S. 5168

119 S5168 IS: Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act
 U.S. Senate
 2026-07-29
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II
 119th CONGRESS  2d Session
 S. 5168
 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
 July 29, 2026
  Mr. Schatz  (for himself,  Mr. Padilla ,  Mr. Sanders ,  Ms. Duckworth ,  Mrs. Gillibrand ,  Mr. Van Hollen ,  Mr. Heinrich , and  Ms. Warren ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
 A BILL
To provide paid family and medical leave to Federal employees, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act  .
2.
Paid family and medical leave for Federal employees covered by title 5
Section 6382 of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking  12 administrative workweeks of leave  and inserting  12 administrative workweeks of leave plus any additional period of leave used under subsection (d)(2)(B)(ii) ; and
(ii)
in subparagraph (B), by inserting  and in order to care for such son or daughter  before the period;
(B)
by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
(2)
(A)
The entitlement to leave under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) shall commence at time of birth or placement of a son or daughter and shall expire at the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date of such birth or placement.
(B)
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the entitlement to leave under paragraph (1)(B) in connection with adoption may commence prior to the placement of the son or daughter to be adopted for activities necessary to allow the adoption to proceed.
 ; and
(C)
in paragraph (4)—
(i)
by striking  Subject to subsection (d)(2), during  and inserting  During ; and
(ii)
by inserting  (or 26 administrative workweeks of leave plus any additional period of leave used under subsection (d)(2)(B)(ii))  after  26 administrative workweeks of leave ; and
(2)
in subsection (d)—
(A)
in paragraph (1), by striking the first sentence; and
(B)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  subparagraph (A) or (B)  and inserting  subparagraphs (A) through (E) ;
(ii)
by striking  parental  each place it appears;
(iii)
in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking  birth or placement involved  and inserting  event giving rise to such leave ;
(iv)
by amending subparagraph (E) to read as follows:
(E)
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to modify the service requirement in section 6381(1)(B).
 ;
(v)
in subparagraph (F)(i), by striking  An employee  and inserting  With respect to leave described under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(1), an employee ; and
(vi)
by adding at the end the following:
(H)
Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(B)(i), with respect to any employee who received paid leave for an event giving rise to such leave under any other provision of law and who becomes subject to this section during the period of eligibility for paid leave under this section with respect to such event, any paid leave for such event provided by this section shall be reduced by the total number of days of paid leave taken by such employee under such other provision of law.
 .
3.
Congressional employees under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995
Section 202 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 ( 2 U.S.C. 1312 ), is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
paragraph (1)—
(i)
in the second sentence—
(I)
by striking  subsection (a)(1)(A) or (B)  and inserting  under any of subparagraphs (A) through (E) of subsection (a)(1) ; and
(II)
by inserting  and, in the case of leave that includes leave for such an event, the period of leave to which a covered employee is entitled under section 102(a)(1) of such Act shall be 12 administrative workweeks of leave plus any additional period of leave used under subsection (d)(2)(B) of this section  before the period; and
(ii)
by striking the third sentence and inserting the following:  For purposes of applying section 102(a)(4) of such Act, in the case of leave that includes leave under any of subparagraphs (A) through (E) of section 102(a)(1) of such Act, a covered employee is entitled, under paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 102(a) of such Act, to a combined total of 26 workweeks of leave plus any additional period of leave used under subsection (d)(2)(B) of this section. ; and
(B)
in paragraph (2), by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
(B)
except for leave described under section 102(a)(3) of such Act, the term  eligible employee  as used in that Act means a covered employee.
 ; and
(2)
in subsection (d)—
(A)
in the subsection heading, by striking
parental leave   and inserting
family and medical leave  ;
(B)
in paragraph (1), by striking  subparagraph (A) or (B)  and inserting  any of subparagraphs (A) through (E) ;
(C)
by striking  parental  each place the term appears; and
(D)
in paragraph (2)(A), by striking  birth or placement involved  and inserting  event giving rise to such leave .
4.
