Texas Reps Call for Expansion of Child Tax Credit (CTC)

In the wake of new Census data that shows a doubling in the rate of child poverty, Texas representatives are calling for the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to be expanded.

Texas Representative Sylvia Garcia (D) highlighted the extent of the disparity and called for children to be made a priority.

“Without the #childtaxcredit, child poverty has increased by 140% It’s time to put our children first and extend this important lifeline.”

On a similar note, Texas Representative Veronica Escobar (D) criticized Republicans for their policies regarding expanding the CTC.

“We are the wealthiest country in the world, yet without the expanded #ChildTaxCredit, child poverty more than doubled from 2021 to 2022. How do we expect a child to succeed when Republicans let the CTC expire and reject the resources they need? Child poverty is a policy choice.”

The Child Tax Credit helps families with qualifying children get a tax break. Furthermore, if a family doesn’t usually file taxes, they are still eligible to claim the credit.

Though there have been some Republicans who have expressed support for the expanded CTC, others, including Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who blocked the credit from being renewed, disagree with the bill.

In other news, Texas Representative Joaquin Castro (D) joined a group of lawmakers sending a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, requesting answers on the Department of Commerce’s (Commerce) questionable oversight of assault weapons exports and its failure to release data on its approvals of the weapons.

Furthermore, the lawmakers are requesting that Commerce publicly release the data on the weapons exports.

“In March 2020, the Trump administration transferred oversight of [assault weapons exports] from the State Department to Commerce, after which the value of assault weapon export license approvals immediately shot up by roughly 30 percent, profiting gun manufacturers while putting civilians at risk around the world. This problem may be getting worse – yet your Department has not published updated annual data — which will soon be a full year late — or responded to a congressional inquiry,” wrote the lawmakers.