Press Releases

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves as the top House Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee and a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, issued the following statement today after new U.S. Census Bureau statistics showed that the nation’s poverty rate rose from 5.2% in 2021 to 12.4% in 2022 after the expiration of the enhanced Child Tax Credit:

“America’s child poverty rate doubled because Republicans prioritized the rich over renewing the enhanced Child Tax Credit. This was not an accident – by seeking tax cuts for the wealthy and the largest corporations, and blocking tax credits for working families, Republicans ensured poverty in the United States would rise.

“Democrats successfully cut child poverty nearly in half with the American Rescue Plan’s enhanced Child Tax Credit. I continue to work with colleagues seeking the revival and permanent extension of that highly successful credit.

“One bright spot in today’s report, the decline in the uninsurance rate, shows that good policy targeted at supporting those who need it can help make a real difference in people’s lives. Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee and the Joint Economic Committee are laser-focused on helping make that a reality.”