Budget

FY 2022 Appropriations Update: CR Extended Progress on Final FY 2022

On Thursday, February 17, 2022, after some delaying tactics by a few Senators, the Senate did give final approval to a new CR that extends funding until March 11, 2022. The hope is that March 11, deadline will allow completion of the 12 FY 2022 appropriations bills. The appropriations leadership has been very tight-lipped on

FY 2022 Appropriations Update: Another CR But Deal Reached

Last week the House of Representatives approved a fourth continuing resolution (CR) with the hope that it will allow a deal and eventual enactment of 12 appropriations for the fiscal year that started on October 1, 2021.  Not long after the House action, the top four appropriators announced an agreement that will allow appropriators to

Vice President Harris Hosts Event for EITC/CTC Day of Action

On February 8th, 2022, Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, and American Rescue Plan Coordinator Gene Sperling hosted a press event for the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit Day of Action. Sperling opened the event by giving the history of the Child Tax Credit and an overview of

FY 2022 Appropriations Update: Still Working on It

Discussions and negotiations continued between the top four appropriators on an agreement to complete action on the current federal fiscal year 2022.  Public comments were reserved but positive.  The one item that seemed certain is that there will be at least one more CR once the current one expires on February 18.  If a deal

Child Tax Credit (CTC) IRS Website Goes Live

On Monday, January 24, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) updated their live sight designed to help families get the remaining part of their 2021 CTC. There are two important live tabs: the Get Your Child Tax Credit and Check Your Eligibility. The CTC has been federal law since the mid-1990s, but last year’s expansion

Why Families Need to File Tax Returns for the 2021 CTC

The CTC has been federal law since the mid-1990s, but last year’s expansion added several improvements that lifted approximately half of children out of poverty.  It did that by making the tax “refundable’ meaning families could benefit even if they did not have enough “earned-income.’  It also added an innovation to make it more immediate:

President Opens Door to Revamped BBB

Marking the first year of his term in office, President Biden held a nearly two-hour press conference on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, that touched on everything including the possibility of a revamped Build Back Better reconciliation bill. Since last December when Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) pulled his support for the $1.7 trillion package, talks have

Appropriation Update

Discussions continued between key appropriations leaders, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX).  Not much has been revealed but Chairperson DeLauro offered some broad positive comments about progress.  Like the reconciliation, Democratic leaders including the White House would like a final deal by March 1.

CTC Kept 3.7 Million Children out of Poverty in December

On January 18th, Columbia University’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy released its newest policy brief detailing the impact of the Child Tax Credit, announcing that the sixth payment kept 3.7 million children out of poverty in the final month of 2021. Researchers at Columbia University have tracked the impact of the CTC over time

Houses Focus on Voting Rights, Appropriations

The Senate continued to debate how to address voting rights including how to deal with the Senate filibuster while the House focused some attention on the appropriations for the current fiscal year, FY 2022. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) maneuvered to bring a version of voting rights to the floor for debate by using

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