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(RNS) — Because the season of Creation begins, hundreds of thousands of Christians world wide put together to mark the delivery of a kid born on the margins of a fantastic empire.
Because it occurs, Creation runs alongside one other season of kinds within the nation’s capital: a lame-duck congressional session. Lawmakers aren’t anticipated to go a lot laws throughout this time — therefore the fowl nickname — however they are going to doubtless think about extending Trump-era tax cuts for firms.
This offers a possibility — even an ethical obligation — to carry excellent news to American kids as effectively. Congress mustn’t approve any year-end company tax breaks with out increasing the kid tax credit score.
Within the throes of the pandemic, in 2021, Congress expanded the kid tax credit score, elevating the quantity accessible to the poorest American households as much as $3,600 a 12 months per youngster and permitting the credit score to be distributed throughout the tax 12 months in month-to-month installments. The measure produced historic outcomes. Even throughout a world pandemic and financial recession, the expanded credit score helped drive the kid poverty charge to a file low of 5.2%, in line with the Heart on Finances and Coverage Priorities.
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The present Congress allowed the expanded credit score to run out on the finish of 2021, resulting in dire penalties: 3.7 million kids, together with 2.5 million Black and Latino youngsters, fell again into poverty. Some consider that quantity will rise to 4.1 million due to the still-rising prices of meals, fuel and housing.
These numbers characterize a deep — and completely pointless — ethical failure.
Because the Heart on Finances and Coverage Priorities pointedly stated, “The success of the 2021 enlargement confirmed us that prime youngster poverty charges are a coverage selection, not an inevitability.”
A swing sits empty on a playground in Windfall, Rhode Island, March 7, 2020. Columbia College’s Heart on Poverty and Social Coverage estimates that the variety of kids in poverty grew by 3.7 million from December 2021 to January 2022, a 41% improve, only one month with out the expanded youngster tax credit score funds. (AP Picture/David Goldman, File)
In a nation the place hundreds of thousands declare to comply with the teachings of Christ, that is unusually un-Christian habits. Within the Gospels, Jesus makes his concern for youngsters crystal clear. Within the Gospel of Matthew, he explicitly says that caring about God entails caring for youngsters. “Whoever welcomes a toddler in my title welcomes me,” he says.
On this nation, we have now constructed security nets for firms (within the type of monetary bailouts), for farms (federal subsidies) and for retirees (Social Safety.) Why haven’t we produced a social security internet for youngsters, our most weak members?
I’ve heard tales about dad and mom who used the tax credit score to pay overdue physician payments, purchase new college garments, repair the household automobile and pay for web connections so their kids don’t fall behind in class.
One examine discovered that greater than half of households that acquired the kid tax credit score used the cash to place meals on the desk. Take into consideration that: The politicians who ended this program actually took meals from the mouths of kids. We all know that taking this cash away will damage kids, who did nothing to deserve such hurt. Analysis exhibits that kids who stay in a household with earnings under the poverty line show decrease ranges of instructional attainment, poorer well being and decrease earnings.
However increasing the kid tax credit score is greater than ethical; it’s additionally economically sound.
A report from the Joint Financial Committee discovered that each greenback of CTC funds generates $8 in social and financial advantages, as households spend this a reimbursement into the area people. Regardless of fears that the credit score would deter employment, analysis proved in any other case, with almost 94% of fogeys saying they plan to proceed working on the identical charge or much more.
Reviving the expanded youngster tax credit score isn’t political — it’s about staying true to our ethical obligations by giving households the means to outlive and thrive.
The road between religion and politics shouldn’t be at all times direct, however caring for youngsters shouldn’t be a political matter. We’ve got a generational alternative to alleviate the scourge of kid poverty on this nation. In line with researchers, the kid tax credit score lifted hundreds of thousands of households above the poverty line, decreased meals insecurity by almost a 3rd and lower youngster poverty by 40%.
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We don’t all must agree on find out how to battle poverty on this nation, however once we see one thing that works, such because the youngster tax credit score, it makes little sense to cease merely as a result of Congress can’t summon the political will. We’ve got an ethical obligation to make sure that each youngster — every made within the picture of God — has the possibility to develop and thrive. That’s what it means to be “pro-family.”
The Rev. Jim Wallis. Courtesy picture
When Jesus started his public ministry, he did so with a easy however profound message. He got here, because the prophet stated, to “carry excellent news to the poor.” This Creation, the enlargement of the kid tax credit score can be welcome information for hundreds of thousands of American households.
(The Rev. Jim Wallis is director of Georgetown College’s Heart on Religion and Justice and holds the Chair in Religion and Justice on the McCourt Faculty of Public Coverage. The views expressed on this commentary don’t essentially replicate these of Faith Information Service.)
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