GAO, Library of Congress, Postal Service, and Postal Regulatory Commission employees
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 is amended—
(1)
in section 101(2)(E) ( 29 U.S.C. 2611(2)(E) )—
(A)
in the subparagraph heading, by inserting
, USPS, and Postal Regulatory Commission   after
GAO  ;
(B)
by inserting  the United States Postal Service, or the Postal Regulatory Commission,  after  Government Accountability Office, ; and
(C)
by striking  section 102(a)(1)(A) or (B)  and inserting  any of subparagraphs (A) through (E) of section 102(a)(1) ; and
(2)
in section 102 ( 29 U.S.C. 2612 )—
(A)
by adding at the end of subsection (a) the following:
(6)
Special rules on period of leave
With respect to an employee of the Government Accountability Office, the Library of Congress, the United States Postal Service, or the Postal Regulatory Commission—
(A)
in the case of leave that includes leave under subparagraph (A) through (E) of paragraph (1), the employee shall be entitled to 12 administrative workweeks of leave plus any additional period of leave used under subsection (d)(3)(B)(ii) of this section or section 202(d)(2)(B) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 ( 2 U.S.C. 1312(d)(2)(B) ), as the case may be;
(B)
for the purposes of paragraph (4), the employee is entitled, under paragraphs (1) and (3), to a combined total of 26 workweeks of leave plus, if applicable, any additional period of leave used under subsection (d)(3)(B)(ii) of this section or section 202(d)(2)(B) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 ( 2 U.S.C. 1312(d)(2)(B) ), as the case may be; and
(C)
the entitlement to leave under paragraph (1)(B) in connection with adoption may commence prior to the placement of the son or daughter to be adopted for activities necessary to allow the adoption to proceed.
 ; and
(B)
in subsection (d)(3)—
(i)
in the paragraph heading, by inserting
, USPS, and Postal Regulatory Commission   after
GAO  ;
(ii)
by striking  the Government Accountability Office  and inserting  the Government Accountability Office, the United States Postal Service, or the Postal Regulatory Commission  each place the term appears;
(iii)
by striking  parental  and inserting  family and medical  each place the term appears;
(iv)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  subparagraph (A) or (B)  and inserting  subparagraphs (A) through (E) ; and
(v)
in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking  birth or placement involved  and inserting  event giving rise to such leave .
5.
Employees of the Executive Office of the President
Section 412 of title 3, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(3), by striking  subparagraph (A) or (B)  and inserting  subparagraphs (A) through (E) ; and
(2)
in subsection (c), by striking  subparagraph (A) or (B)  and inserting  subparagraphs (A) through (E)  each place the term appears.
6.
FAA and TSA employees
Section 40122(g)(5) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the paragraph heading, by striking
parental  ; and
(2)
by striking  parental  each place it appears.
7.
Title 38 employees
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall modify the family and medical leave program provided by operation of section 7425(c) of title 38, United States Code, to conform with this Act and the amendments made by this Act.
8.
District of Columbia courts and District of Columbia public defender service
(a)
District of Columbia courts
Subsection (d) of section 11–1726, District of Columbia Official Code, is amended to read as follows:
(d)
(1)
In carrying out the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 ( 29 U.S.C. 2601 et seq. ) with respect to nonjudicial employees of the District of Columbia courts, the Joint Committee shall, notwithstanding any provision of such Act, establish a paid family and medical leave program for the leave described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of section 102(a)(1) of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(1) ).
(2)
In developing the terms and conditions for the paid family and medical leave program under paragraph (1), the Joint Committee may be guided by the terms and conditions applicable to the provision of paid family and medical leave for employees of the Federal Government under  chapter 63  of title 5, United States Code, and any corresponding regulations.
 .
(b)
District of Columbia public defender service
Subsection (d) of section 305 of the District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970 (sec. 2-1605, D.C. Official Code) is amended to read as follows:
(d)
(1)
In carrying out the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 ( 29 U.S.C. 2601 et seq. ) with respect to employees of the Service, the Director shall, notwithstanding any provision of such Act, establish a paid family and medical leave program for the leave described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of section 102(a)(1) of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(1) ).
(2)
In developing the terms and conditions for the paid family and medical leave program under paragraph (1), the Director may be guided by the terms and conditions applicable to the provision of paid family and medical leave for employees of the Federal Government under  chapter 63  of title 5, United States Code, and any corresponding regulations.
  .