Duckworth, Durbin Join Introduction of Legislation to Increase Value of Tax Credits that Help Working Class Americans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined their Senate colleagues to introduce two bills, theAmerican Family Actand theTax Cut for Workers Act, aimed at expanding tax credits for American families.
“When Democrats expanded the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan, we lifted millions of children out of poverty with the stroke of a pen, bringing child poverty rates to the lowest recorded levels in our history,”Duckworth said.“As costs continue to rise, middle-class families are the ones that need relief, not billionaires like Elon Musk and the corporations shipping jobs overseas. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this push to put money back in the pockets of Americans.”
“As costs have risen, wages haven’t kept up. And now Republicans want to give tax cuts to billionaires. What we need to do instead is give workers and families more tools to help make ends meet,”said Durbin.“TheAmerican Family Actand theTax Cut for Workers Actwould put money back into the pockets of hardworking Americans so they can afford to put food on the table, keep their lights on, and access high-quality child care.”
TheAmerican Family Act, led by U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and cosponsored by Durbin and Duckworth, would permanently expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for middle-class and low-income families, one of the most effective tools to reduce poverty and put money back in the pockets of working families.  The 2021 expansion of the CTC in theAmerican Rescue Plan Act, based on theAmerican Family Act, led to a historic reduction in poverty in the United States, particularly for children. Research showed that child poverty fell immediately and substantially to 5.2 percent, its lowest level on record.
Specifically, theAmerican Family Actwould:
TheTax Cut for Workers Act, led by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and cosponsored by Durbin and Duckworth, would cut taxes for working class American without children, who currently receive a much smaller Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) than workers with children.  The bill would also extend eligibility for the tax cut to workers under the age of 25 and over the age of 64.
The text of theAmerican Family Actis availableHEREand a summary of the bill is availableHERE.
The text of theTax Cut for Workers Actis availableHERE.
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