Congressman Joe Morelle announces support of the American Family Act

ROCHESTER, (WHEC) — Rep. Joe Morelle (D, NY-25) stopped in Rochester on Monday to announce he’s sponsoring legislation supporting the American Family Act.

The legislation would make the expanded child tax credit permanent.

“As we continue to face challenging circumstances at home and abroad, it’s more important than ever to take actions that lower costs for families,” Morelle said. “We already know that the child tax credit is transformative: now it’s time to make it permanent and put more money back in the pockets of hard-working parents.”

The child tax credit was expanded a year ago under the pandemic relief bill.

Morelle says it helped struggling families buy food, pay rent, and with other needs and it’s important to continue that relief right now with rising costs due to inflation.

Specifically, the American Family Act of 2021 will:

• Make the Child Tax Credit fully refundable.
• Increase the amount of money families receive from the Child Tax Credit.
• Allow for an additional credit for families with children under six years old.
• Require the amount families receive from the Child Tax Credit to adjust annually with inflation.
• Require the Department of the Treasury to establish a program for making monthly advance payments of the Child Tax Credit