U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Hoffman Estates), a candidate for U.S. Senate, is concerned about some issues that affect women.

She’s for enforcement of equal pay laws, paid maternity leave, and child care for low-income workers, and while these issues mostly affect women, she says everyone should be interested.

“It’s time for Congress to wake up and understand that these are not just women’s issues. They are economic issues. Unequal pay, lack of maternity leave and lack of child care hurts every business and every family in this country, so we need to get to work and fix it,” she said.

Passage of paid maternity leave does not appear imminent, but she says if you don’t start, you don’t get it.

Duckworth also is sponsoring the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act, which would require commercial airports to provide clean and convenient rooms for women to breast-feed their young ones, so they don’t have to do it in the bathroom.

Duckworth is angling to oppose Sen. Mark S. Kirk (R-Ill.); she might face a Democratic primary first.

 

 

 

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