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Tonko Cheers Investments for Kids & Families in Build Back Better Act

Legislation supports families with key investments in child care and extension of Child Tax Credit

  • paid leave interview

WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Paul D. Tonko is celebrating key investments for Capital Region children and families this holiday season with the House advance of the Build Back Better Act. This transformative legislation cuts costs for families by making child care more affordable and extending the Child Tax Credit, a vital benefit that delivered $30.8 million in total payments to Capital Region families in the month of November alone.

“Investments in our kids have unparalleled benefits for our communities, our economy and the future of our nation,” Congressman Tonko said. “In the richest country in the world, there is simply no excuse for us to abandon any of America’s children, and with the strong investments House Democrats passed under Biden’s Build Back Better Act, we are ensuring no kid is left behind. I was proud to vote to pass this legislation that will put money back in the pockets of middle- and low-income parents so they can pay for child care, put food on the table, pay for utilities, and spend money at our local businesses. I’ll continue pushing for these critical investments that enable Americans to support and grow our local economy while building better lives for their families.”

The Build Back Better Act expands on Democrats' work to support families including extending the successful Child Tax Credit. Analysis based on data from the Census Bureau shows that, following the July payments, there were significant declines in the share of households with children reporting financial hardship and food insufficiency.

Families continue to use the expanded CTC tax cuts to meet the needs of their household. Among those who responded to the Census Bureau’s survey: 56% spent their CTC tax cuts on food, 33% spent it on internet and other utilities, 30% spent it on mortgage/rent, 30% spent it on clothing and 11% spent it on child care.

Investments in the Build Back Better Act:

  • Give more than 35 million families a major tax cut by extending the Biden Child Tax Credit, including supporting an estimated 120,000 Capital Region kids.
  • Save most families more than half their current spending on child care, ensuring most families will have to pay no more than 7 percent of their income for child care.
  • Establish universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds with expanded access to pre-K for more than 6 million children
  • Establish a universal and permanent paid family and medical leave program, providing four weeks of paid parental, family caregiving, and medical leave.
  • Cut the cost of postsecondary education, with such steps as increasing the maximum Pell Grant.
  • Extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to ensure that low-income children will always have access to quality, affordable health insurance.

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