As Democrats Ditch Paid Leave, Advocates Ask: If Not Now, When?

Democratic lawmakers’ decision to exclude paid family and medical leave from their expansive federal tax and social spending bill dealt a bitter defeat to policy advocates, who have for decades pushed for creation of such a new entitlement program and are now wondering if their goal will ever be realized.

The jettisoning of paid leave from the framework agreement—a result of intra-party political pressure to reduce the overall package’s cost—leaves millions of workers without long-sought paid time off to care for a new child, a sick family member, or their own major health problem.

While no formal decision has been ...