REPUBLICANS OPPOSE CHILD TAX CREDIT PUSHING MORE CHILDREN INTO POVERTY

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TAXES – Child Tax Credit – Congress – Joe Biden

March 4, 2021

By: NATHANIEL BALLANTYNE

TRUENEWSBLOG- Democrats’ $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill includes a proposed change to the tax code aimed at pulling millions of children out of poverty, but it’s likely to see Republican objections as the Senate considers President Joe Biden’s plan this week. 

Democrats want to increase the child tax credit up to $3,600 per child under age 6 and $3,000 for children up to age 17 for one year to help combat the economic damage of the pandemic. Some liberals are pushing even further to make the tax credit permanent. 

The current tax credit is up to $2,000 per child. Biden told House Democrats during a private question-and-answer session Wednesday evening he supported making the expansion permanent in response to a question from Rep. Suzan DelBene, who had sponsored legislation to do so, according to a person familiar with the call not authorized to speak on the record. 

Advocates hailed the proposal as a tool to fight child poverty by opening the credit to working families who did not qualify because their income was too low. Republicans have derided proposals such as the tax credit as not relevant in a COVID-19 relief package and oppose efforts to make it permanent. 

The House passed Biden’s plan last week, Senate debate could start as soon as Wednesday, and a vote is likely by the end of the week. The House would need to approve the bill again if the Senate makes changes, meaning the bill could get a final vote Monday before heading to Biden. 

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., predicted Democrats would pass the bill, saying Tuesday he did not think there would be any Senate changes “so egregious” it would fail when it returned to the House. 

Here’s what the child tax credit provision in the bill would do:  Can we guarantee income for everyone?  Cities from Stockton to St. Paul are already testing monthly checks for residents. House passes Biden relief bill: Legislation, which includes $1,400 personal checks, heads to Senate.