Media Contact:
Jordan Baker
jbaker@frac.org
202-640-1118
WASHINGTON, November 21, 2022 — The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and more than 550 national, state, and local organizations working to end hunger signed a letter urging Congress to reinstate the expanded Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit in any year-end tax package. The letter calls on Congress to revive these critical tax benefits as millions of families in the U.S. struggle against hunger and poverty.
“Extending these tax credits should be a no-brainer,” said Luis Guardia, president of FRAC. “During the pandemic, the expanded Child Tax Credit succeeded in helping tens of millions of families with children afford food and other basic needs. We can’t turn our backs on these families now. We have the tools we need to end hunger and reduce childhood poverty in this country. We just need the political will.”
The Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) included in the American Rescue Plan provided a lifeline to families by addressing root causes of hunger – most notably poverty and racial disparities – and had a major impact on families’ ability to purchase food.
The CTC’s advanced monthly payments from July to December 2021 helped families put food on the table, and cover debt payments, childcare costs, and housing costs. The dramatic positive impact on families is clear: there was, a 19 percent decrease in households with children reporting not having enough food.
The EITC provided a considerable tax-time payment to workers earning low wages during the pandemic and put $700 more in the pockets of an estimated 17 million American workers than under the previous tax credit.
“It is critical that Congress takes action now without further delay to seize this profound opportunity to decrease poverty and food insecurity, and improve equitable outcomes,” said Guardia. “Struggling families can’t wait.”
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The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.
