Pa. Democratic Party: Lou Barletta Opposes Child Tax Credit That Would Cut Taxes for Families Of 90 Percent of Pa. Children

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, June 23 -- The Pennsylvania Democratic Party issued the following news on June 22, 2021:

On Monday night, Lou Barletta announced his opposition to the widely popular Child Tax Credit that would give almost every family in Pennsylvania $3,000 per child and $3,600 per child under age six, and cut taxes for millions across the commonwealth. The tax credit -- which was included in the American Rescue Plan that passed in March -- will cover about 90% of all Pennsylvania children under 18 in some capacity.

On KDKA Newsradio on Monday, Barletta said "that's correct" when asked to clarify whether he opposed the Child Tax Credit:

Rob Pratte: So if I read correctly, sir, you're saying more jobs as opposed to more money from the government, and that would include these child tax credits. Is that correct?

Lou Barletta: That's correct.

Starting next month, millions of families across the commonwealth will begin receiving the tax credit, which will provide an extra cushion to pay for the hundreds of expenses that come with raising a child.

According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, the tax credit will "substantially reduce poverty for about 3 million children in Pennsylvania," and it's estimated that it will lift 137,000 Pennsylvania children out of poverty, reducing child poverty in the state by 43 percent. Analysts say it's a "game changer for cities with high child poverty rates," including Reading, Allentown, and Philadelphia, where more than 9 in ten children will benefit.

"Lou Barletta is so out-of-touch and consumed with appeasing Donald Trump that he will even oppose a tax credit that will benefit millions of working Pennsylvanians," said Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesman Brendan Welch. "In Congress, Barletta voted to give wealthy corporations a massive tax break, but now he opposes putting more money in the pockets of middle-class Pennsylvanians, even after a global pandemic. Supporting the child tax credit is a no-brainer -- but Barletta only cares about what's popular at Trump Tower or Mar-A-Lago, not main streets across Pennsylvania."

Opposing the Child Tax Credit is just the latest Trumpian litmus test Lou Barletta has fully embraced. Just last week, Bartletta came out in support of Trump and Doug Mastriano's calls for a sham "audit," and he has built his far-right record around stances like repealing the Affordable Care Act, restricting reproductive rights, and giving massive tax breaks to corporations -- rather than focusing on the challenges facing Pennsylvanians.