Barack Obama

it great to be back in new mexico __PUNCT__ and to have thi opportun to discuss some of the challeng that work women ar face __PUNCT__

becaus i would not be stand befor you todai as a candid for presid of the unit_state if it weren't for work women __PUNCT__

i am here becaus of my mother __PUNCT__ a singl_mom who put herself through school __PUNCT__ follow her passion for help other __PUNCT__ and rais my sister and me to believ that in america __PUNCT__ there ar no barrier to success if you will to work for it __PUNCT__

i am here becaus of my grandmoth __PUNCT__ who help rais me __PUNCT__

she work dure world_war_ii on a bomber assembl_line __PUNCT__ she wa rosi the rivet __PUNCT__

then __PUNCT__ even though she never got more than a high_school diploma __PUNCT__ she work her wai up from her start as a secretari at a bank __PUNCT__ and end up be the financi rock for our entir famili when i wa grow up __PUNCT__

and i am here becaus of my wife michel __PUNCT__ the rock of the obama famili __PUNCT__ who work her wai up from modest root on the south_side of chicago __PUNCT__ and who ha juggl job and parent with more skill and grace than anyon i know __PUNCT__

now michel and i want our two daughter to grow up in an america where thei have the freedom and opportun to live their dream and rais their own famili __PUNCT__

but even as these stori speak to the progress that we made __PUNCT__ we know that too mani of america daughter grow up face barrier to their dream __PUNCT__ and that ha consequ for all american_famili __PUNCT__

for decad we had politician in washington who talk about famili valu __PUNCT__ but we haven't had polici that valu famili __PUNCT__

instead __PUNCT__ it harder for work_parent to make a live while rais their kid __PUNCT__

and we know that the system is especi stack against women __PUNCT__ and that why washington ha to chang __PUNCT__

now senat_mccain is an honor man __PUNCT__ and we respect hi servic __PUNCT__

but when you look at our record and our plan on issu that matter to work women __PUNCT__ the choic could not be clearer __PUNCT__

it start with equal pai __PUNCT__

__NUM__ percent of work women in america earn half __PUNCT__ or more than half __PUNCT__ of their famili_incom __PUNCT__

but women still earn onli __NUM___cent for everi dollar earn by men __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ you think that washington would be unit in it determin to fight for equal pai __PUNCT__

that why i wa proud to co __PUNCT__ sponsor the lilli ledbett fair pai restor act __PUNCT__ which would have revers last year suprem_court_decis __PUNCT__ which made it more difficult for women to challeng pai discrimin on the job __PUNCT__

but senat_mccain think the suprem_court got it right __PUNCT__

he oppos the fair pai restor act __PUNCT__

he suggest that the reason women don't have equal pai isn't discrimin on the job __PUNCT__ it becaus thei need more educ and train __PUNCT__

that just total wrong __PUNCT__

lilli ledbett problem wa not that she wa somehow unqualifi or unprepar for higher __PUNCT__ pai posit __PUNCT__

she most certainli wa __PUNCT__ and by all report she wa an excel employe __PUNCT__

her problem wa that her employ paid her less than men who were do the exact same work __PUNCT__

john_mccain just ha it wrong __PUNCT__

he said the fair pai restor act __PUNCT__ open us up to lawsuit for all kind of problem __PUNCT__

but i can't think of ani problem more import than make sure that women get equal pai for equal work __PUNCT__

it a matter of equal __PUNCT__

it a matter of fair __PUNCT__

that why i stood up for equal pai in the illinoi state_senat __PUNCT__ and help pass a law to give __NUM__ more women protect from paycheck discrimin __PUNCT__

that why i been fight to pass_legisl in the senat __PUNCT__ so that employ don't get awai with discrimin against hardwork women like lilli ledbett __PUNCT__

and that why i continu to stand up for equal pai as presid __PUNCT__

senat_mccain won't __PUNCT__ and that a real differ in thi elect __PUNCT__

as the son of a singl_mother __PUNCT__ i also don't accept an america that make women choos between their kid and their career __PUNCT__

it not accept that women ar deni job or promot becaus thei got kid at home __PUNCT__

