DeLauro Calls on Congress to Enact the Young Child Tax Credit Act

WEST HAVEN, CT — Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today visited the West Haven Child Development Center to call on Congress to enact the Young Child Tax Credit Act. DeLauro recently introduced the bill, which would provide families with an additional $1,500 refundable tax credit for each child under the age of 3 years old. Young children, including babies and toddlers, are the poorest people in the country by age and the Young Child Tax Credit would serve to give families an economic lift during a child's critical development years.

"Studies have shown that the first few years of a child's life are essential to long-term outcomes, and for children to thrive, we have to support their development, their health, and their overall well-being with public policies that make a difference for their families," said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. "The Young Child Tax Credit would help millions of families across the United States who are striving to provide the best possible future for their children. It would help families provide a solid foundation for their children at the time they need it most."

"The Young Child Tax Credit Act is smart and effective. It will help parents meet their children's needs during the first three critical years of life, putting children on a better path. At the same time, it puts money into the local economy through spending on housing, child care, food, and other basic needs," said Ellen Shemitz, Executive Director of Connecticut Voices for Children.

Economists have found a correlation between income levels in the earliest years of a child's life and school achievement, which can impact a child long into adulthood. Children born to millennial parents now make up 80 percent of the 4 million births in the U.S. annually, and 1 in 5 millennial parents live in poverty. With the Young Child Tax Credit, families, including those with millennial parents, will receive a raise in income during a time when family income matters the most to a child's long term development.

The Young Child Tax Credit would operate as a refundable tax credit with no minimum income threshold for families to clear in order to be eligible. Low-income families frequently are not eligible for tax credits because of an income threshold, a detrimental factor in attempting to alleviate poverty.

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