PRESS RELEASE
September 10, 1996

STATEMENT BY JOE LOCKHART
NATIONAL PRESS SECRETARY

"This family leave act is heralded by the President as one of the great milestones of his first term.... But my view is, why should the federal government be getting into family leave?" Bob Dole (New York Times, 9/8/96)

Bob Dole is continuing his assault on America’s families. He led the fight against Family Medical Leave in the Senate and now opposes the President’s proposed expansion of the law to allow parents time off to attend to family needs.

It’s no wonder that most Americans believe that the President shares their values. (Labor Day USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll)

Bob Dole is stubbornly standing alone against America’s families and businesses. The Family and Medical Leave Act is one of President Clinton’s most successful initiatives to help working families. Twelve million families have benefited from guaranteed time off in times of family emergencies. And nine out of ten businesses surveyed found the Family and Medical Leave Act did not adversely affect their companies.

Today, Bob Dole’s advisors said that he’s going to shift his focus to moral issues. Bob Dole may talk about family values, but he clearly doesn’t value America’s families.

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Bob Dole’s Continuing Opposition
To The Family & Medical Leave Act

1996: Campaigning On His Opposition To Family Leave:
In 1996, despite its proven effectiveness, Dole continues to oppose the Family and Medical Leave Act. On September 7, 1996, at a campaign speech, Dole said:

"This family leave act is heralded by the President as one of the great milestones of his first term....But my view is, why should the federal government be getting into family leave? It ought to be left to employees or the states or the counties, and the federal government ought to be out of it." [New York Times, 9/8/96]

1996: Dole Opposes Expansion Of Family & Medical Leave:
Dole also opposed expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act that would allow parents time off to get medical attention for children, or for family duties such as attending a child's school play or accompanying an elderly relative to medical appointments. Dole said:

"It ought to be left to the employees, or the state or the county -- the federal government ought to be out of it." [Chicago Tribune, 9/8/96]

1993: Dole "Actively Blocks" & Votes Against Family Leave
In 1993, Dole voted against Senate passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (S. 5), after leading a filibuster against the Act and sponsoring "unfriendly" amendments, designed to slow progress and kill or water down the bill. [CQ Almanac, 1993 (p. 391; vote #7, p. 2-S); Congressional Record, 1993 (p.1,254)]

"So what this amendment provides is that the leave program...is optional. It is optional for each business, not mandatory..." -- Bob Dole speaking on an amendment he offered [Congressional Record, 2/4/93, p. S-1257]

1992: Dole Filibusters, Votes Against Family & Medical Leave
Dole participated in a 2-day filibuster against the Family Leave bill (S. 5), and later voted against overriding President Bush’s veto of the Family and Medical Leave Act. [DSG, 6/13/94; 1992 CQ Almanac, p. 354; vote #232, p. 30-S]

"“ don’t think this has anything to do with family values."[Hutchinson News, 9/26/92]

1991: Dole Votes Against Family & Medical Leave
Dole voted against adoption of the compromise version of the Family and Medical Leave Act, offered by Sens. Bond and Dodd in an attempt to gain additional votes in the face of President Bush’s threatened veto. [1991 CQ Almanac, p. 312-313, vote #215, p. 28-S]

1988: Dole Filibusters, Votes Against Family & Medical Leave
Dole participated in the 9-day filibuster that killed passage of the Parental Leave/Child Care bill (S. 2488), voting against cloture on the bill. [1988 CQ Almanac, p. 261-263; vote #355, p. 58-S; DSG, 6/13/94]

"What we’re saying is: slow down. This is not an urgent matter..." [Los Angeles Times, 10/8/88]