Two years ago, President Biden and Democrats cut child poverty nearly in half by expanding the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan. Yet instead of building on that progress, MAGA Republicans in Congress opposed extending the expanded Child Tax Credit — leading to a rise in child poverty.

Every single MAGA Republican in Congress voted against expanding the Child Tax Credit, which was a “historic” step in reducing child poverty. 

ABC News: “Included in the 628 pages of the American Rescue Plan is a change that experts say will prove to be a ‘historic’ step in reducing child poverty. The proposal calls for a one-year expansion in both the value and scope of the child tax credit to American families, something some studies estimate could lift millions of children out of poverty. The measure would increase the amount of the child tax credit to $3,600 per child under 6 and $3,000 per child between the ages of 6 and 18. That is up from a maximum benefit of $2,000 under the current policy. It also expands the ages of children eligible, which was previously capped at age 17.”

“But even for Republicans, the measure did not prove to be a sticking point in partisan negotiations over the bill — which still did not get a single Republican vote in the House or Senate.”

Republicans running for president sided with MAGA extremists in Congress in opposing legislation that expanded the Child Tax Credit. 

Tallahassee Democrat: “Last year, DeSantis also said of the American Rescue Plan, ‘In some respects, it’s Washington at its worst.’ He called the package a ‘Christmas tree,’ filled with dollars sought by Democratic interest groups.”

Haley: “One year after Biden signed Democrats’ $1.9 trillion Covid ‘relief’ bill he’s pushing through another $1.5 trillion in government spending. When will Democrats admit their out-of-control spending is fueling inflation?”

Christie: “All [Biden] wants to talk about is Vladimir Putin and how he’s caused all the problems in this country and that he didn’t engage in reckless spending while he did that $1.9 trillion American rescue plan. … This is ridiculous stuff.”

Salon: “Mike Pence rallies Republicans to vote against COVID relief bill backed by a majority of Americans”

Roll Call Vote, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021: “Scott (R-SC), Nay” 

MAGA Republicans in Congress had no shame in opposing legislation extending the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, and one even claimed he wasn’t getting “good vibes” about extending it. 

Reuters: “Congressional Democrats are now seeking to extend the expansion for four additional years as part of $3.5 trillion social spending legislation opposed by Trump’s fellow Republicans. The one-year expansion – part of COVID-19 pandemic relief legislation signed by Biden in March, is expected to funnel $105 billion to American families, many still hurting from the economic effects of the public health crisis.”

HuffPost: “Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said Tuesday that he hoped lawmakers could reach an agreement to extend business tax breaks, but that he wasn’t getting ‘good vibes’ on a deal with Democrats because the cost of the child tax credit was too high. On Wednesday, the top Republican on the Senate tax committee, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), made it clear that Republicans won’t go for the trade. ‘As of right now there’s no support for that on the Republican side,’ Crapo told HuffPost.’”

One of the authors of Trump’s tax scam — which benefited the ultra-wealthy and big corporations — even called efforts to reduce child poverty too expensive. 

HuffPost: “Adding child tax credit benefits to a year-end spending bill would require significant GOP support, and Republicans seem unenthusiastic. ‘The country frankly doesn’t have the time or the money for the partisan, expensive provisions such as child tax credit,’ said Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), the top Republican on the House committee that oversees taxes.”