Congress must pass CTC, EITC lifelines

THE JOURNAL covered water shortages that are currently impacting farmers living along the Rio Grande due to the drought (May 20) . Across the nation, housing shortages impact people across all levels of the economy. Another dire shortage, made worse by current inflation rates, is the income shortage of millions of impoverished families, which hinders their ability to provide for the health of their children. Shortages, droughts and famines all devastate the ability of many people to care for their basic needs.

The income shortage can be addressed more directly than the others. In 2020, Congress passed a huge reconciliation package to assist American citizens whose income had been further reduced as a result of the pandemic. Included in this package was the Child Tax Credit. The Child Tax Credit payments that lifted 3-4 million out of poverty last year have ended, along with an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit focused on helping low-wage workers make ends meet. Those payments were used to help pay expenses like food, childcare and rent. With millions of families facing hardship and struggling to keep a roof over their heads, Congress is resuming negotiations on an economic package. I urge our legislators in Congress to prioritize passing legislation that extends the EITC and CTC.

Addressing the lifethreatening shortages we face as a country is crucial. Getting money directly to the people who need it most is an effective step that we can take immediately and that benefits us all in the long run. We must not be shortsighted at such a crucial time.