"So the bottom line is 21st-century families deserve 21st-century workplaces.  And our economy demands them, because it’s going to help us compete.  It’s going to help us lead.  And that means paid family leave, especially paid parental leave.  There is only one developed country in the world that does not offer paid maternity leave, and that is us.  And that is not the list you want to be on by your lonesome.  It’s time to change that, because all Americans should be able to afford to care for their families." [transcript]

And referring to the gridlock with Congress, Obama said,

"Lisa Rumain has worked with Johnson & Johnson since 2005 as a manager of compensation. When she found out she was pregnant with twin girls – and with a one-year old already at home – she thought her career had come to a quick halt. Rumain took her concerns to her supervisor who worked to ensure she could leave early for appointments and work from home as needed. Upon returning from maternity leave, Rumain took advantage of a flexible work schedule wherein she worked three days a week, which helped ease her back into the workforce. Rumain realized this was the right balance for her work and her family and she has worked this schedule for seven years. During this time, she’s managed staff, worked on high-profile assignments with the company’s top executives, and was promoted. Rumain’s husband is also a Johnson & Johnson employee and takes advantage of the flexibility Johnson & Johnson offers fathers, too, by working from home one day a week."