Pelosi: Trump maternity leave plan ‘isn’t real’

Presidential nominee Donald Trump bucked many Republicans this week by unveiling a mandatory paid maternity leave plan — an idea promoted by Democrats for years.

But don’t expect Democrats to get on board.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday panned Trump’s proposal, arguing that it would largely benefit wealthy people and doesn’t come close to lending the help provided by Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s more expansive plan.

{mosads}Trump’s proposal is also politically unrealistic, Pelosi said, because many Republicans — long opposed to mandatory paid leave — are reluctant to back it.

“This isn’t just about something you put out on a piece of paper, it’s about what is sustainable about it. Can he get the votes? People in his own party who were at the announcement said they weren’t for it. So it isn’t real, and Hillary Clinton’s is, and she has the full support of the Democrats,” Pelosi said during a press briefing in the Capitol.

Under Trump’s plan, employers would have to provide at least six weeks of paid leave to new mothers. The money would come from state unemployment programs, which provide a small percentage of wages that differs widely from state to state.

Clinton’s plan, by contrast, provides up to 12 weeks of mandatory leave to new mothers, paying them at least two-thirds of their wages. It also extends those benefits to new fathers and those who must leave work to care for sick family members — perks not included in Trump’s plan. She intends to cover the costs with higher taxes on the wealthy.

Republicans on Capitol Hill have a long history of opposing paid family leave, framing it as another layer of federal red tape that would hobble businesses and ding the economy. The list of opponents has included Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the House Speaker, and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who is Trump’s running mate.

During a press conference Thursday, Ryan declined to weigh in on Trump’s plan, saying he hasn’t reviewed it.

Pelosi, on the other hand, seemed to be well-versed in the details. And relative to Clinton’s plan, she didn’t like what she saw.

“What Clinton put forward was 12 weeks of paid parental leave, men and women, twice the time … and it’s something that has support among the Democrats in the Congress, something we’ve been advocating for a long time, but was resisted by the Republicans,” she said.

“What he’s proposing benefits higher-end people,” she added. “So maybe he just doesn’t know the issue that well, as to what makes a difference, or the history, as to how long this debate has been going on and the resistance of his own party to it.”