In an ongoing political discussion in the United States, Meghan Markle called two American senators on their private lines to endorse paid parental leave in front of them, according to the BBC. This is a big spending bill that is now stalled in the United States Senate.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a Republican, was taken aback by the call, according to her spokesperson. According to Politico, West Virginia’s Shelley Moore Capito was also called.
Senator Collins told Politico, “To my astonishment, she contacted me on my private line and presented herself as the Duchess of Sussex, which is pretty humorous.” “I’m really glad to have the opportunity to speak with her. But I’m more interested in what Maine residents have to say about it.”
Senator Capito told Politico that she received the phone call while driving. When he saw a private number, he assumed it was Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
“Senator Manchin, I assumed it was. His phone calls are from secret numbers. Senator Capito, she says. Yes, I said. She went on to say, “Here is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.” “, Mrs. Capito stated.
Meghan got the senators’ phone information from Kirsten Gillibrand, a fellow Democrat from New York. This was a strong proponent of including paid family leave in a massive spending plan currently being debated in Congress.
Democrats have reintroduced the $ 1.75 billion paid parental leave project for social expenditure and climate policy, a move that will undoubtedly be met with fierce opposition, particularly from Republicans and moderate Democrats.
The United States is the only developed country without a nationwide paid parental leave policy. Employer-provided paid parental leave is available to about 21% of American workers.
Meghan, a mother of two, wrote a letter to Congress last month through PaidLeaveforAll.org, an organization that advocates for paid parental leave in the United States.
“As a mother, I am writing to you at this critically essential time to support paid leave,” she stated. “Working mothers and parents must choose between being there with their children and being paid. Everyone pays a high price for their sacrifice.”
Traditionally, members of the British royal family are expected to be politically apolitical. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex live in California after resigning as members of the royal family in March 2020.