Expand the Child Tax Credit, but define success first
A bipartisan bill would put a little more money into the pockets of millions of working families. The Stronger Start for Working Families Act, introduced Sept. 3 by Republican Carol Miller and three colleagues, would lower the refundable child tax credit’s earnings threshold from $2,500 to $1. It remains in the Ways and Means Committee. The proposal raises a larger question: Is Congress buying relief from today’s bills or helping families become more secure over time?
TL;DR
- A bipartisan bill, the Stronger Start for Working Families Act, aims to lower the refundable child tax credit's earnings threshold from $2,500 to $1.
- This change could provide additional financial assistance to approximately 3.5 million families.
- The article questions whether the bill offers temporary relief or contributes to long-term family financial security.
- Past expansions of the child tax credit, like in 2021, showed significant reductions in child poverty but did not necessarily create lasting independence.
- The government struggles to collectively evaluate the effectiveness and long-term impact of its anti-poverty programs.
- There is a need for clearer goals, better coordination, and robust evaluation methods for federal programs.
- Congress is urged to direct the Office of Management and Budget to complete a federal program inventory and improve assessments of costs, participation, and effectiveness.