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Paul Ryan Puts Family First: Conditions for Speaker of the House

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Washington, D.C. – Tuesday night, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) announced in a press conference he would consider running for Speaker of the House, but only under specific conditions. One of the concerns Ryan brought up was how this would affect his family, saying, “I cannot and will not give up my family time.” Concerned Women for America CEO and President Penny Nance had this to say:

“It’s about time someone listed family time as an essential condition to serve. I commend Paul Ryan for making his family a priority, and I respect him greatly for not wavering on such an important matter.

“Family time is important for both men and women. Women may be the child-bearers, but a father plays a crucial roll in a child’s life. Every child needs significant and uninterrupted time with its father and mother.

“The divorce rate among Americans is 40-50 percent, and with each subsequent marriage the rate becomes higher. Common causes of divorce are a lack of commitment and careers. According to the American Psychological Association, a healthy marriage is not only good for the mental and physical health of the couple, it is also good for the children. Growing up in a happy home protects children from mental, physical, educational, and social problems. Juxtapose these with broken homes, where children of divorced parents are at higher risk of issues such as crime, abuse, poor school performance, behavioral issues, and more. They are also much more likely to have a divorce themselves, only furthering the problem.

“If America really wants to start cleaning up its act, we have to start making our families our top priority. Congress should be taking the lead and setting that example. The next Speaker of the House, no matter who he or she is, needs to press this issue.”

For an interview with Penny Nance, please contact Janae Stracke at jstracke@cwfa.org or 712-269-1724.