Babies are at the heart of history.
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth this month became the first U.S. Senator to have a baby while holding office. As if that weren’t labor enough, she then pushed through a rule change that allows babies onto the Senate floor during votes—a crucial change, because babies don’t wait for their moms to finish voting when they’re hungry and ready to nurse.
Finally! Recognition in Senate rules that honor a nursing mother’s responsibilities. Congratulations to all Senators for this vote—and to the mom who notched a change in our working world. I see this vote as having enormous symbolic value. It does feel like we crawl forward, but this rule heads towards a more compassionate, inclusive, accepting world—and to the political power of love.
On a personal note, I’m overjoyed that one of my dear friends, a co-founder who has been with us through the birth of Moms Clean Air Force, became a grandmother for the first time this week. That, too, is a life-changing event. Suddenly, the abstract idea of protecting the future is kicking and screaming for our devoted attention.
Our babies will grow up living with the consequences of every choice we make now about what kind of world we want to live in.
We’ve been saying it for a while, but it’s a marvel to see it in action: Babies have the power to make us change the world.
Love. It isn’t something we talk much about in politics. But love is the most powerful force for change I’ve ever experienced.
JOIN MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE