Clinton has repeatedly voiced his commitment to protecting the employment rights of parents, whose work hours may necessarily be shorter than those of their childless peers. "The most important work a society does is to raise children," he said Tuesday. And his attempts, so far, have been stymied. A private-sector version of the same initiative has been growing mold in Congress for months now, as business leaders voice their concern to GOP leaders over the implications of the legislation and the hazy wording of the ban. How would such a law influence, for example, the salary or rate of advancement for someone who does work long hours and weekends without discriminating against an employee who's loaded down with parental responsibilities?
"This executive order is Clinton's way of getting around a congressional bottleneck," says TIME White House correspondent Jay Branegan. "And even though the order extends only to federal employees, it's a great public relations move: Voters love family-friendly initiatives." By beating the GOP-controlled Congress to the punch, Branegan adds, Clinton can focus voters' attention on the inaction on Capitol Hill — and reflect praise for the anti-discrimination measure onto the vice president, whose record faces a tough challenge from self-described "family-friendly" candidate George W. Bush.