For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Angela Allmond, Communications Director
Oklahoma Democratic Party
angela@okdemocrats.org

Thousands of Oklahoma Families Would Benefit from Making The Expanded Child Tax Credit Permanent Under American Families Plan

 

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK May 27, 2021 — Earlier this year, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, sending nearly $4 billion in federal aid to Oklahoma and helping lift more than 63,000 children across the state poverty by increasing the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Despite this federal funding helping put money in people’s pockets and help families put food on the table for their kids, Oklahoma Republicans like Sen. James Inhofe and Sen. James Lankford voted against this critical legislation.

Now, President Biden and congressional Democrats are poised to make this life-changing tax credit permanent with the passage of the American Families Plan—but not a single member of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation has announced their support for this one-in-a-generation investment in working families.

“The American Families Plan would help lift thousands of children out of poverty, but GOP lawmakers like Sen. Lankford have so far refused to support this critically-needed proposal,” said Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair Alicia Andrews. “If Republicans can vote to cut taxes for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, they should vote to invest in children and working families.”

Here’s how President Biden’s plan would benefit Oklahoma families—and why Sens. Inhofe and Lankford, and their House colleagues Reps. Kevin Hern, Markwayne Mullin, Frank Lucas, Tom Cole, and Stephanie Bice should support the proposal:

  • There are 95,000 children under the age of 18 in Oklahoma who are considered poor. The American Families Plan will bolster financial security and spur economic growth in Oklahoma by reducing taxes on the middle class and those striving to break into it.
  • Under the America Families Plan, the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit increases to $3,000 per child six-years old and above and $3,600 per child younger.
  • This expanded child tax credit will provide families in the state with an extra cushion while benefiting 895,000 children in Oklahoma, including 429,000 children of color.
  • The proposal is estimated to reduce the child poverty in Oklahoma by 51 percent and cut the child poverty roughly in half nationwide.

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For more information about the Oklahoma Democratic Party, visit the party website at okdemocrats.org, or call party headquarters at 405-427-3366.