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Supports Child Tax Credit

June 1, 2003

U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop Thursday (6/12) voted for legislation to extend a $400 increase in the child tax credit to low income families who were excluded from the relief in the $350 billion tax cut package enacted by Congress earlier this year. The House passed the measure 224-201, sending it to a joint conference committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions.

"If families who are financially better off deserve an increase in the child tax credit, and I believe they do, it would be wrong to deny the same benefit to other working families who earn less and may well need it more, including many of our families serving in the military," the Second District Congressman said. Although lower income families with children pay fewer taxes, he said this is not a valid reason for denying them a benefit given others.

Although he voted in favor of major tax cut bills enacted by Congress in each of the past two years, Representative Bishop voted against this year's $350 billion package because it was not offset by spending cuts and would have expanded the budget deficit, and because it failed to include families earning between $10,500 and $26,625 in the child tax credit increase from $600 to $1,000 per child.

The House version of the bill extending the child tax credit to lower income families also did not include spending offsets. However, the Congressman said if the tax relief is provided to some deserving families, it should not be denied to others. He also pointed out a conference committee compromise could include the offsets that would prevent an increase in deficit spending as proposed by the Senate.