Congress is rushing to vote on a bipartisan tax package that includes important steps toward reducing the recent increase in child poverty.
The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 (H.R. 7024) would increase the amount of the Child Tax Credit, index it to inflation, and change how it is calculated to target those most in need—children from families too poor to pay income taxes, especially families with more than one child.
Child poverty dropped dramatically—nearly in half—when the American Rescue Plan Act expanded the Child Tax Credit. Since 2021, when the expansion lapsed, the rate of child poverty has more than doubled.
Congress also averted a government shutdown last week, meeting the lowest possible bar by kicking the can down the road for another month.
The latest continuing resolution—the third since the start of FY2024 on Oct. 1—extends current funding levels for about 20 percent of the government through March 1 and the rest through March 8.
Between now and then, appropriators must distribute the top-line amount among 12 annual spending bills, myriad programs, and reconcile differences in the Senate and House versions. Then, both chambers must pass the final bills—individually or, more likely, as one big package (an omnibus) or several smaller packages (minibuses).
Make your voice heard!
In solidarity,
Marc Egan
Government Relations Director
National Education Association
