The case for permanently expanding the child tax credit

Dear Ohio - Politics, Issues, and People

On July 15, families across Ohio and the rest of the country started receiving new, larger monthly payments from the federal government for their children. The child tax credit was temporarily expanded by Democrats in March when the American Rescue Plan was signed into law by President Joe Biden.

For 2021, a family with a child under age 6 will receive $3,600 while those with kids ages 6-17 will receive $3,000 per child. But the expanded policy is currently in place for only one year, meaning it could return to $2,000 per child if the expansion isn’t extended.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who chairs the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, has been pushing for the child tax credit to be expanded and made permanent since 2013.

In this episode, our Washington Bureau reporter Taylor Popielarz speaks with Brown about his strategy going forward, how this would be paid for, and the obstacles he faces from Republicans and the Biden Administration.