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Victory for Low Income Children! Sen. Baucus Supports Expanded CTC!
In order to start cutting poverty in half, one of Half in Ten’s first priorities is to expand the Child Tax Credit to help millions of poor children in America. Current law denies the CTC to millions of poor children and their families simply because they earn too little to owe federal income tax. The House has approved H.R. 6049, expanding the CTC, and now it’s time for the Senate to do the same and help millions of children.

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In the global economy, the greatest potential for success turns on having an educated, healthy, adaptable workforce. It is in all of our interests that children grow up under conditions that prepare them for the economy of the future. But, an estimated eight percent of all children and 28 percent of African-American children spend at least 11 years of childhood in poverty.
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Statement of Deborah Weinstein, executive director of the Coalition on Human Needs, on new Census Bureau Data on Poverty

The new poverty data released today by the Census Bureau show that six years of economic growth did not lead to better times for the nation’s poor. In 2007, 12.5 percent of Americans were poor, up from 11.7 percent in the recession year of 2001.
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From the Center for American Progress:

The Senate is currently considering legislation (S. 3355/H.R. 6049) that would expand the Child Tax Credit to provide assistance to a greater number of low-income families, helping them to cope with the growing financial challenges associated with the current economy.
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From the Center for American Progress

How Does the Child Tax Credit Work?

The Child Tax Credit provides tax-based assistance to families with children. Families can claim up to $1,000 for each child, reducing the amount they owe in taxes, and under certain circumstances, increasing the amount of their yearly tax refund. The CTC provides families with additional funds that can help them cope with the rising costs of maintaining a household and raising children. Yet due to the way the credit is structured, low-income families are more likely than middle-income families to be denied the full benefits of the credit.
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Over 1,100 faith groups, labor groups, service providers, and advocacy groups are urging Congress to take needed action and expand the Child Tax Credit. Currently, the Child Tax Credit is denied to millions of American children because they are too poor. Reducing the minimum earnings requirement from $12,050 per year to $8,500 per year will make almost 3 million more children eligible for the credit, and increase the amount of the credit for over 10 million more.
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As highlighted in “From Poverty to Prosperity: A National Strategy to Cut Poverty in Half,” the prevalence of child poverty has a vast effect on the economy, costing $500 billion each year in lost productivity, earnings, and increased expenses.
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