LANSING — Under President Joe Biden’s the American Rescue Plan into law, thousands of Michigan families received additional relief after congressional Democrats expanded the Child Tax Credit, lifting at least 117,000 children out of poverty across the state.
This historic investment in working families and children was supported by every Michigan Democrat, including Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow as well as Reps. Debbie Dingell, Dan Kildee, Brenda Lawrence, Andy Levin, Haley Stevens, Elissa Slotkin, and Rashida Tlaib. Yet, despite repeatedly taking credit for a recovery plan they voted against, every Michigan Republican opposed expanding the Child Tax Credit.
Now, President Biden and congressional Democrats are poised to make this life-changing tax credit permanent with the passage of the American Families Plan—but Republicans Reps. Jack Bergman, Bill Huizenga, Lisa McClain, John Moolenaar, and Tim Walberg have indicated they’ll once again vote against investing in working families.
“Republican lawmakers who voted to cut taxes for the country’s largest corporations and wealthiest families have no business voting against legislation that would put more money in the pockets of Michigan’s working families,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes. “It’s clear that Michigan’s GOP lawmakers are far more concerned about helping their donors get richer than they are helping their constituents make ends meet. We’re sick of Republicans’ empty promises and the lie of trickle-down economics. If they actually want to lift up working families, they’d get behind President Biden’s American Families Plan.”
Here’s how President Biden’s plan would benefit Michigan families—and why Michigan Republicans should support the proposal:
- The American Families Plan will extend through 2025 the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit (CTC) increases to $3,000 per child 6-years old and above and $3,600 per child under 6. This extension will benefit 1,968,000 children in Michigan, including 669,000 children of color.
- There are 229,00 children under the age of 18 in Michigan who are considered poor. The proposal is estimated to reduce the child poverty in Michigan by 44 percent and cut child poverty roughly in half nationwide.
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