Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Dear PSA Director,

The American Rescue Plan, enacted in March 2021, increased the Child Tax Credit for more than 65 million U.S. children — roughly 90% of all children — and established advance monthly payments. The expanded tax credit has enabled parents across the country to pay for food, clothing, housing, and other necessities. It’s expected to lower the number of children experiencing poverty by more than 40% as compared to child poverty levels without the expansion of the tax credit.

Congress let the expanded Child Tax Credit lapse. Monthly Child Tax Credit payments were not made on January 15, and now many families are struggling to make ends meet.

According to the policy think tank, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, because Congress failed to act, an estimated 9.9 million children will now fall back behind the poverty line without the expanded monthly payments.

This expanded Child Tax credit, the largest ever, provided historic economic relief to the most working families ever. Most families automatically receive these monthly payments without having to take any action. Learn more about the importance of the expanded Child Tax Credit here.

Please help by placing this PSA in heavy rotation between now and Friday, February 25, 2022. Thank you in advance for your support.

Bridget Moix, General Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation
A nonpartisan Quaker  nonprofit  that lobbies
for peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.

 :30 PSA SCRIPT

CONGRESS LET THE EXPANDED  CHILD TAX CREDIT LAPSE. NOW MANY FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. A RECENT ANALYSIS FOUND THAT EXTENDING THE EXPANDED CHILD TAX CREDIT THROUGH TWENTY TWENTY-FIVE WOULD GREATLY REDUCE CHILD POVERTY. THE CHILD TAX CREDIT EXPANSION UNDER THE RECENT  AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN  ALLOWS MOST FAMILIES TO AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE MONTHLY PAYMENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE ANY ACTION. TELL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT THE CHILD TAX CREDIT NEEDS TO BE PERMANENTLY EXPANDED. TO LEARN MORE VISIT F-C-N-L DOT ORG SLASH CHILD.