Sen. Tammy Duckworth can bring her baby on Senate floor

ILLINOIS SENATOR TAMMY DUCKWORTH

IN A RARE BIPARTISAN VOTE, the U.S. Senate voted Wednesday (April 18) to allow newborns on the Senate floor.

The unanimous vote allows Sen. Tammy Duckworth to bring her baby, who was born last weeks, onto the floor if the Illinois senator has to cast a vote. The rule change will also allow breastfeeding on the floor.

"By ensuring that no Senator will be prevented from performing their constitutional responsibilities simply because they have a young child, the Senate is leading by example and sending the important message that working parents everywhere deserve family-friendly workplace policies," Duckworth said in a statement.

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The Senate being the Senate, couldn't let the rule change occur without discussing it first.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said senators concerns ranged from asking whether diapers will be changed on the Senate floor to questions if there should be a dress code for the baby on the floor.

“Every day moms and dads balance being great parents and successful professionals, and workplaces need to recognize that reality,” said Klobuchar. “The United States Senate should be no exception. We are proud to have Senator Tammy Duckworth - working mom to a newborn - among our ranks and I’m glad the Rules Committee was able to swiftly make this historic rule change for her and future senators.”

Duckworth thanked her colleagues and said vote is "sending the important message that working parents everywhere deserve family-friendly workplace policies. These policies aren’t just a women’s issue, they are a common-sense economic issue.”

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