{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://adams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/video-adams-stands-pregnant-workers", "Video: Adams Stands Up for Pregnant Workers", "2020-09-17", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "NC", "Alma Adams", "A000370", "adams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC Today,Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12), co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, as well aschair of the House Education & Labor Committee Subcommittee on Workforce Protections,delivered remarks from the House floor in support of H.R. 2694, thePregnant Workers' Fairness Act. Adams is one of the co-sponsors of the bill.\nThePregnant Workers' Fairness Actpassed the House this afternoon with bipartisan support.\nI'm pleased that the House is taking up the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act today, which will create a clear set of rules for employers to follow that require them to provide accommodations for pregnant workers to continue to work and support their families,said Adams in her remarks.Today, we are sending the message thatnowhere in Americashould you have to worry about the health of your pregnancy because your employer won't accommodate you! Today, we tell millions of Americans that pregnancy won't prevent them from taking their dreams as far as they can take them!\nAdditionally, Adams asked thata letter from organizations dedicated to ending this country's Black maternal health crisisbe added to the Congressional Record.\nVideo of the speech is available here.\nThePregnant Workers Fairness Actwould establish that:\n Private sector employers with more than 15 employees as well as public sector employers must make reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers (employees and job applicants with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions).\n\t\tSimilar to theAmericans with Disabilities Act, employers are not required to make an accommodation if it imposes an undue hardship on an employer's business.\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\tPregnant workers cannot be denied employment opportunities, retaliated against for requesting a reasonable accommodation, or forced take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation is available.\n\t\t\n\tWorkers denied a reasonable accommodation under thePregnant Workers Fairness Actwill have the same rights and remedies as those established under Title VII of theCivil Rights Act of 1964. These include lost pay, compensatory damages, andreasonable attorneys' fees.\n\t\tPublic sector employees have similar relief available under theCongressional Accountability Act, Title V of the United States Code, and theGovernment Employee Rights Act of 1991.\n\t\t\n Full remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\nOver 40 years after the Pregnancy Discrimination Act provided civil rights protections to pregnant people, it's shameful that we still must address this issue today.\nEvery year, roughly two-hundred-and-fifty thousand people in America are denied basic accommodations to continue their work once pregnant.\nAnd when these simple, temporary adjustments in their work activities are denied, many face being fired or forced to take unpaid leave simply to protect their health and the health of their pregnancy.\nThis discrimination can take many forms, but its impacts can be deadly.\nAnd of course, these burdens fall disproportionately on people and women of color, who are overrepresented in many of the low-wage jobs that are physically demanding, lack adequate workforce protections, or both.\nThis is also one of thekeyreasons why I founded the Black Maternal Health Caucus with Congresswoman Lauren Underwood last year.\nSo, I'm pleased that the House is taking up the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act today, which will create a clear set of rules for employers to follow that require them to provide accommodations for pregnant workers to continue to work and support their families.\nToday, we are sending the message that nowhere in America should you have to worry about the health of your pregnancy because your employer won't accommodate you!\nToday, we tell millions of Americans that pregnancy won't prevent them from taking their dreams as far as they can take them!\nI ask unanimous consent to insert into the record this letter from the from the Maternal Health Coalition, a group of public health professionals, clinicians, and maternal health organizations, outlining their support this legislation.\nCongresswomanAlmaAdamsrepresents North Carolina's 12thCongressional District (Charlotte) and serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture. Additionally, she serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Education & Labor Committee, where she serves as Chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee. In 2019, Rep. Adams co-founded the Black Maternal Health Caucus with Rep. Lauren Underwood.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://adams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/video-adams-stands-pregnant-workers"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6143289394676685, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}