UPDATE: Child Tax Credit Passes House, Awaits Senate Approval
Advocacy Win!
Thank you so much for your advocacy!
Over the last year, we have put out a lot of information about the Child Tax Credit (irs.org). We are happy to announce that last week, the House of Representatives passed HB 7024, which expands the program! We owe a special thank you to everyone within the LAMA community who has advocated in favor of this critical policy. ELCA State Public Policy offices from across the country and on the federal level have been working hard with our interfaith partners and our communities to see movement on this policy, and we are so very thankful to everyone who has been a part of that effort.
The bill passed with strong bipartisan support, with more than 80% of representatives voting in favor. Rep Juan Ciscomani (AZ06), Rep Ruben Gallego (AZ03), Rep Raúl Grijalva (AZ07), Rep David Schweikert (AZ01), and Rep Greg Stanton (AZ04) all voted in favor of the bill! If you live in one of their districts, we encourage you to extend your thanks to their offices (find your representative and their contact info here).
Next Steps
The bill, known as the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, now awaits debate in the Senate. We encourage you to contact Senators Sinema and Kelly and urge them to support the tax credit. Below is a sample letter or email that we encourage you to customize! Our advocacy is always more impactful when it is personal.
Dear Senator ___
I am one of your constituents living in ____. As a Christian and your constituent, I urge you to support the Child Tax Credit (CTC) through the Tax Relief for American Workers and Families Act..
Churches like my own work throughout the year to offer food and shelter for those of us in greatest need. In doing so, we hope to reduce dangers like child homelessness, hunger and displacement. Since the expiration of the CTC expansion in 2021, we have sadly seen the return of sharp increases in childhood poverty and rises in family homelessness, which have been compounded by a year of record inflation and future economic uncertainty.
The meaningful accomplishment of an expanded CTC would make a transformational difference for low-income families. Your action on this legislation can continue unprecedented progress against child poverty through expanding the CTC and lifting the burden for those of us who do not have what they foundationally need.
Thank you for your service and consideration.
Your Signature
Senator Kelly’s contact information can be found here, and Senator Sinema’s information can be found here.
Read on for more facts about the CTC.
About the CTC
If you are new to LAMA, you might not know much about the Child Tax Credit. The CTC is a tax break for low and middle-income families with children. This allows families, especially struggling ones, to invest more in their children, put food on the table, and the like. The child tax credit expired in 2021, and between 2021 and 2022, childhood poverty in America more than doubled— going from 5.2% to 12.4%. This results in many more families struggling with food insecurity. At least 400,000 children would be lifted out of poverty within the first year of the CTC’s implementation, with an additional 100,000 leaving poverty by 2025. Last time a CTC was introduced, childhood poverty saw the largest reduction in United State’s history. Overall, 16 million children would be helped, which includes many who were not elligable under former iterations of the tax credit.
This version of the CTC has also been expanded. It now allows for a per-child claim, and will raise the credit amount for low-income families. It also will raise the credit amount for all elligable famlies from $2000 to $2100 in 2025.
For more information, read the report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities here.
