Home > Democratic Party: National Platform

2016 Platform

The Democratic Party adopted its 2016 National Platform on July 25, 2016, including strong support for family caregivers. Congratulations to all of the activists, caregiver organizations, and party members who worked hard to ensure that the needs of family caregivers were addressed in the platform. Here is the language directly supporting family caregivers:

Under “Supporting Working Families”

“While Donald Trump thinks it is ‘dangerous’ for women to leave the home and paid family leave hurts our economy, Democrats will make sure that the United States finally enacts national paid family and medical leave by passing a family and medical leave act that would provide all workers at least 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child or address a personal or family member’s serious health issue. We will fight to allow workers the right to earn at least seven days of paid sick leave. We will also encourage employers to provide paid vacation.”

“Our work and family policies must also help family caregivers. We will ensure that family caregivers have the support, respite care, and training they need to support their loved ones. We will create a strong stable paid caregiving workforce to help meet families’ needs, by raising wages, improving access to training, and giving workers the opportunity to come together to make their voices heard in support of a stronger system. We will address the conditions that make it hard for workers with unpredictable or inflexible schedules to meet caregiving responsibilities. We will take steps to expand and strengthen the home care workforce. We will increase investments to make quality childcare more affordable, boost wages for childcare workers, and support the millions of people paying for, coordinating, or providing care for aging relatives or those with disabilities.”

Under “Ensuring Long-Term Care, Services, and Supports”

“Our country faces a long-term care crisis that prevents too many seniors and people with disabilities from being able to live with dignity at home or in their communities. The vast majority of people who are aging or living with a disability want to do so at home, but face challenges finding and affording the support they need to do so. Programs that emphasize independence rather than institutionalization must be better structured to support them. Democrats will take steps to strengthen and expand the home care workforce, give seniors and people with disabilities access to quality, affordable long-term care, services, and supports, and ensure that all of these resources are readily available at home or in the community.”

Under “Veterans and Service Members”

“We must also look for more ways to make certain the VA provides veteran-centric care, such as providing women with full and equal treatment, including reproductive health services; expanding mental health programs; continuing efforts to identify and treat invisible, latent, and toxic wounds of war; treating post-traumatic stress; and expanding the post-9/11 veteran’s caregiver program to include all veterans.”

For more information:

https://demconvention.com/platform/

Videos of 2016 Public Testimony Opportunities

The Democratic Party had an extensive period for public input on their 2016 platform. People were encouraged to send suggestions by email as well as through four public testimony sessions that were televised. The public testimony sessions were also recorded and can be seen via the Democratic Party website at demconvention.com/platform.

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Also see: Republican Party: National Platform