Congressman Blasts Tax Bill and Opposes Retreat on Head Start
WASHINGTON, DC - As U.S. Treasury Department mails out the child tax-credit checks today, U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) blasted the House Majority's tax bill for leaving out 4 million working and military families. Specifically, 4 million families earning between $10,500 and $26,000, will receive no child tax credit at all.
Schiff urged the House Majority Leadership to expand the child tax credit by passing the Senate version and extend much-needed tax relief to these 4 million hard-working families. In addition, Schiff - a strong advocate for the Head Start program - voiced his opposition to the education bill which passed the House last night to 'block grant' Head Start, risking cuts to the important and successful early education program.
Rep. Schiff issued the following statement:
"The U.S Treasury Department will start mailing out the child tax credit checks today - but 4 million families will receive nothing at all; their mailboxes will remain empty. These families, who make between $10,500 and $26,000 a year -- arguably the families that need it most -- will be left without a child tax credit this year. Some of these families include servicemen and women now serving in Iraq. Even though the U.S. Senate passed a measure to include these families, the House Majority refuses to adopt this provision. I call on the House Majority Leadership to expand the child tax credit by passing the Senate version of the bill and extend much-needed tax relief to these hardworking families.
Last night, the House Majority Leadership also passed a bill which seriously jeopardizes the Head Start program. The House voted to create a new block grant program for states without requiring any of the federal Head Start program performance standards. That means that states could run Head Start programs with lower educational standards, minimal comprehensive services, and less oversight and accountability. Tens of thousands of Los Angeles County children could lose the federal guarantee that provides for the comprehensive Head Start services they currently enjoy. Instead of block granting Head Start, we should expand it, so more kids can reap the tremendous benefits of early education. That's why I introduced an amendment to this bill to expand Head Start to include more children. This amendment, however, was not allowed by the Rules Committee to reach the House Floor for a vote.
The House Majority Leadership and the Administration have said many times that they believe that no child should be left behind, but their legislative actions speak to the contrary. Leaving 4 million hardworking families without the child tax credit is unfair and risking cuts to Head Start is a dangerous precedent to set."
Rep. Schiff represents California’s 29th Congressional District, including the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.