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Child Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2014

Floor Speech

Date: July 25, 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Unemployed and Low-Income Business and Consumers Taxes Family

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Ms. LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, this Republican-led House has recently been in the habit of passing extraordinarily expensive corporate and business tax provisions, making each permanent.

However, we are here today to follow a completely different track. Today, we will leave countless single mothers and fathers, struggling to support a family, without the certainty we rushed to provide corporations.

Honestly, I'm dumbfounded by this. I'm dumbfounded and frustrated by a Majority that can find it in their hearts to make corporate provisions like R&D--which I support--permanent, but can't find that same heart for hardworking Americans.

It is truly disgraceful.

While there are a few good provisions in the bill before us, we are leaving the most vulnerable taxpayers out in the cold. Literally. Parents will have to choose between heating their home in the dead of winter and putting food on the table for their kids when we take roughly $1,700 out of their pockets.

Kids are not cheap and this bill doesn't come close to addressing the price of raising healthy, successful children. As a working mom, I understand the struggle to raise a family. And I'm one of the lucky ones.

Many of my constituents--and constituents of each one of us here today--aren't so lucky. These aren't lazy people, expecting a government handout, but hardworking parents.

I cannot support a bill to increase poverty across the country.

On top of all this, at the eleventh hour, the Majority tossed in a devastating amendment to this bill. An amendment that denies millions of children a tax benefit their parents deserve and have paid for. Parents who have worked long hours and paid their fair share of federal taxes will no longer be able to claim the refundable child tax credit. Seriously? You are going to pull the rug out from under struggling families? You have got to be kidding me.

If we can pass permanent tax law for corporations, we can certainly tackle permanent policy for people straining to make ends meet.

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