Floor SpeechBipartisan2026-01-07

CELEBRATING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE FOR FAMILIES

EnvironmentCrime & JusticeLabor

Context

On 2026-01-07, Representative Sarah McBride (D-DE) delivered a floor speech titled "CELEBRATING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE FOR FAMILIES" in the House. The speech addressed the environment and also covered crime and justice, labor policy.

Full Text

CELEBRATING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE FOR FAMILIES

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)] [House] [Pages H104-H105] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE FOR FAMILIES (Ms. McBride of Delaware was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. McBRIDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate that paid family and medical leave officially began in Delaware on January 1. There is nothing that I am prouder of during my time in the Delaware State Senate than leading the successful effort to pass paid family and medical leave for workers and families across our State. After years of work and preparation, Delaware's Paid Family and Medical Leave program is finally a reality across our State. Paid family and medical leave is about dignity, plain and simple. It means a parent can be there for their newborn child, a worker can recover from severe illness, and a caregiver can support an aging parent, all without falling behind on groceries or rent. Paid leave will strengthen families, support small businesses, and make our State more affordable for the people who live and work in it. I was proud to work with my colleagues in the State legislature to pass this bipartisan achievement. It is proof that when we listen to one another and focus on solutions, we can deliver for our constituents. That is something this Chamber would do well to remember. I am incredibly proud of the work that we have accomplished in Delaware. I am grateful to all of the advocates who made this progress possible, including the Delaware Cares Coalition led by Liz Richards. Mr. Speaker, I will continue working to ensure paid family and medical leave is not just the law of the land in Delaware but nationwide. Good policy that is grounded in dignity and supported by a supermajority of Americans is precisely the sort of work that we should be doing together. Honoring Corporal Grade One Matthew Tyler ``Ty'' Snook Ms. McBRIDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Corporal Grade One Matthew Tyler ``Ty'' Snook. On December 23, just 2 days before Christmas, Ty Snook was shot and killed while working an overtime assignment at the DMV just outside of Wilmington. Corporal Snook served the State of Delaware as a trooper for a decade. He was known by his peers and his community as dependable, professional, and a committed neighbor. His death is a tragic reminder of the sacrifice that our law enforcement officers risk every single day to protect and defend us. At his memorial earlier this week, his loved ones painted a picture of Ty as a spectacular father, husband, son, and brother. He was a thoughtful friend and an empowering colleague. Every speaker struck a similar chord. Ty was selfless, compassionate, and deeply invested in the well-being of others. That is a commitment to community that can be seen throughout his service. A native Delawarean, he was a graduate of St. Mark's High School. He returned after college to serve in the Delaware State Police, where he was soon joined in that service by his brother, Josh. Ty was rising through the ranks and training the next generation of law enforcement. The selflessness that defined his service was tragically on full display on December 23 when, in his final moments, Ty saved others, even as he lost his own life. Let us never become numb to senseless acts of violence like the one which took Ty Snook's life. Crimes like this one leave an indelible mark of pain and loss felt by so many. These include his friends and family; his wife, Lauren; and their 1-year-old daughter, Letty. Kassi Snook Dunphy, Tyler's sister, said it best on Monday. ``Tyler did not just pass on as a hero. He lived every day as one.'' Mr. Speaker, every day I am thankful to the men and women of law enforcement, like Tyler, who risk everything in defense of all of us. Today, I speak in this hallowed Chamber in honor of that hero so that the name and service of Matthew Tyler ``Ty'' Snook will be enshrined in the history and Record of the United States Congress forever. [[Page H105]] ____________________

View original source →

CELEBRATING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE FOR FAMILIES Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)] [House] [Pages H104-H105] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE FOR FAMILIES (Ms. McBride of Delaware was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. McBRIDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate that paid family and medical leave officially began in Delaware on January 1. There is nothing that I am prouder of during my time in the Delaware State Senate than leading the successful effort to pass paid family and medical leave for workers and families across our State. After years of work and preparation, Delaware's Paid Family and Medical Leave program is finally a reality across our State. Paid family and medical leave is about dignity, plain and simple. It means a parent can be there for their newborn child, a worker can recover from severe illness, and a caregiver can support an aging parent, all without falling behind on groceries or rent. Paid leave will strengthen families, support small businesses, and make our State more affordable for the people who live and work in it. I was proud to work with my colleagues in the State legislature to pass this bipartisan achievement. It is proof that when we listen to one another and focus on solutions, we can deliver for our constituents. That is something this Chamber would do well to remember. I am incredibly proud of the work that we have accomplished in Delaware. I am grateful to all of the advocates who made this progress possible, including the Delaware Cares Coalition led by Liz Richards. Mr. Speaker, I will continue working to ensure paid family and medical leave is not just the law of the land in Delaware but nationwide. Good policy that is grounded in dignity and supported by a supermajority of Americans is precisely the sort of work that we should be doing together. Honoring Corporal Grade One Matthew Tyler ``Ty'' Snook Ms. McBRIDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Corporal Grade One Matthew Tyler ``Ty'' Snook. On December 23, just 2 days before Christmas, Ty Snook was shot and killed while working an overtime assignment at the DMV just outside of Wilmington. Corporal Snook served the State of Delaware as a trooper for a decade. He was known by his peers and his community as dependable, professional, and a committed neighbor. His death is a tragic reminder of the sacrifice that our law enforcement officers risk every single day to protect and defend us. At his memorial earlier this week, his loved ones painted a picture of Ty as a spectacular father, husband, son, and brother. He was a thoughtful friend and an empowering colleague. Every speaker struck a similar chord. Ty was selfless, compassionate, and deeply invested in the well-being of others. That is a commitment to community that can be seen throughout his service. A native Delawarean, he was a graduate of St. Mark's High School. He returned after college to serve in the Delaware State Police, where he was soon joined in that service by his brother, Josh. Ty was rising through the ranks and training the next generation of law enforcement. The selflessness that defined his service was tragically on full display on December 23 when, in his final moments, Ty saved others, even as he lost his own life. Let us never become numb to senseless acts of violence like the one which took Ty Snook's life. Crimes like this one leave an indelible mark of pain and loss felt by so many. These include his friends and family; his wife, Lauren; and their 1-year-old daughter, Letty. Kassi Snook Dunphy, Tyler's sister, said it best on Monday. ``Tyler did not just pass on as a hero. He lived every day as one.'' Mr. Speaker, every day I am thankful to the men and women of law enforcement, like Tyler, who risk everything in defense of all of us. Today, I speak in this hallowed Chamber in honor of that hero so that the name and service of Matthew Tyler ``Ty'' Snook will be enshrined in the history and Record of the United States Congress forever. [[Page H105]] ____________________