SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) is seen during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on March 6, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
A new report released Wednesday reveals the extent to which a handful of corporate Democrats "are choosing a minority of wealthy households over the millions of children in their states who would benefit from the expansion of the child tax credit" proposed in the Build Back Better Act.
"It makes no sense economically to hold hostage real help for families just to protect tax breaks for a tiny, wealthy minority."
--Kyle Herrig, Accountable.US
Extending the expanded child tax credit, which would be paid for by a modest tax hike on their wealthiest constituents, would benefit roughly 90% of children in the lawmakers' states, the Accountable.US analysis (pdf) found. Nevertheless, several right-wing Democrats are still threatening to block the sweeping reconciliation bill on which the party's agenda depends.
The child tax credit--originally expanded in March when President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan--has provided millions of households with monthly checks of up to $300 per child. If made permanent, analysts estimate that the policy would cut child poverty in half in nearly a dozen states.
The payments are currently set to expire at the end of the year, but House Democrats have proposed continuing relief through 2025. The proposed extension of the tax cut for working families is included in the party's far-reaching social infrastructure package, which would also raise taxes on corporations and on individuals with annual incomes above $400,000.
Accountable.US identifies 11 corporate Democrats who are obstructing the Build Back Better Act and details how the legislation's child tax credit provision would benefit the vast majority of children in their states, while its proposed tax hikes on the rich would affect only a slim minority.
These conservative congressional Democrats--"many of whom are multi-millionaires themselves" and have recently accepted (pdf) thousands of dollars in campaign donations from corporations actively opposing the reconciliation bill--include:
Accountable.US notes that its new analysis comes as Golden--among the lawmakers who recently voted to increase the annual U.S. military budget to a whopping $778 billion, which translates to more than twice as much as what the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act, if spread out on a per-year basis, would invest over a decade in climate action and the social safety net--"is holding up the reconciliation process over 'concerns' that largely mirror those of corporate special interests that prefer to maintain the broken status quo at the expense of working families."
"With so many families struggling to get back on their feet and get ahead in the middle of the ongoing pandemic, it's critical that lawmakers like Jared Golden not lose perspective on who really needs help," Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US, said in a statement.
"Golden has an opportunity to deliver tax relief to virtually every family in Maine with the stronger child tax credit," Herrig continued. "It makes no sense economically to hold hostage real help for families just to protect tax breaks for a tiny, wealthy minority--and the public strongly agrees."
Numerous polls have shown that a majority of U.S. voters support key provisions in the Build Back Better Act, including its proposal to offset costs through more progressive taxation.
"The rich can afford to pay a fairer share in taxes," Herrig added, "but many families in Maine can't afford to lose out on this commonsense tax relief."
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
A new report released Wednesday reveals the extent to which a handful of corporate Democrats "are choosing a minority of wealthy households over the millions of children in their states who would benefit from the expansion of the child tax credit" proposed in the Build Back Better Act.
"It makes no sense economically to hold hostage real help for families just to protect tax breaks for a tiny, wealthy minority."
--Kyle Herrig, Accountable.US
Extending the expanded child tax credit, which would be paid for by a modest tax hike on their wealthiest constituents, would benefit roughly 90% of children in the lawmakers' states, the Accountable.US analysis (pdf) found. Nevertheless, several right-wing Democrats are still threatening to block the sweeping reconciliation bill on which the party's agenda depends.
The child tax credit--originally expanded in March when President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan--has provided millions of households with monthly checks of up to $300 per child. If made permanent, analysts estimate that the policy would cut child poverty in half in nearly a dozen states.
The payments are currently set to expire at the end of the year, but House Democrats have proposed continuing relief through 2025. The proposed extension of the tax cut for working families is included in the party's far-reaching social infrastructure package, which would also raise taxes on corporations and on individuals with annual incomes above $400,000.
Accountable.US identifies 11 corporate Democrats who are obstructing the Build Back Better Act and details how the legislation's child tax credit provision would benefit the vast majority of children in their states, while its proposed tax hikes on the rich would affect only a slim minority.
