Congresswoman Sara Jacobs Speaks on House Floor on 200 Days of Building Back Better, Importance of Child Tax Credit
Marking the 200th day of the 117th Congress and her 200th day in office, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53) spoke on the House floor yesterday on the Democratic Caucus’ work to deliver for the American people and build back better.
Congresswoman Jacobs’ remarks highlighted the expanded Child Tax Credit. Congresswoman Jacobs met with parents and kids last week at the South Bay Family YMCA day camp at Casillas Elementary School in Chula Vista to hear how they are benefiting from the Child Tax Credit and what additional support Congress can provide.
Congress passed the expanded Child Tax Credit as part of the American Rescue Plan, which President Biden signed into law in March, putting money in families’ pockets monthly and increasing the total amount of the tax credit. Recent analysis by Co-Equal estimates that 84.7% of children in California’s 53rd Congressional District, or 148,800 children, are in households eligible for the expanded Child Tax Credit. Analysis also shows that the Child Tax Credit has the potential to cut childhood poverty in half, making the expansion of the Child Tax Credit responsible for the largest ever one-year decrease in childhood poverty.
Congresswoman Jacobs’ remarks were as follows (Twitter, YouTube):
Today marks 200 days of this Congress -- 200 days of House Democrats working to build back better.
Madam Speaker, our constituents want us to meet this moment.
That’s why we’ve passed historic legislation to strengthen our democracy, ensure equal pay, guarantee the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans, advance racial justice, prioritize gun safety, and more.
We started this Congress by passing the American Rescue Plan, a historic investment in workers and families that included the expanded and improved Child Tax Credit -- one of the most important anti-poverty measures of this generation.
Last week, I met with parents in Chula Vista who had tears in their eyes talking about what a difference the new Child Tax Credit would make for their families.
They talked about not only being able to pay for rent and child care and school supplies, but also -- for the first time -- being able to start saving for their kids to go to college.
Madam Speaker, that is worth celebrating -- and it’s worth protecting.
Let’s build on the progress we’ve made, make permanent the expanded Child Tax Credit, and make sure American families truly can build back better.