For years, the left has lobbed baseless accusations against conservatives, arguing that all we cared about was the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the elimination of abortion. They have claimed that our interest ends once a child is born, but these allegations could not be further from the truth. Pro-life conservatives believe in loving them both – mom and baby. That is one of the many reasons we are advocating for paid family leave.
This is a pro-life issue. This is a pro-family issue. This is a conservative issue.
We find ourselves in the Dobbs Era, and it is time for conservatives to lead on one of the many facets that will not only limit abortions but provide American moms the time they need with their newborn. Paid family leave allows mothers tospend the first crucial weeks post-birth with their newborns, while still earning an income and having their job protected for their return after leave.
One of the leading motivations behind abortions in the United States is not only the fear that the prospective mother can’t afford a child but also that once the baby is born the mother will lose her job. Without a source of income, the family’s subsistence could be under threat. Paid family leave gives women and their families the confidence their income will not disappear post-birth.
In addition to the stability paid leave provides family finances, paid leave also substantially impacts newborn health anddevelopment, which should be of great importance toconservatives.  With 64% of American households with children now relying on dual incomes, mothers have less ability to be with their baby in the crucial first weeks and months of life. Studies have shown that 10 weeks of paid maternal leave was directly associated with a 10% lower infant mortality rate. Moreover, babies with mothers at home in the early stages of life are more likely to be breastfed, which can positively impact infant brain development and health. Additionally, mothers with paid leave have the ability to attend regular doctors’ appointments for themselves and their babies, another important factor to improve maternal and infant health.
Recently, a small coalition of conservative leaders here in West Virginia participated in a Zoom call with the staff of Senator Shelley Moore Capito. The goal of the call was two-fold: first to understand what is happening in Washington, D.C. concerning paid leave and for the Senator’s team to see that there are conservatives looking for solutions on this issue.
Polling indicates that 65% of conservatives support paid family leave. These polls demonstrate that support for paid family leave crosses political ideology, gender, and, ethnicity lines. It appears to be a winning political issue for all – even amongst Republicans from very conservative states like West Virginia.
Paid family leave is a complex issue, and it will require innovative solutions and leadership. A national mandate is not the path we desire. However, using our tax code to benefit both businesses and mothers is something that can and should be pursued.
As pro-life conservative Republican women, we call on our leaders at both the federal and state level to begin to explore creative and fiscally conscious ways to implement forms of paid family leave. Overturning Roe was one small part in what we can and should do to support family formation and stability in the United States. We must now support paid family leave because at its core it is pro-mother, pro-baby, and pro-family.
Kayla Kessinger is a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from Fayette County and Summer Barrett is a government relations consultant from the Eastern Panhandle.