The latest report estimated the child poverty rate jumped to 12.4 percent last year, up more than 7 percentage points from the previous year.
Democrats were quick to seize on the new figures, putting blame on Republicans for resisting efforts to extend a pandemic-era expansion of the Child Tax Credit — which many advocates have credited for reducing child poverty.
“Democrats passed the enhanced Child Tax Credit and cut child poverty nearly in half. Every Republican voted against it,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) wrote on X.
“Republicans fought against renewing it, instead wanting to cut taxes for the wealthy and large corporations— and the child poverty rate just more than doubled.”
The president also shifted into attack mode on Tuesday, as the White House has been bracing for an increase in the poverty rate.
“Today’s reported rise in child poverty is the result of Congressional Republicans’ choice to block our Child Tax Credit enhancements and advance tax cuts for wealthy and big corporations instead,” President Biden wrote on X.
“I’ll continue to fight to restore the expanded Child Tax Credit and get families the relief they deserve,” he continued.
The recent report estimated family incomes dropped by about $2,000 last year on average. Median family income has dropped every year since 2019, adjusted for inflation, the research found.
The figure stood at $74,580 as of 2022, according to Census data, a 2.3 percent drop from 2021 levels.
The Hill’s Nick Robertson has more here.
