S. 1571: Servicemember Parental Leave Equity Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-05-11 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-05-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Servicemember Parental Leave Equity Act

Plain summary

Servicemember Parental Leave Equity Act This bill modifies Department of Defense parental leave provisions for members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, the bill increases parental leave for primary caregivers to 18 weeks (currently 12) following the birth of a child and to 12 weeks (currently 6) following the adoption of a child. The bill increases parental leave for a secondary caregiver from 21 days to 12 weeks in connection with the birth or adoption of a child. Primary or secondary caregivers of a long-term foster child are authorized to take up to 12 weeks of leave in connection with such placement. Parental leave for a primary or secondary caregiver for a birth, adoption, or foster child placement may be taken in more than one increment. For primary caregivers, the leave must be utilized within one year of the event. The bill authorizes up to 12 weeks of leave to certain service members who would have been secondary caregivers but for a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. The following activities required of an active-duty member within a 12-month postpartum period must have the approval of a health care provider and be at the election of the member or in the interest of national security: (1) an order of temporary duty overnight travel or to participate in physically demanding field training exercises, (2) meeting of body composition standards, or (3) passing a physical fitness test. The bill also reduces the service commitment required for participation in the Career Intermission Program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Servicemember Parental Leave Equity Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] reported raising $6.1 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s1571.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s1571 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117