provide paid maternity leave to new mothers.

The current situation facing mothers today is intolerable and can no longer be ignored. According to the Motherhood Manifesto (which can be accessed in full-text at www.mothersrising.org) the USA is one of only four other countries that don't offer paid leave to mothers. Since 51% of new mothers don't get paid maternity leave, many face termination or must make do with no pay. Having a baby is now a leading cause of poverty in the USA because a family's income falls short of basic living expenses if a mother is at home taking care of her child without pay. With 3/4 of the USA's mothers in the workforce to deny them the right to paid maternity leave is economically unsound. We urge the Obama administration to take the first step towards responsibility for the future of its families.