Congresswoman Gwen Moore Statement on Bipartisan Tax Legislation

“Today I voted no on H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. I see this bill as a missed opportunity to make meaningful tax reforms for both individuals and corporations. While this legislation includes many generous corporate tax cuts, in comparison, there are only small benefits for ordinary families through the Child Tax Credit. While H.R. 7024 pulls 400,000 kids out of poverty, it leaves millions of children behind. As a lawmaker, I understand must compromise, but I am not willing to capitulate on providing relief for the neediest children. I appreciate the improvements to the Child Tax Credit and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, but they are far too modest and many other of my priorities weren’t included at all. Unfortunately, this legislation makes compromises that I cannot accept.

I reject the notion of tying work requirements to the Child Tax Credit, which is punitive on our most vulnerable families. Why should a parent on a minimum wage job with two kids have to work more than a 40-hour work week to receive the full refundable credit? This tax deal keeps standards that are stricter than TANFs work requirements. As a result, we will end up leaving our poorest children behind. It perpetuates the harmful notion of ‘makers’ and ‘takers.’ We should really just abandon ill-advised work requirements. Caring for a child is work and raising kids is expensive. The CTC is supposed to address those challenges. To do so effectively, it needs to be available to help kids in the poorest families.

I was so proud to support the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which served as a model for how to expand the Child Tax Credit to benefit both middle-class and low-income families. These investments in our children lifted millions out of poverty and made families better off. If made permanent, these investments would have lasting benefits, spanning from childhood through adulthood.

My commitment remains to strengthening the Child Tax Credit. I will continue to push for further enhancements, such as making the CTC fully refundable and available on a monthly basis. These changes proved their worth as a remedy to poverty: the ARPA CTC cut child poverty by 40 percent and reduced family hardship. I will also continue to advocate for enhancements to the Earned Income Tax Credit, which I’ve very disappointed were overlooked in this bill. This legislation isn’t the end because I will continue championing investments that help all of our children have a bright future.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.