President Obama Pushes For Laws Protecting Pregnant Moms in Mother's Day Address

The president thanked the mothers in his life and urged congress to pass new laws and protect existing laws that protect moms and pregnant women.

President Barack Obama dedicated his most recent weekly address to the moms in his life and those across America in honor of Mother's Day.

The president also used the occasion as an opportunity to urge Congress to pass laws that protect mothers and to preserve such laws that are already on the books.

But first, Obama was careful to thank the mom he's closest to: first lady Michelle Obama.

"This weekend, I’m going to take a little extra time to say thank you to Michelle for the remarkable way she does the most important job: being a mom," he said in a video posted by the White House a day ahead of the holiday.

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"And I’m going to give extra thanks to my mother-in-law for the role model she’s always been to Michelle and the countless selfless ways in which she’s helped Michelle and me raise Malia and Sasha. 

"I am incredibly lucky to have women who help me raise, love, and look after our girls," the president continued.

Obama urged all Americans to thank the "biological moms, adoptive moms, and foster moms; single moms, grandmoms and godmothers; aunts and mentors" this Sunday.

The president also urged his fellow politicians to "recommit ourselves to doing more than that."

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"That includes paid maternity and paternity leave, sick leave, accommodations for workers who are pregnant, good health care, affordable child care, flexibility at work, equal pay, and a decent minimum wage. 

"We ask our mothers to do more than their fair share of just about everything.  Making sure they’re treated fairly is the least we can do," Obama said.

Mother's Day was created by presidential proclamation in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson and has since become a popular subject for presidential addresses.

Last year, President Obama pushed for equal pay legislation in his Mother's Day address.

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