These conservative congressional Democrats--"many of whom are multi-millionaires themselves" and have recently accepted (pdf) thousands of dollars in campaign donations from corporations actively opposing the reconciliation bill--include:
Accountable.US notes that its new analysis comes as Golden--among the lawmakers who recently voted to increase the annual U.S. military budget to a whopping $778 billion, which translates to more than twice as much as what the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act, if spread out on a per-year basis, would invest over a decade in climate action and the social safety net--"is holding up the reconciliation process over 'concerns' that largely mirror those of corporate special interests that prefer to maintain the broken status quo at the expense of working families."
"With so many families struggling to get back on their feet and get ahead in the middle of the ongoing pandemic, it's critical that lawmakers like Jared Golden not lose perspective on who really needs help," Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US, said in a statement.
"Golden has an opportunity to deliver tax relief to virtually every family in Maine with the stronger child tax credit," Herrig continued. "It makes no sense economically to hold hostage real help for families just to protect tax breaks for a tiny, wealthy minority--and the public strongly agrees."
Numerous polls have shown that a majority of U.S. voters support key provisions in the Build Back Better Act, including its proposal to offset costs through more progressive taxation.
"The rich can afford to pay a fairer share in taxes," Herrig added, "but many families in Maine can't afford to lose out on this commonsense tax relief."
A new report released Wednesday reveals the extent to which a handful of corporate Democrats "are choosing a minority of wealthy households over the millions of children in their states who would benefit from the expansion of the child tax credit" proposed in the Build Back Better Act.
"It makes no sense economically to hold hostage real help for families just to protect tax breaks for a tiny, wealthy minority."
--Kyle Herrig, Accountable.US
Extending the expanded child tax credit, which would be paid for by a modest tax hike on their wealthiest constituents, would benefit roughly 90% of children in the lawmakers' states, the Accountable.US analysis (pdf) found. Nevertheless, several right-wing Democrats are still threatening to block the sweeping reconciliation bill on which the party's agenda depends.
The child tax credit--originally expanded in March when President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan--has provided millions of households with monthly checks of up to $300 per child. If made permanent, analysts estimate that the policy would cut child poverty in half in nearly a dozen states.
The payments are currently set to expire at the end of the year, but House Democrats have proposed continuing relief through 2025. The proposed extension of the tax cut for working families is included in the party's far-reaching social infrastructure package, which would also raise taxes on corporations and on individuals with annual incomes above $400,000.
Accountable.US identifies 11 corporate Democrats who are obstructing the Build Back Better Act and details how the legislation's child tax credit provision would benefit the vast majority of children in their states, while its proposed tax hikes on the rich would affect only a slim minority.
These conservative congressional Democrats--"many of whom are multi-millionaires themselves" and have recently accepted (pdf) thousands of dollars in campaign donations from corporations actively opposing the reconciliation bill--include:
Accountable.US notes that its new analysis comes as Golden--among the lawmakers who recently voted to increase the annual U.S. military budget to a whopping $778 billion, which translates to more than twice as much as what the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act, if spread out on a per-year basis, would invest over a decade in climate action and the social safety net--"is holding up the reconciliation process over 'concerns' that largely mirror those of corporate special interests that prefer to maintain the broken status quo at the expense of working families."
"With so many families struggling to get back on their feet and get ahead in the middle of the ongoing pandemic, it's critical that lawmakers like Jared Golden not lose perspective on who really needs help," Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US, said in a statement.
"Golden has an opportunity to deliver tax relief to virtually every family in Maine with the stronger child tax credit," Herrig continued. "It makes no sense economically to hold hostage real help for families just to protect tax breaks for a tiny, wealthy minority--and the public strongly agrees."
Numerous polls have shown that a majority of U.S. voters support key provisions in the Build Back Better Act, including its proposal to offset costs through more progressive taxation.
"The rich can afford to pay a fairer share in taxes," Herrig added, "but many families in Maine can't afford to lose out on this commonsense tax relief."