it not accept that forti percent of work women don't have a singl paid sick dai __PUNCT__

that wrong for work_parent __PUNCT__ it wrong for america children __PUNCT__ and it not who we ar as a countri __PUNCT__

i be a presid who stand up for the american_famili by give all work_parent a hand __PUNCT__

to help with childcar __PUNCT__ i expand the child and depend care tax_credit __PUNCT__ so that work_famili can receiv up to a __NUM__ percent credit for their child_care expens __PUNCT__

i doubl fund for afterschool program that help children_learn and give parent relief __PUNCT__

and i invest __MONEY___billion to guarante access to qualiti __PUNCT__ afford __PUNCT__ earli_childhood childhood_educ for everi child in america __PUNCT__

and with more and more household head by two work_parent __PUNCT__ or a singl work parent __PUNCT__ it also time to dramat expand the famili and medic leav act __PUNCT__

sinc more american ar work for small_busi __PUNCT__ i expand fmla to cover busi with as few as __NUM___employe __PUNCT__ thi will reach million of american_worker who aren't cover todai __PUNCT__

we also allow worker to take leav to care for elderli parent __PUNCT__

we allow parent to take __NUM___hour of annual leav to join school activ with their kid __PUNCT__

and we cover employe who ar victim of domest_violenc or sexual_assault __PUNCT__

i also stand up for paid leav __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ __NUM__ percent of worker cover by fmla don't take leav becaus it isn't paid __PUNCT__

that just not fair __PUNCT__

you shouldn't be punish for get sick or deal with a famili crisi __PUNCT__

that why i requir employ to provid all of their worker with seven paid sick dai a year __PUNCT__

and i support a __NUM__ __PUNCT__ state strategi to adopt paid __PUNCT__ leav system __PUNCT__ and set asid __MONEY___billion to fund it __PUNCT__

i have a clear plan to expand paid leav and sick leav __PUNCT__ senat_mccain doesn't __PUNCT__ and that a real differ in thi elect __PUNCT__

and at a time when folk ar struggl with the rise_price of everyth from ga to groceri __PUNCT__ i provid work women with immedi relief __PUNCT__

while senat_mccain want to continu the bush_tax_cut for the wealthiest american who don't need them and didn't ask for them __PUNCT__ i pass a middl_class tax_cut of __MONEY__ for each work_famili __PUNCT__

thi will deliv tax_relief for over __NUM___million work women __PUNCT__

and we need to help folk at the bottom of the ladder __PUNCT__

almost __NUM__ percent of american who benefit from rais the minimum_wage were women __PUNCT__

i won't leav ani work_peopl behind __PUNCT__

that why __PUNCT__ unlik senat_mccain __PUNCT__ i index the minimum_wage to inflat so that it goe up each year to keep pace with rise_cost __PUNCT__

we can't afford an economi where folk keep work_harder for less __PUNCT__

we can't let the women in our workforc get paid even less for do the same work __PUNCT__

and we can't keep push more and more of the burden on to the back of work_parent who ar struggl to balanc their job and their famili __PUNCT__

becaus what bind us togeth __PUNCT__ what make us on american_famili __PUNCT__ is that we stand up and fight for each other dream __PUNCT__ and for the dream of all of our children __PUNCT__

i want my daughter to grow up in an america where thei have opportun that ar even greater than their mother had __PUNCT__ or their grandmoth __PUNCT__ or their great grandmoth __PUNCT__ an america where our daughter truli have the same opportun as our son __PUNCT__

stand here todai __PUNCT__ i know that we have drawn closer to make thi america a realiti becaus of the extraordinari woman who i share a stage with so mani time throughout thi campaign __PUNCT__ senat hillari rodham clinton __PUNCT__

and in the month and year_ahead __PUNCT__ i look forward to work with her to make_progress on the issu that matter to american_women and to all american_famili __PUNCT__ health_care and educ __PUNCT__ support for work_parent and an insist on equal __PUNCT__

becaus i want sasha and malia to grow up in an america where both work and famili ar a part of the american_dream __PUNCT__ and where that dream is avail to all __PUNCT__

that why i run for presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__