CHHSM Among Faith Groups Sending Letter to Congress Urging Permanent Expansion of Tax Credits

The UCC’s Council for Health and Human Service Ministries (CHHSM) is among the more than 80 faith-based organizations who sent a letter to members of Congress Aug. 3, thanking them for the one-year expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CC) programs in the American Rescue Plan. But the letter also urged Congressional representatives to make the expansion permanent because of how much they help support individual and families recovering from the pandemic and the effects of systemic racism.

In addition to CHHSM, signatories include the UCC’s Disabilities and Mental Health Justice, Sojourners, Catholic Charities, the National Council of Churches, Bread for the World, local churches, several national and regional Jewish family and child services agencies, Lutheran Services in America, and the General Board for Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, among many others. Local churches, conferences, and other faith-based regional bodies are encouraged to contact their Congresspersons to voice their support for the programs.

The EITC and CTC expansions “are already serving as a lifeline helping people in distress cope with the economic effects of the COVID-pandemic,” the letter reads. “We call on you to invest in the future by making these expansions permanent and fully inclusive to support hardworking individuals and families.”

The letter cites the history of the two programs. Originally enacted as broad bipartisan measures to fight poverty and incentivize work for low-wage earners and help working families offset the cost of raising children, both programs now reach increasing numbers of individuals and families. The CTC alone is “a key solution to the deepest effects of childhood poverty in our nation, with the payments expected to cut child poverty in half,” the letter continues. “The impact on racial disparities are even more dramatic, cutting poverty for Black children by 52 percent, Hispanic children by 45 percent, and Indigenous children by 61 percent.”

Currently, the two funds are critical support for many families in states without a functioning program of cash assistance. “Further, Black and Hispanic children are more likely to live in states with the lowest TANF [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families] benefits, where monthly benefits for a family of three hovers at just around $200 per month,” the letter reads. “The research is clear that additional income supports children’s educational attainment, employment, and health.”

The letter concludes with a call for the two programs to inclusively cover all people who need it, “including immigrant children, to ensure that families are able to meet their children’s basic needs, weather unexpected expenses, and plan for the future. … The faith community stands ready to partner with you to build this future together.”

Here is the complete text of the letter sent to Congress urging the permanent expansion of EITC and CTC:

“As organizations representing a broad array of religious beliefs and faith traditions, we thank you for the historic one-year expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) programs in the American Rescue Plan. These expansions are already serving as a lifeline helping people in distress cope with the economic effects of the covid-19 pandemic. As you now work to pass bipartisan infrastructure and reconciliation bills, we call on you to invest in the future by making these expansions permanent and fully inclusive to support hardworking individuals and families.

“Our values and scriptural teachings all affirm our need for policies that promote a nation where all individuals and families can live with dignity, enough food to eat, a safe place to live and a life that affords them meaningful opportunities. ‘If there is a needy person among you…do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kin. Rather, you must open your hand and lend whatever is sufficient to meet the need (Deuteronomy 15:7-10).‘

“The EITC and CTC were originally enacted as broad bipartisan poverty-fighting measures to incentivize work for low wage earners and help working families offset the cost of raising children. With the American Rescue Plan’s expanded age limits and increased benefits for single low-income earners, the EITC is now reaching a greater number of hardworking Americans. The newly expanded CTC is a key solution to the deepest effects of childhood poverty in our nation, with the payments expected to cut child poverty in half. The impacts on racial disparities are even more dramatic, cutting poverty for Black children by 52 percent, Hispanic children by 45 percent, and Indigenous children by 61 percent.

“EITC and CTC funds are a critical tool to jumpstart our economy as our nation recovers from the recent downturn. These funds are already going directly back into the market, with families using the much-needed payments for rent, food, medical bills, and other priorities including preparing children to return to school in the fall. These programs are critical for so many families as many states do not have a functioning program of cash assistance, and it can be nearly impossible for families to access the assistance they need when they fall on hard times. Further, Black and Hispanic children are more likely to live in states with the lowest TANF benefits, where monthly benefits for a family of three hovers at just around $200 per month. These critical programs will not only help families struggling to make ends meet, but will also encourage family growth and improve children’s long-term outcomes. The research is clear that additional income supports children’s educational attainment, employment, and health.

“The temporary EITC and CTC expansions have provided a much-needed boost to the community and the economy; however, we risk losing all that we have gained with the expiration of the expansions at the end of the year. We urge you to permanently expand the EITC and CTC to support individuals and families as they recover from the pandemic and beyond. These programs should be fully inclusive, reaching all individuals and families who need it, including immigrant children, to ensure that families are able to meet their children’s basic needs, weather unexpected expenses, and plan for the future.

“The next recovery package provides a significant opportunity to strengthen the foundation for our nation’s future. We urge you to invest in hardworking individuals and families by permanently expanding the EITC and CTC. The faith community stands ready to partner with you to build this future together.

“Sincerely,

“National Organizations:
Agudath Israel of America 
Association of Jewish Aging Services 
Bread for the World 
Catholic Charities USA 
Child Welfare League of America 
Christian Reformed Church Office of Social Justice 
Church World Service 
Council for Health & Human Service Ministries, United Church of Christ
Faith in Public Life 
Friends Committee on National Legislation 
General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church 
Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition 
Jewish Council for Public Affairs 
Jewish Labor Committee 
Jewish Women International 
Keshet 
Lutheran Services in America 
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger 
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) 
National Council of Jewish Women 
Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies 
Rabbinical Assembly 
RESULTS 
Society for Humanistic Judaism 
Sojourners 
The Jewish Federations of North America 
Union for Reform Judaism
United Church of Christ Disabilities and Mental Health Justice 
Women of Reform Judaism 

“Local, State, and Regional Organizations:
Bethlehem Interfaith Group 
Buffalo Jewish Community Relations Council  
Buffalo NAACP Branch 
Congregation Sholom 
Faith Action Network of Washington State 
First Congregational United Church of Christ 
Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center 
Goldring Family Foundation Center for Jewish-Multicultural Affairs 
Hinenu: The Baltimore Justice Shtiebl 
Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council 
Inspiritus 
JEVS Human Services  
Jewish Community Relations Council/American Jewish Committee – Detroit 
Jewish Community Relations Council of Broward County, FL 
Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati 
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston 
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington 
Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis 
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford 
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans
Jewish Family and Career Services of Atlanta 
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia 
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis 
Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties  
Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas 
Jewish Family Service of Greater Kansas City 
Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans 
Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley  
Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles 
Jewish Family Service of MetroWest, NJ 
Jewish Family Service of St. Paul  
Jewish Family Service of San Diego 
Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey 
Jewish Federation of Chicago 
Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven 
Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans 
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia 
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland 
Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley 
Jewish Federation of San Diego County 
JFCS Chicago
JFS, Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis 
JFS Houston 
JVS Boston 
JVS Career Services 
JVS SoCal 
Leo Baeck Temple 
Metropolitan Community Church of the Lehigh Valley
Mid Kansas Jewish Federation 
Touro Synagogue
UJA Federation of New York 
Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley
Zoroastrian Association of Metro Washington, Inc.

“cc:
Senator Ron Wyden, Chair, Senate Finance Committee
Senator Michael D. Crapo, Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee
Representative Richard E. Neal, Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee
Representative Kevin P. Brady, Ranking Member, House Ways and Means Committee
Members of the Senate Finance Committee
Members of the House Ways and Means Committee“