How they voted

on the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act, which would give federal and congressional employees four weeks of paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child, or taking in a foster a child. The bill also would make it easier to use sick leave to care for a new child.

The bill passed despite 145 Republicans and one Democrat voting against it. But of course Bush plans to veto it. According to the Washington Post, the White House called the bill a "costly, unnecessary, new paid leave entitlement." In other words, it’s a reckless use of taxpayer dollars.

In other news, The White House reached an agreement with the House Wednesday for $165 billion in “supplemental” funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The White House had to agree to the inclusion of Jim Webb’s 21st Century GI Bill in exchange for permission to continue torturing detainees and to persue a status of forces agreement that will leave American forces stationed in Iraq forever, or at least until the day after it runs out of oil.

With another $165 billion heading out the window, the White House’s “costly” argument rings kind of hollow, eh? Let’s face it: The real reason 145 Republicans voted against this bill and the real reason Bush will veto it is that the bill throws a crumb to people who work for a living.

Remember this the next time you hear a Republican talking about how important it is to help families.