Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), sponsors of the American Family Act, called on House Leadership to include an expanded, fully refundable Child Tax Credit (CTC), as well as a “lookback provision” for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit to prevent families from paying more in taxes next year due to the expansion.

“While expanding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Unemployment Insurance are critical first steps to helping people who are struggling to make ends meet due to the coronavirus, more than half of low-income children are a part of families that do not qualify for either,” said the Congresswomen. “Families have rent, utility bills, groceries, and other essential supplies and expenses that they must deal with right now. To provide families with income to meet their needs, we support an expanded, fully refundable Child Tax Credit and lookback provision for both the CTC and the Earned Income Tax Credit. With the American Family Act as a model, the next emergency package should increase the Child Tax Credit by an additional $1,000 (to $3,000), and for young children under age 6 by an additional $600 (to $3,600)—as their families face additional expenses in this rapidly evolving situation. By making the CTC refundable and extending its eligibility to those who are currently left out, we would ensure all families—except for the wealthiest—would get a full $2,000 per Child Tax Credit while providing an increase to the one-third of families who need it the most. And by making it retroactive, we will get money in the hands of families that need it most as quickly as possible.”

“Families must also be protected when they file their taxes next year, and we can do that by allowing families to use their previous years’ earnings to calculate their EITC and CTC,” continued the Congresswomen. “A lookback provision will prevent families from getting an economic aftershock when they file their taxes next year. In any forthcoming economic package, we must protect families by exempting increases in the CTC and EITC for families that could be at risk of getting kicked off lifesaving and life-sustaining programs or having a reduced benefit down the road.”

On Saturday, DelBene and DeLauro voted in favor of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, legislation that would ensure free coronavirus tests, access to paid sick days and longer-term paid leave, and expanded food assistance for children and seniors. And earlier this month, both Congresswoman supported the now-enacted Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074), an $8.3 billion emergency supplemental funding agreement to address public health needs and combat the spread of the coronavirus.