I am your constituent and I just learned that if a child is born in poverty they stand a 1 in 3 chance of being poor as an adult. Here is a link to the National Academy of Sciences report released October 17, 2024 on the subject. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27058/reducing-intergenerational-poverty
There are lots of things that can help. Making sure there is a basic level of income in the house is a major proven part of the solution. The Earnied Income Tax Credit is a proven help to reducing child poverty. I want you to modify it to help that other third of children to have a chance to escape poverty.
I want you to:
Combine an expansion of the EITC with expanding coverage of the Child Care and Development Fund block grant to help address the problem of a mismatch between the timing of child care expenses and EITC receipt during a child’s first year of life.
Combine an expansion of the EITC with expanding coverage of the Child Care and Development Fund block grant to provide more generous and timely reimbursement for the child care expenses of low-income parents.
Combine an expansion of the EITC with expanding coverage of the Child Care and Development Fund block grant along the lines of what was implemented temporarily for the 2021 tax year.
While I have your attention, the federal minimum wage current level of $7.25/hour and should be increased to $15.00 to help those families living in such desperate conditions.
I know you care about families. Please show it. Thank you.
