Dear Friend,
During this tax filing season, please be aware there are a number of tax credits and deductions that benefit low and middle income Americans and their families. In this newsletter, I have highlighted two of the most widely used credits in our district. You will also find information regarding why I do not support the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization bill, my co-introduction of the Farm to School Act of 2015, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hearing on open-lake dredging.
Have a good week,
Marcia L. Fudge
Member of Congress
Farm to School Act of 2015
On February 25, I was pleased to co-introduce the Farm to School Act of 2015, expanding the U.S. Department of Agriculture's successful grant program of the same name. This bill will bring Farm to School programs to preschools, after-school programs and summer food service sites, and increase annual funding from $5 million to $15 million. Farm to School helps children and youth develop good eating habits that reduce the risk of childhood obesity and related health risks such as diabetes and heart disease. It also targets increased participation from new, veteran, and socially-disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. This program is good for our kids and good for America's farmers. View the fact sheet to learn more.
Tax Credits
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is available to people who earned $52,427 or less in 2014. In the 11th District, more than 89,000 people filed for the credit in 2013, receiving an average refund of $2,716 from the IRS. The EITC is available to qualifying wage earners with or without children, and the amount varies with income and family size. Due to changes in EITC financial, marital or parental requirements, you may be eligible even if you were not before. Please remember, receiving the EITC is not automatic, so those who qualify must file and claim the credit to get it.
Another important tax tool is the Child Tax Credit (CTC). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CTC and EITC lifted more children out of poverty than any other federal program. The CTC was expanded through the American Taxpayer Relief Act, but it will expire in 2017 unless Congress acts. I will be co-sponsoring a bill this year to make the CTC expansion permanent, so two million children do not fall back into poverty. In the meantime, I hope you will explore whether this tax credit is available to you.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Dredging Hearing
On February 17, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) held a public hearing in Cleveland on its proposal to dispose of sediment dredged from Cleveland Harbor in 2015. The new proposal does not include dumping contaminated sediment into the open waters of Lake Erie as USACE had originally recommended. The State of Ohio refused to grant permits for open lake dumping and I fully supported the state's position. I also support USACE's mission to maintain navigation channels from the Cuyahoga River to Lake Erie, but there must be conscious, coordinated efforts to minimize the risk dredging poses to the millions of people who depend on a healthy lake. Lake Erie is the source of drinking water for 11 million people and a vital natural resource that supports commerce and recreation. I submitted written testimony urging USACE to work closely with the State of Ohio to develop responsible disposal plans for future years. Dredging is vital to stimulating and sustaining our economic growth, but we must do it right.
ESEA Reauthorization
Every student in America has a right to a quality education, but H.R. 5 - the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization bill - does not protect that right. Instead, it represents a significant step backwards in meeting the educational needs of low-income children by allowing states to redirect Title I funds from high-poverty to low-poverty schools. In Cleveland, the possible loss of $14.1 million from the $55 million its schools currently receive is the tenth worst cut in the nation. H.R. 5 fails the children ESEA was intended to help, which is why I fought to amend it in committee (pictured above). I refuse to fail our students and their families. They deserve better, and I will work to ensure that is what they get.