The Census Bureau just released national poverty, income, and insurance data for 2023. It’s important to understand income and health insurance trends, but it’s especially important now since Congress will take up major tax legislation in 2025.
One thing we know for sure is that when the Child Tax Credit (CTC) was expanded in 2021, child poverty decreased by 46% overall, with Black and Hispanic/Latino child poverty falling by 6.3 percentage points in each community, impacting 716,000 Black children and 1.2 million Hispanic children. The new data shows that in 2023, the CTC lifted 2.4 million people above the federal poverty line―while important, falling far short of the 5.4 million lifted above the federal poverty line in 2021 by expanded monthly Child Tax Credit payments that included all children in low-income families.
Click here to send a direct message to Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit today.
Many people are facing food and housing insecurity, challenges with high child care costs, and dealing with other hardships that make it harder to make ends meet. Expanding the Child Tax Credit fixes a major flaw in current law: over 18 million children and their families are excluded from the full credit because their parents’ income is too low.
You read that right. Families where a parent can’t work due to illness or being laid off, cannot qualify for the Child Tax Credit at all. And many parents who work at low wages cannot get the full CTC. A single parent earning $15,000 a year and who has two children, will receive less than a family with a parent who has a higher paying job. This is a flaw that does nothing but exacerbate inequity and accelerate the racial wealth gap.
Instead of cutting investments in key programs and services, Congress must prioritize funding for human needs and that means passing an expanded Child Tax Credit that reaches the very poorest households.
Click here to send a direct message to Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit today.
View a recording of this webinar here.
Since May, the number of poor children in the U.S. has grown by 2.5 million. Parents report their families are going without enough to eat. Millions of households are on the brink of eviction and can’t afford to pay for their basic living needs. When families don’t have adequate access to the internet, children are shut out of education. The Senate and the Trump Administration have allowed children’s urgent needs to go unmet by failing to agree to more help for families.
Now, as Congress returns for a post-election session, you are needed to show them they must act – and soon. Join CHN, First Focus Campaign for Children, and RESULTS for Our Children are in Danger: A webinar about increased hunger, poverty, and other serious threats to children and their families because of the pandemic.
You’ll hear from Deborah A. Frank, M.D., Founder and Principal Investigator of Children’s HealthWatch. Dr. Frank is a nationally recognized expert on the impacts of economic and social factors on very young children. You’ll hear from parents Kimberly Mitchell and LaShon Marshall about their experiences caring for children during the pandemic. And you’ll hear analysis of new research findings on how children are faring from Indi Dutta-Gupta, Co-Executive Director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty & Inequality, and a leading authority on policy that alleviates poverty and inequality. You’ll also hear about the kind of relief Congress must pass from Cara Baldari, Vice President of Family Economics, Housing and Homelessness at First Focus Campaign for Children. Cara’s work centers on building the political will for a national commitment to reduce child poverty in the United States. Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs, will be the moderator.
You’ll get reliable information about how children and families have been affected in the pandemic, including alarming racial disparities. And you’ll also get current information about Congressional proposals for reversing this damage – and how to use it to get our children out of danger.
This webinar will be close-captioned. All registrants will be sent the full recording, slides, and links to important resources.