broader universal paid leave was not achieved.