FAMILIES
‘Macho’ Means Being Pro-family
Congressman uses spotlight to focus on working families
California congressman Jimmy Gomez attracted a lot of attention with his four month-old son, Hodge, strapped to his chest during days of votes to choose a House speaker.
But he was perplexed that some people responded as if he belonged on a pedestal simply because he was a father — not a mother — juggling work and child care.
He then saw an opportunity to organize other congressmen with young children into a Congressional Dads Caucus to advocate for policies and laws to support working families. That includes the expansion of the Child Tax Credit and access to affordable child care, health care, and paid family leave.
“The formation of this caucus is rooted in a simple idea that dads need to do our part in advancing policies that will make a difference in the lives of so many working families across the country,” Gomez said during the Jan. 26 announcement.
Other members of the Democratic caucus include Reps. Dan Goldman and Jamaal Bowman of New York, Joe Neguse of Colorado and Joaquin Castro of Texas, Andy Kim of New Jersey. The group is supported by the bipartisan Moms in the House Caucus, formed in 2019 after the election of a large number of women rearing…
