WASHINGTON -- As part of their efforts to rebrand the GOP as a more caring party, House Republicans passed a hotly debated bill Wednesday that would l...

In a perfect gift for mothers just short of Mother's Day, House Republicans have once again introduced legislation with a charming title and a potentially devastating impact for working women and families.

Why are some members of Congress wasting time on a bill that would make things even worse for many of these families?

Workers desperately want more time with their families, more control over their hours, and fair compensation. The Cantor/Roby bill would make it harder for them to have any of the above.

In the 20th century, we built a strong and thriving middle class that was based on a simple premise -- if you worked hard and played by the rules, you could afford to provide for your family, own a home, send your kids to college, and maybe even put a little away for retirement. It's time that we renew that promise.

An in-effect sequester would compromise our national security, food security, and even stunt the healing economy.

While Republican governors like Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Rick Perry of Texas play games with people's lives to throw red meat to the extremists in their party, Kasich and the a growing number of GOP governors put the needs of their state before their political party.

"Groundbreaking" is a word that's thrown around a lot, but this victory truly was. The FMLA is the first national law ever to help Americans manage the dual demands of work and family.

Twenty years later, mothers and dads are still waiting. In the meantime, almost every other country around the globe has instituted a form of paid maternity leave. There is a tiny trio of countries that do not: Papua New Guinea, Swaziland and the United States.

The holidays are upon us - a time to make merry and spread good cheer. But there is a more contemplative side to this season as well - a time for self-reflection and for thinking of others who need our help.

One of the great lies of our time is that raising taxes on the wealthy hurts job creation and undermines economic growth. There is absolutely no evidence anywhere in the world that this claim is true. In fact, all the evidence points to the exact opposite being true.

Election Day 2012 brought very good news for the working middle class, the Main Street movement and the American Dream. The American people sent a clear message that we will stand with a President who stands with all Americans.

Under President Obama, however, unemployment rates have continued to decrease. Also, even if there are 12 million new jobs under Romney, what types of jobs will they be? Given Romney's stances and allegiances, he is probably talking about poverty wage jobs.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have stood up for us. Now, it's time for us to stand up for them.

It is clear now more than ever that the labor movement and the domestic workers' movement need to continue to work together to protect the rights of all workers.

At a time when more than 40 million hardworking Americans can't earn any paid sick time to use when they get stomach flu or need a medical test -- and millions more can't earn paid sick time to care for an ailing child -- it's a question we all need answered.

I believe in an American Dream predicated on a system where everyone plays by the same rules, where the game isn't rigged to benefit the elite at the expense of the rest of us, and where a convenience store clerk can run for state office -- and win.

Over 100 years ago, Americans began to celebrate Labor Day to honor our nation's working people and the prosperity they contribute to society. Unfortunately, the many labor rights we take for granted today are at risk due to policies that make working people more vulnerable.