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Parents and Democrats press to preserve expanded child tax credit as committee debates TCJA permanence
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Summary
Parents and Democrats told the House Ways and Means Committee the child tax credit has eased household budgets and cut child poverty, and urged Congress to preserve or expand refundability as part of negotiations over the 2017 tax law’s expiring provisions.
Parents and advocates testified at the House Ways and Means Committee hearing that the child tax credit (CTC) expansions enacted or proposed since 2017 materially reduced child poverty and provided monthly and year‑end aid to families.
Margaret Marple, who described herself as a mother of three and a beneficiary of the child tax credit, told the committee: “The financial benefit of the child tax credit lightens the load of the financial burden parents carry, but also serves to affirm and enforce the value parents hold.” She said the credit has sometimes been “the only money in our savings account.”
Democratic members pressed for a more generous, fully refundable credit that would reach families whose earnings are low or intermittent. Brandon Duke said full refundability reduces income volatility and helps families who lose work avoid losing the credit at the same time. “If they lose their job…they have to leave the workforce. And not only do they lose those wages, but they also lose the child tax credit,” Duke said.
Republican members and witnesses emphasized that the CTC established by TCJA and related bills kept more take‑home pay for working families and said cutting the credit in half at expiration would harm households. Chairman Smith warned that 40 million parents could be affected if some enhancements lapse. Several witnesses urged Congress to prioritize options that would preserve benefit levels for working families while crafting offsets elsewhere in the bill.
Committee testimony also touched on program design: Democrats emphasized refundability and removing earnings hurdles so the lowest‑income children qualify; Republicans highlighted targeting the credit to taxpayers within certain income bands and preserving a Social Security‑number requirement argued to limit improper payments.
The hearing produced no legislative votes. Members indicated they expected child‑credit design and refundability to remain central bargaining points as lawmakers work on offsets and the larger debate over TCJA permanence.
