Dads Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Chair and Founder of the Congressional Dads Caucus, issued a statement following the release of new statistics from the Census Bureau showing a significant increase in child poverty as a result of the expiration of the enhanced child tax credit:

“Child poverty more than doubled after the GOP allowed the enhanced child tax credit to expire, making it very clear: child poverty is an entirely preventable policy choice,” said Rep. Gomez. “House Republicans are failing our nation’s children every day that they don’t join Democrats in renewing this essential lifeline. The Dads Caucus has made expanding the enhanced child tax credit one of our top priorities because we believe that no child should grow up in poverty. It’s time to bring this successful and urgently-needed relief back for the tens of millions of families who thrived because of it.”

The child poverty rate is now the highest in over half a century at 12.4%, more than double the record low of 5.2% the year before. The increase followed two years of historically large declines in poverty, driven primarily by federal programs enacted by congressional Democrats, like the enhanced child tax credit.

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