When I imagine the decisions that member of Congress must make about all the legislation that comes before them, the decision to make children’s lives better seems easy. A vote that assures basic income support for every family with children—the Child Tax Credit—just seems like a no-brainer.
This week, Congress has a opportunity to make what should be an easy vote to reduce child poverty, to bolster health care, and education.
Assure the tax credit is fully refundable—even for families where the parents aren’t currently working—because they are in between jobs or they are furthering their education or coping with illness. Protect the children. Give children and their families economic security.
This week, Congress has that opportunity—to make what should be an easy vote to reduce child poverty, to bolster health care, and education. Moreover, Congress can seize the moment to meaningfully address climate change. Legislators are poised to move forward on two big bills: the infrastructure bill and reconciliation bill that, if passed, could permanently transform our country’s approach to supporting children and families, address climate change, and so much more.
The world we seek calls us to work for a society with equity and justice for all, communities where every person’s potential can be fulfilled, for an earth restored. The political partisan divides in Congress make this vote much more difficult than it should be given the obvious benefits that promote racial and economic equity and bring benefits to hundreds of millions of people.
We cannot be distracted from what’s important and what should be easy: Seize this historic opportunity to pave the way for a better future for all of us.
Faith leaders though out the country have called on Congress to support the Child Tax Credit and other vital programs as they finalize the big reconciliation bill, based on the administration’s Build Back Better Plan.
Our lawmakers have big choices to make this week, and I urge you to reach out to them. Ask them to make the choice that provide economic stability for children and families, that takes meaningful steps to address climate change.
The process for moving these bills is complicated. It is confusing, given the complications of competing political interests and the enormous pressure from industry and well-paid lobbyists. We cannot be distracted from what’s important and what should be easy: Seize this historic opportunity to pave the way for a better future for all of us. Move us toward the world we seek. Build the beloved community.
