June 14, 2023

Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Cut Taxes for Illinois Workers & Families

The legislation would boost Child and Earned Income Tax Credits

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in reintroducing the Working Families Tax Relief Act. 

At a time when costs are higher than ever for parents and wages have failed to keep up with inflation, the Working Families Tax Relief Act would cut taxes for workers and families by expanding the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).  EITC and CTC are two of the most effective tools we have to put money in the pockets of working people, help families keep up with the rising cost of living, and pull children out of poverty.  Expanding the EITC and CTC will give millions more Illinoisans a foothold in the middle class.

“Every American deserves the chance to get ahead—and we know the incredible impact expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit can have on our working families,” Duckworth said. “The expansion of this program during the pandemic led to millions of children being lifted out of poverty, and we can and should be doing more to help keep more of folks’ hard-earned money in their pockets.  I’m proud to join Senator Durbin and my colleagues in re-introducing this commonsense legislation that will help millions of Illinoisans.”

“As costs have risen, wages haven’t kept up.  We need to give workers and families more tools to help make ends meet,” said Durbin.  “The Working Families Tax Relief Act would lift millions of Americans and children out of poverty and make sure our tax system is fair to the workers and families who have been left behind.”

“Families are struggling with the high cost of child care, food, housing, and other essentials.  Our elected leaders should prioritize proven solutions that get direct assistance to families living paycheck-to-paycheck, rather than tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations,” said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising. “We are enthusiastic about the reintroduction of the Working Families Tax Relief Act, which would continue the American Rescue Plan’s middle class tax cuts and help alleviate child and family poverty by expanding the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit.  This is the tax reform America’s moms and families support!”

The Working Families Tax Relief Act would:

  • Boost the incomes of 40 million households, including 65 million children. 
  • Increase the CTC to $3,000 for kids 6-17 and $3,600 for kids 0-5 – when parents need it most – and make the credit fully refundable.
  • Deliver the CTC monthly, providing a reliable source of financial stability so families can better keep up with the cost of living.
  • Nearly triple the EITC for workers without children and make the credit available for people starting at age 19 and eliminating the maximum age. Currently, workers without children can be taxed into poverty. Expanding the EITC would fix that.
  • Make permanent the American Rescue Plan’s expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, which cut child poverty by 40 percent.

U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) cosponsored the legislation.

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