Congress needs to prove its concern for our country’s children by passing the expanded child tax credit.
Phil Scott recently signed a tax cut package into law that will send $1,000 for every child 5 and under to Vermont households making $125,000 or less. Vermont has taken action to support its children; now it’s time to do the same for the rest of the country.
This was in response to 51 senators blocking the extended child tax credit, which had passed in the U.S. House. The senators blocking the extended tax credit caused payments to families to stop last January. Child poverty has since skyrocketed. Now, with inflation driving up rent, food,and gas prices, Congress must act.
The 2021 child tax credit expansion was extraordinary. After payments began in July 2021, child poverty dropped by 40 percent, food security increased, and families finally made ends meet. One important reason for this success was that, for the first time, the child tax credit was fully refundable, making all low-income children eligible for the full child tax credit.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has now proposed a new “child allowance” similar to the expanded child tax credit. This is encouraging, but his credit still excludes the lowest-income children.
Families and children need help now. I urge Sen. Leahy, Sen. Sanders and Rep. Welch to follow their state’s lead and pass an expanded child tax credit that reaches the lowest-income families with monthly payments as soon as possible.
Jake West
Burklington
