Ruppersberger Receives “Best of Congress” Award from Working Mother Magazine

(Washington, D.C.)- Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) received the “Best of Congress” award from Working Mother magazine at a special ceremony today in Washington, DC.  The Congressman promotes family-friendly policies in Congress as well as in his Washington, DC, and Timonium, Maryland, offices.

Congressman Ruppersberger has authored several pieces of legislation that help employees manage a good work life balance.  H.R. 2021, the Right Start Child Care and Education Act, would help ease the financial burden on Maryland families while helping ensure quality affordable child care is available.  The measure would:

• Increase the federal child care tax credit from $3,000 to $5,000 per child.
  Expand the federal tax credit for businesses that create workplace childcare facilities from $150,000 to $225,000.
• Provide a federal tax credit of up to $2,000 a year for three years for new college graduates who decide to enter the child care field. 
• The Congressman has also hosted numerous town halls and forums on issues like college financial aid and Internet safety, as well as a rally for children’s health care in Annapolis.   

“Eighty percent of my staff are women.  As a father and proud grandfather, I understand the struggles that working moms and dads face.  I am fighting in Washington to promote legislation that put families first.  I implement the same type of family friendly policies in my Washington, DC, and District offices to help staffers maintain that delicate balance between the demands at work and the priorities of home,” said Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD).   

Employees in Congressman Ruppersberger’s Congressional offices receive three months of paid maternity leave and three weeks of paid paternity leave.  The Congressman also provides new mothers with the option of working a compressed work week, a part-time schedule, or telecommuting from home.  All employees are given a Blackberry that makes telecommuting or working outside the office a breeze. 

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