Lesley: If Vance wants a better child tax credit — why not do it?

Bruce Lesley

Submitted photo

Politicians often talk a good game about children, but they rarely deliver. Kids need actions more than words. It is time for politicians to demonstrate who’s for kids and who’s just kidding.

Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance recently suggested that lawmakers increase the Child Tax Credit to $5,000 per child and that it “apply to all American families.” 

Increasing and improving the Child Tax Credit — and applying it to all American families — is a great idea. Unfortunately, Vance skipped the Aug. 1 vote that would have demonstrated his leadership on this issue. The Child Tax Credit bill before the Senate that day failed to move forward because Vance’s Republican colleagues voted 41-3 to filibuster and block any progress. Not only was that a disappointing development, but Vance still hasn’t told the public how he would have voted.

As a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, we have long supported improving the Child Tax Credit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden administration increased the Child Tax Credit to as much as $3,600 per child and made it available to children previously left behind. This move, on its own, benefitted more than 60 million children and lifted nearly 3 million out of poverty.

As vice president, Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to advance the pandemic-era Child Tax Credit expansion. As a U.S. senator, Harris introduced legislation to give families a $6,000 tax refund. Her latest proposal calls for an increase in the Child Tax Credit to $6,000 for newborns, $3,600 for kids up to age 6, and $3,000 for all other children and youth. Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, created the country’s largest state Child Tax Credit. These candidates have demonstrated support for children with words and actions.

If Vance thinks we should improve the Child Tax Credit, he should make it happen.

As a senator, Vance has the power to introduce legislation that would create his $5,000 Child Tax Credit and have it “apply to all American families.” He should do so.

As a candidate for vice president, Vance has the opportunity to persuade his running mate, former president Donald Trump, to endorse his improved Child Tax Credit as part of their platform and their Agenda 47. This would be an easy lift if they were committed to it.

As a leader in the Republican Party, Vance should urge his Republican colleagues in the Senate to join him in meaningful efforts to improve the lives of children.

In addition to increasing the amount of the Child Tax Credit, Vance’s legislation should also eliminate the current discrimination and penalty imposed on babies and pregnant mothers who are unfairly punished by a cut to their credit when income drops due to pregnancy and childbirth. This penalty would be eliminated if the credit were to “apply to all families,” including the 18 million children left behind because their parents make too little to qualify for the full credit.

Unfortunately, Vance has seemed hesitant to use the power of his position to help children. In addition to not voting on the Senate Child Tax Credit measure — which would have helped 16 million children and lifted 400,000 out of poverty — he abandoned work on another promising bill with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., to eliminate or dramatically reduce the cost of childbirth in this country.

If Vance were to become vice president, he would wield the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. How can we be sure he would use it to protect America’s children like Vice President Harris? Based on his current record, we can’t. But there’s still time for him to put words into action.

Editor’s note: Bruce Lesley is president of Washington, D.C.-based First Focus on Children, a bipartisan advocacy organization. Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.