Democrats push for paid family leave ahead of critical votes

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi surprised advocates, and even many of her Democratic colleagues, when she revived a long-sought paid family and medical leave plan and said it would be part of a massive social and environmental spending bill in the House

WASHINGTON -- Longtime advocates of paid family and medical leave are scrambling to make sure that the long-sought Democratic priority remains in a massive social and environmental spending bill after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revived it. But the outcome will likely come down to the support of one man.

The one Senate Democrat who opposes including paid leave in the spending package is West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate who has used his leverage in the evenly divided chamber to whittle away some of his party's most ambitious and costly policy proposals.

Through cable TV ads, personal conversations on the Senate floor — even a banner at a West Virginia University football game — Democrats and advocates are pleading with Manchin to support the paid leave proposal in the broader $1.85 trillion legislation. The effort is expected to intensify over the coming days and weeks as the House prepares to pass the massive bill and send it to the Senate.

“For the sake of West Virginia’s workers, the businesses that employ them, and an economic recovery that works for everyone, Sen. Joe Manchin must prioritize passing paid family and medical leave now,” says one radio ad playing in the state.