Child Tax Credit: Sen. James Lankford Among GOP Blocking Relief

WASHINGTON – On August 1, 2024, Senator James Lankford (R-OK) voted against an important Senate motion for H.R. 7024 with the majority of Senate Republicans. The bill aims to improve the child tax credit, boost economic growth, provide tax relief for certain federal disasters, and enhance the low-income housing tax credit. The motion needed a 3/5 majority to pass but fell short with 48 votes in favor, 44 against, and 8 Senators not voting. 

H.R. 7024, also called the “Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024,” was previously passed by the House of Representatives on January 31, 2024. The final vote in the House showed strong bipartisan support. 

Pro-Family, Pro-Worker: Sen. Mullin’s Stance on Tax Bill

Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) broke from the majority of Senate Republicans in favor of the bill. “After three and half years of high prices and crushing interest rates, Oklahoma families and small businesses desperately need tax relief,” Sen. Mullin told The Black Wall Street Times. 

“At its core, this was a good bill, and while it’s not perfect, I will always come down on the side of cutting taxes and keeping more money in Americans’ pockets.This tax bill is pro-growth, pro-family, and pro-worker,” Sen. Mullin adds. 

Rodrigues: GOP Vote Against Child Tax Credit Bill Undermines Pro-Family Claims

Parent leaders advocating for the bill believe the legislation would have provided significant help to families facing rising costs.

“Senate Republicans had a decision to make: vote based on what’s best for American families or what they think is best for party politics. By choosing party politics, the GOP disqualified themselves as a pro-family, pro-business party,” Keri Rodrigues, President of the National Parents Union (NPU), said in a statement yesterday.   

“For a party to claim to be pro-family and then take food off the kitchen table is spineless. For a party to claim to be pro-business and then make it harder for small business owners and entrepreneurs to prosper during uncertain economic times is cowardly,” Rodrigues adds. Early this year, NPU sent its members to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the legislation.

The NPU asserts that expanding the child tax credit will play a crucial role in preventing childhood hunger. Moreover, with an overwhelming 84% of Republican and 91% of Democratic parents in support, its popularity crosses party lines, according to its latest poll.

“As swing state voters prepare to cast their ballots this November, the actions of those who opposed this measure will not be forgotten,” Rodrigues says. 

Sen. Schumer Decries GOP’s Block on Key Family Relief Bill Due to November Election

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) expressed disappointment with the vote’s outcome, vowing to continue working on legislative solutions to address these critical issues. 

“This bill was crafted in good part by one of the most conservative members of the Senate, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Smith. It got 357 votes, only 70 against. But Republicans still had a vote against it, and it’s sort of something they seem to be doing under orders from their candidate, Trump,” Schumer said. 

“Senate Republicans were handing out leaflets earlier this week, saying how Republicans must not give in to a Democratic ‘win’ before November. Well, Republicans, governing is not just about political wins. This was about making sure American families win. And today, because of Republicans, American families lost,” he added.

Bipartisan Support in House for the Child Tax Credit and Workers Bill Highlights Potential for Future Progress

Despite the setback, the fight for economic relief and support for American families is far from over. The broad bipartisan support in the House underscores the bill’s potential to bridge political divides and address pressing economic needs. As the Senate grapples with the aftermath of the vote, the spotlight remains on the lawmakers who will have to answer to their constituents. 

The Black Wall Street Times has reached out to Senator Lankford for comment, but have yet to hear the Oklahoman’s Congressman’s reasoning for voting against a bill that would have helped thousands of Oklahoman families.