Lawmakers must ask “Is this good for children?”
In response to the House passage of the expanded Child Tax Credit, Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus Campaign for Children, released the following statement:
“Children have scored an important win with the House passage of the expanded Child Tax Credit. This measure offers an important first step toward the goal of helping all of our nation’s children and will provide millions of them with the fuel to prosper, keeping them fed, housed, warm, safe, and successful in school. Expanding the Child Tax Credit is the least we can do for our kids as they navigate the complex challenges of increasing mortality rates, growing gun violence, rising food insecurity, a pervasive mental health crisis, child abuse and neglect, and persistent child poverty. And now, the Senate bears a heavy responsibility to deliver all of this aid to children, undiluted. Lawmakers must squash any temptation to water down these “just-enough” benefits in the tax bill by asking themselves ‘Is this good for children?’”
In particular, First Focus Campaign for Children urges lawmakers to protect the lookback provision, which ensures maximum benefits for families with multiple children, households with newborns, and those experiencing financial setbacks. The Senate must also ensure that every child is eligible to receive the aid offered by the expanded Child Tax Credit.