Demand Progress

This is a simple yet damning story about Congress and child poverty: When Congress passed the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) as part of early COVID relief packages, there was a historic decline in the child poverty rate down to 5.2%.¹

Then, Congress allowed the expanded CTC to expire. Our lawmakers allowed direct support to families with kids to lapse, impacting 19 million children. Unsurprisingly, child poverty then skyrocketed to 12.4% in 2022.²

The expanded CTC is PROVEN to drastically reduce child poverty and Congress must reinstate it immediately.

Sign the petition: Tell Congress to restore the expanded Child Tax Credit, and return the child poverty rate to historic lows.

It is unbelievable that Congress allowed the expanded CTC to expire. It was a crystal clear example of policy that reduced child poverty and materially improved peoples’ lives. That extra $250 - $300 a month went such a long way for millions of families at the grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, and everywhere in between.

Allowing the credit to expire disproportionately affected Black, Latino, Native American and Alaska Native families, further perpetuating child poverty disparities by race and ethnicity.³

It’s imperative that Congress use the tools at its disposal to ensure families can afford their groceries, rent, mortgage payments, utilities, and medications — and we know the expanded Child Tax Credit gives families the ability to do just that. It’s a no-brainer policy, but some members of Congress and their cruel austerity politics are blocking the expanded credit from passing.

Add your name: Reinstate the expanded Child Tax Credit!

Sources:

1. U.S. Census Bureau, “Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2022,” September 12, 2023.
2. Ibid.
3. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Year-End Tax Policy Priority: Expand the Child Tax Credit for the 19 Million Children Who Receive Less Than the Full Credit,” December 7, 2022.