One of the fundamental beliefs that drives my views on public policy is the idea that we cannot have a strong country without strong people, and we cannot have strong people without strong families. Too often in recent years, through both economic and social policy, Washington has tried to compete with families rather than support and defend them. As president, I will reform our government in a way that empowers our families to thrive in this new century, and a major component of this will be reforms to family leave policy.
First, I'd like to explain why I think this is so important. Even though I didn't come from a wealthy or powerful family, I believe that I come from extraordinary privilege — not just because I was born in the greatest country on earth, but because I was born to two parents who were able to be a constant presence in the lives of their children. It wasn't always easy for them. My parents' jobs often required them to leave home before dawn and come back after bedtime, and they were often called to work on weekends and holidays.
Yet despite the challenges, it was an enormous advantage for me that they were able to be with me when I needed them most — for example, in the earliest years of my life, when my mom stayed home with me while my dad worked; the time I needed surgery, when my dad made sure he was there by my side; and all the smaller moments, too.
Marco Rubio, Rubio Campaign Press Release - Why We Need Strong Families, and How to Support Them Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/326094