Rep. Chu joins Speaker Pelosi, Reps. Gomez and Bass to Announce Start of Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments

Press Release

Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Karen Bass (CA-37 and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) joined local childcare providers and working families at the Barrio Action Youth and Family Center in El Sereno to announce the start of monthly Child Tax Credit payments from the American Rescue Plan. Beginning today, over 90% of families nationwide will receive $250 per month for each child age 6-17 and $300 per month for each child age 0-5. In total, families will receive $3,000 or $3,600 per child. They were joined by Tammy Membreño, Executive Director of the Barrio Action Youth and Family Center.

"This historic crisis calls for a historic response. That is why, in addition to our efforts to contain and defeat the coronavirus, we made a commitment to working families to ensure they had the support they needed to get through this pandemic. And I am proud that includes an expansion of the Child Tax Credit," said Congresswoman Chu, who helped pass this provision into law with her Ways and Means Committee colleagues. "The Child Tax Credit is one of the most effective tools Congress has to support working and middle-class families, putting money directly into their hands to help with bills, fuel, food, and more. And now, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, this benefit is even larger for more families, and available to many more, meaning a path out of poverty for millions of children and families. This isn't just good for them, it's a benefit to their communities and our entire economy as families are able to keep spending and growing our economy without sliding into poverty."

"Today, Democrats are joining the American people to celebrate as tens of millions of families begin to receive their first payments from the expanded Child Tax Credit, which we secured in the American Rescue Plan," said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Nearly 90 percent of California children will benefit and child poverty will be cut in half thanks to these new monthly checks, which California's Congressional delegation and many relentless advocates helped make possible. For President Biden and Congressional Democrats, the Child Tax Credit is both an economic and a moral imperative, and we will keep fighting to make this expansion permanent so that we Build Back Better by putting women and families first."

"Today is the start of one of the largest anti-poverty investments in American history: the newly, expanded Child Tax Credit," said Congressman Gomez "For the first time, this benefit will be paid out as a guaranteed monthly income for millions of working families across the country, including the lowest-income Americans. As part of our bold response to COVID-19, over 748,000 families in Los Angeles County are now receiving this direct relief to help with rent, food, medicine, bills, and so much more. I'm honored to have worked with Speaker Pelosi to secure this revolutionary economic boost and am fully committed to extending the Child Tax Credit beyond 2021."

"The child tax credit monthly payments will help set our children up for success and put more money in the pockets of hardworking parents sooner, to pay for childcare or to put food on the table," said Congresswoman Bass. "We've secured the funds but what is now absolutely crucial is that we do the work to make sure that those families who are eligible for this relief actually know how and when to receive it. I thank Speaker Pelosi for joining us in Los Angeles to get the message out about this crucial initiative."

"The Child Tax Credit is an investment on families," said Tammy Membreño. "Parents will be able to take care of their children's needs."

Eligible families who filed taxes in 2019 or 2020 will automatically receive these monthly payments via direct deposit beginning today and will then receive a lump sum payment to make up the balance of the benefit in 2022. Americans who make too little to file taxes can claim their Child Tax Credit payments via the IRS' Non-Filers portal.

Source