Child Tax Credit

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I was proud to vote for the American Rescue Plan because I knew it was the transformational investment we needed to get the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.

Two months later, it is clear the investment has paid off. We have gotten more shots in arms, lifted families out of poverty, helped children get back to school, helped businesses stay open, and helped workers keep their jobs. And we are just getting started.

Much of the vital support for workers and families included in the American Rescue Plan is still underway. One of these measures is the expansion of the child tax credit, a historic investment in the future of our country.

It has become harder and harder to afford a college education, a home, and childcare.

As the cost of living continues to soar and wages continue to stagnate, the American Dream is slipping out of reach for many working families. We need to level the playing field so every child has the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

The child tax credit expansion means working-class families will get $300 per child under 6, and $250 per child for children aged 7-17. $300 a month helps put food on the table so kids do not go hungry. It helps pay for child care so parents can get back to work and build a better life for their families. And it helps cover healthcare expenses so children stay healthy.

This lifeline benefits a whopping 85 percent of the children in my district on the central coast of California. That means a stronger economic foundation for over 135,000 children in our community. For the 11,200 children in my community living in poverty, the child tax credit could make all the difference in their lives and their futures.

I come from a low-income family myself, a working-class family, so I know that $300 a month would have lifted a financial burden off my parents' shoulders, who already worked so hard to give me and my siblings a chance for a better life.

Advance monthly payments of the child tax credit will start to be sent out in July and last through December 2021. Families will get the remaining tax credit when they file their 2021 tax returns. Families can make sure they get an accurate payment quickly by filing their 2020 tax return as soon as possible.

Even individuals who lost their jobs during the pandemic or do not normally file taxes, should file this year to receive the credit. The IRS needs the information from the tax returns to calculate and issue the monthly child tax credit payments.

I will continue to fight for working families in Congress so they keep their hard-earned money in their pockets, and every child has the means to achieve the American Dream.

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