this workplace flexibility, we have the fmla, it has done well. we need to take the next frontier. we have a president who's committed to that, we have partners who are committed to that. i am confident that we will, indeed, build this movement because we've got generals like rosa delaura, valerie jarrett, we have the general in chief, barack obama -- [laughter] and joe biden and everyone else. [applause] and we have my partner right here, the nonprofit leader, the president of the center for american progress and my friend, neera tanden. neera? [applause] >> that was great. so i have to say what great partners. we should be able to make a lot of change with this team. and i want to say on behalf of the center for american progress we've been really thrilled to have a fantastic partnership over months and months and months leading up to the conference. valerie at the white house and the entire white house team and the department of labor which has had a fantastic team. valerie's absolutely right, we all have stories, everyone in this room and the people you represent, thousands upo

we had the fmla. it has done well. we need to take the next frontier.e have a president who is committed to that. we have partners who are committed to that. i am confident that we will, indeed, build this movement because we've got generals like rosa delaura, we have the generals general in chief, barack obama, we have the center for progress and my friend mira tanden. >> that was great. [ applause ] >> so i have to say, what great partners. we should be able to make a lot of change with this team. and i want to say on behalf of the center for american progress, we've been really thrilled to have a fantastic partnership over months and months and months leading up to the conference. with valerie at the white house and the entire white house team and the department of labor which has had a fantastic team. valerie is absolutely right. we all have stories. everyone in this room and the people you represent, thousands upon thousands of people, have a story. i have my own story, which is that, you know, when i had two young children, i had a son who was a y

defense department employees will receive all the same benefits as hit sexual spouses and fmla an employeeouse. many were sparked by the last year's extreme court decisions striking down the defense of marriage act. >>> the potential candidates coming to a town near you. cruise, christie, clinton on the road to the early voting states. guess which republican is leading a brand new poll? we gave it away right there. if i can impart one lesson to a new business owner, it would be one thing i've learned is my philosophy is real simple american express open forum is an on-line community, that helps our members connect and share ideas to make smart business decisions. if you mess up, fess up. be your partners best partner. we built it for our members, but it's open for everyone. there's not one way to do something. no details too small. american express open forum. this is what membership is. this is what membership does. so i get invited to quite a few family gatherings. heck, i saved judith here a fortune with discounts like safe driver, multi-car, paperless. you make a mighty fine missus, m'

obama announcing he's directing the labor department to extend the family and medical leave act or fmlasame-sex spouses. the new rule clarifies employees eligible to leave to care for a same sex spouse even if they live in a state where same-sex marriage is not legal. members of the press betarian church voted to allow pastors to perform same-sex marriages and redefine marriage between two people rather than a man and woman. they are now one of the biggest christian groups to allow same-sex marriages. joining me now is the religion reporter for the detroit free press. he's covering the story. with a welcome to you. you write they are historically an influential denomination. what changed since the last convention. what does it mean for other christian groups around the country. >> thetu culture has changed. there's 19 states that lislized same-sex marriage. it could have an influence beyond the denomination. ronald reagan and dwight eisenhower were of them. >> you also write that some conservative press beetarians are worried that approving it could further accelerate the cline of the c

lori wrote to us saying, quote, the measly fmla hasn't changed significantly since 1999 when my daughteras born. it's an embarrassment. it does need updating. i think that's why the president convened the summit. we'll see whether any of the gridlock can be broken. we'll keep you updated on that. keep sending us your tweets using #rfdworkingfamilies. also include a photo of your family. >>> just ahead on rfd, the tea party is up, it's down. democrats helping republicans. dogs and cats living together. it's crazy time republican style. we're taking on what on earth it all means for the fall. that's straight ahead after the break. achieve it. ♪ driving rock/metal music stops ♪music resumes music stops ♪music resumes [announcer] purina pro plan's bioavailable formulas deliver optimal nutrient absorption. [whistle] purina pro plan. nutrition that performs. my motheit's delicious. toffee in the world. so now we've turned her toffee into a business. my goal was to take an idea and make it happen. i'm janet long and i formed my toffee company through legalzoom. i never really thought i would ma

expanded protections to be inclusive of all families by extending the family medical leave act or fmla benefits to married same-sex couples. the new rules would allow eligible workers in same-sex marriages to take time off of work to care for a spouse, even if they don't lib in a state that recognizes their marriages. joining me today is ellen bravo, executive director of family values at work and assistantdry professor at polytech school of engineering and director of the program in medicine, health and society and professor of psychiatry at vanderbilt university joy reid. thank you, all, for being here. so, ellen, let me start with you. i know you will actually be speaking at the summit tomorrow, between the president and maria sclooir shriver, which is extraordinary. what would you say in that moment about the state of working families today? >> we know that many more women are working and many more men want to be involved fathers, but the truth is the very thing that makes you a good parent could cost you your paycheck or your job. 40% of the workforce doesn't have a single paid wo

enforcement could be justified by compelling interest in response to a rfra objection, ada enforcement, fmla enforcement, all kinds of things. and i do think -- >> title vii was passed before 1993, so it wouldn't apply rfra wouldn't apply to title vii. >> well, i think with all due respect, justice ginsburg, i think you could claim a rfra exemption from title vii. and the problem here would be that and i think one of the things that's significant about the position that my friends on the other side are taking here, is that with respect to exemptions, for example, from the title vii requirement against discrimination on the basis of religion and hiring, congress made a quite clear judgment to provide a very narrow exemption -- churches and religious educational institutions and religious associations, and that's it. nobody else can claim an exemption under title vii. >> except that they passed rfra after that. that made a lot of sense. but the question is they passed rfra after that. >> but i think the further question, your honor, is whether you would interpret rfra in a manner where you wou

this workplace flexibility, we have the fmla. it is done well. we need to take the next frontier but what the president is committed to that. we have partners are committed to the. i am confident that we will indeed build this movement because we've got generals like rosa delauro, valerie jarrett. we have the general in chief barack obama and joe biden and everyone else, and with my partner right here, the nonprofit leader, the president for the center of american progress and my friends, neera tanden. neera. [applause] >> that was great. so, i have to say, what a great partners. we should be able to make a lot of change with this team. and i want to some have for the center of american progress we've been really thrilled to have a fantastic partnership over months and months and months waiting for the conference. valerie at the white is an entire white house team, and the department of labor which has had a fantastic team. valerie is right, we all have stories, everyone in this room, and the people you represent, thousands upon thousands of peop

[applause] fmla, we believe its all families deserve protections, and that is why we have proposed new rule changes just lacks week to realize the promise of windsor and to give all our lgbt brothers and same -- in legal legal same-sex marriages the same rights that everybody else has. [applause] i am a labor lawyer and civil rights lawyer, and progress does in on wheels of inevitability. it takes everybody in this room and nation, polish and building. we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the civil rights act. it is all about persistence. this workplace the stability -- this workplace flexibility, we need to take the next front ier, and the president is committed to that. i'm confident we will build this movement, because we have rosa delauro, the chairman and chief, barack obama, and joe biden and everybody else, and we have my partner right here, the nonprofit either, the president for the center of american progress, and my friend, neera tanden. >> that was great. [applause] so i have to say what great partners. he should be able to make a lot of change with this team. i want