Sen. Ted Stevens (R.-Alaska), a supporter of the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993, has decided the law needs fixing — in the big government sort of way.

Senator Stevens Introduces Legislation to Provide Flexible Leave for Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) has introduced the Family Leave Act (FLA), legislation designed to provide improved flexibility for federal employees after childbirth and adoption. The Family Leave Act would update and improve the Federal Medical Leave Act (FMLA) passed by Congress in 1993.

FMLA presently guarantees that mothers, fathers, and adoptive parents are given 12 weeks of leave for childbirth and newborn care. However, this law does not require paid leave during this period. Senator Stevens’ FLA legislation would provide at least eight weeks of paid leave for a mother after childbirth, while requiring a minimum of one week of paid leave for fathers and adoptive parents who work for the federal government.

Stevens probably knew such a measure would never fly with a GOP-controlled Senate, but now with Democrats in charge, the sky is the limit for big spenders such as Alaska’s senators. (Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Stevens’ Republican counterpart from Alaska, is a co-sponsor of the bill.)