BookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxFilledCheckBoxCircleBumpCheckedFilledMedical

The Senate Is Now a Baby-Friendly Workplace

save article
profile picture of Anisa Arsenault
By Anisa Arsenault, Associate Editor
Updated April 18, 2018
tammy duckworth proposing newborns be allowed in the senate when voting
Image: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Tammy Duckworth is a new mom (for the second time). She’s also a United States senator. Her back-to-work transition will probably be a little different from that of a usual office job, since, you know, she’s the first US Senator to welcome a baby while in office, ever. With that in mind, she successfully worked to change longstanding Senate rules so that babies will be allowed on the floor.

Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, submitted a resolution this week that would allow senators to bring a child under the age of 1 to the Senate floor during votes. Despite some hesitation from older, male senators, it passed unanimously. Previously, not only could they not do this, but they also couldn’t hand a baby off to a staffer during voting, or vote by proxy. Duckworth, who still plans to be a part of any Senate votes during maternity leave, has previously discussed how these rules would impact her ability to do her job while breastfeeding.

Luckily, leading up to the vote, senators from both parties seem receptive to this change.

“After many positive, constructive conversations with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Sen. Duckworth is glad to be able to offer this legislation to ensure no senator with an infant is prevented from performing their constitutional responsibilities — and send a message that working parents everywhere deserve family-friendly workplace policies,” Kaitlin Fahey, Duckworth’s chief of staff, told CNN. “She is optimistic that this will be resolved quickly.”

Does it count as work/life balance if you’re bringing your baby to work? Hard to say. But paving the way for more women—and mothers, specifically—to raise kids while maintaining government jobs is a good place to start.

save article
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

dad sitting at desk with baby
These Are the Best States for Working Dads in 2024, Report Says
By Wyndi Kappes
naomi osaka and bobbie campaign
Naomi Osaka Returns to Tennis With Message for Moms Chasing Big Dreams
By Wyndi Kappes
upset woman in her work office putting her head in her hands
Breastfeeding Moms Aren’t Getting Enough Support at Work, Survey Finds
By Nehal Aggarwal
ADVERTISEMENT
ryan reynolds talks about having three daughters and fatherhood
Ryan Reynolds Finally Opens Up About Baby No.3 and Being a Dad
By Nehal Aggarwal
actress amy schumer on going back to work
Amy Schumer Opens Up About Being ‘Afraid’ to Return to Work After Baby
By Ashley Edwards Walker
dad at work on computer holding his baby
Providence Mayor Ignites Debate by Bringing His Baby to Work
By Laurie Ulster
working mom sitting at her desk with her baby
Thanks to This Program, There’s No Excuse for Employers Not to Support New Moms at Work
By Stephanie Grassullo
ADVERTISEMENT
medela and mamava team up to help working breastfeeding moms
Medela, Mamava Team Up to Support Breastfeeding Moms at Work
By Stephanie Grassullo
mom writes letter to pre-school about sending her son off to preschool for the first time
Mom Blogger Returning to Work Pens Heartfelt Open Letter to Her Son's Daycare Workers
By Stephanie Grassullo
sad mom holding sad toddler child
Job Posting Stirs Backlash for Stating Parents of Young Kids ‘Need Not Apply’
By Stephanie Grassullo
ADVERTISEMENT
woman working office late
Working Mom Explains What It’s Like to Forget to Kiss Her Kids Goodnight
By Stephanie Grassullo
mom breastfeeding her new born baby
The Key to Breastfeeding Success Is Coworker Support, Study Says
By Ashley Edwards Walker
Woman using a hands-free breast pump at her computer
Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplaces May Soon Be the Law in California
By Anisa Arsenault
ADVERTISEMENT
Going Back to Work Checklist
Going Back to Work Checklist
By Kylie McConville
Checklist: Working Mom vs. Stay at Home Mom
Checklist: Working Mom vs. Stay at Home Mom
By Paula Kashtan
Q&A: How Do I Deal With Going Back to Work?
Q&A: How Do I Deal With Going Back to Work?
By Erin van Vuuren
Changing Work Schedule After Baby?
Changing Work Schedule After Baby?
By The Bump Editors
ADVERTISEMENT
Notes From a Stay-at-Home Dad Reveal What Really Goes on While Mom’s At Work
Notes From a Stay-at-Home Dad Reveal What Really Goes on While Mom’s At Work
By Kylie McConville
The Back-to-Work Guide for New Moms
The Back-to-Work Guide for New Moms
By Erin van Vuuren
6 Things I Loved and 5 More I Hated About Going Back to Work After Baby
6 Things I Loved and 5 More I Hated About Going Back to Work After Baby
By Danielle Koubaro
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.