Spoiler Alert, It’s Not “Illegal Drugs”
Washington. D.C — Surveys fielded by Data for Progress on behalf of Fighting Chance for Families provide an opportunity for respondents who received the expanded Child Tax Credit to share what they spend their monthly payments on.
“From the hundreds of people who told us how they were spending their expanded Child Tax Credit we heard powerful stories of it helping with rent payments, school supplies, fixing cars needed to go to work, and so much more,” said McKenzie Wilson, spokesperson for Fighting Chance for Families. “The expanded CTC has been a true lifeline for families that is being injected directly back into local economies – and anyone who says otherwise is simply wrong."
Below are a few examples of the open-ended responses:
"It helped me with fuel for my car and provided me enough to buy my daughter a few things she needed" — a CTC recipient in Representative Hal Rogers's district.
"It's helped take the burden off our family. My husband lost his job during Covid but since found another job, but the gap of the job loss was heavy" — a CTC recipient in Representative Sean Maloney's district.
"It helps supply groceries and essentials for my 3 year old daughter." — a CTC recipient in Representative Donald Norcross's district.
"it has helped with back to school supplies and clothing" — a CTC recipient in Representative Mary Gay Scanlon's district.
"It has helped me a lot during this pandemic. It helped me afford food and clothes." — a CTC recipient in Representative Jim Himes’s district.
"It was a big help. It allowed me to buy things I needed for my house and see my children." — a CTC recipient in Representative Morgan Griffith’s district.
"Helped with expenses as we try to find a new house after having to move because of job loss." — a CTC recipient in Representative Jim Langevin's district.
"We are using this money to make an improvement to our home and the remainder will go into our 539 college accounts for our kids. This is money we would never have had to put aside for their education and will help a great deal." — a CTC recipient in Representative Jim McGovern’s district.
Fighting Chance for Families released a countdown clock on its website to stress the urgency of this moment and make clear the opportunity Congress has these next eight days to extend the expanded Child Tax Credit.
The latest Fighting Chance for Families polling finds a strong majority of voters support the expanded Child Tax Credit by a +26-point margin — including Democrats by a +62-point margin, Independents by a +19-point margin and over a third of Republicans.
