 Today we're here to talk about the child tax credit, and I want to thank CVOEO and Paul Dragon for allowing us to be here, but this is one of the most significant pro-family anti-poverty programs since the Roosevelt administration. The child tax credit has traditionally had significant support from Republicans and Democrats. In the American Rescue Plan we increased the child tax credit from to $3,600 for families with children who are five and under, and it's fully refundable. Now here's what that means. About 120,000 children are going to benefit by that in Vermont. It's going to take about 3,900 children out of poverty. It's going to reduce childhood poverty in this country in half. And what it reflects is a commitment to the early development of children and the recognition that families with children have real financial challenges. Any family a two-person head of household family or two-person family with an income of $150,000 or less will be eligible. If you're a head of household single parent, $114,000 or less, if you're a single person 75,000 or less you're eligible. And some of us want to raise that to a hundred thousand. One of the biggest challenges that families face with young children is affordability. One of the one of the second points I want to make about this that is so essential at this time of such conflict in disunity in our country is that this applies to all kids and all families who are eligible. It doesn't matter whether you're in a red state or a blue state. It doesn't matter whether you're a Trump voter or a Biden voter. This is about the kids. And when we have healthy kids who have a shot to get started earlier in life, we have healthier communities, we have more confident parents, and we can begin the process of rebuilding. So this child tax credit where families are going to receive literally $300 a week or pardon me a month for children five and under and $250 a month for children six to 17 is an extremely important benefit that will be lifting children out of poverty, helping kids who are near poverty get into some economic security. It also as I mentioned has that enormous benefit of treating every family the same independent of politics independent of where what region they're from. And I believe that what Congress has to do is have programs that have this broad benefit so that all families can be help get strengthened. The second point we want to make here and this is absolutely critical to Vermont parents. You've got to file taxes in order or you've got to file your tax form in order to get your check. There are many, many people who don't have to file because they don't owe any money. So this is going to be new for some folks who because of their income actually don't have to file. But in order to get the IRS to send you the check your family is entitled to under the child tax credit, the IRS has to have your information that they get from your tax filing form. So Vermonters if you have kids and you want to get this child tax credit and it's going to be helpful to you. So please, please, please do this. File your taxes and the due date is May 17. And if you are filed then the IRS plans on starting to send out checks by July. So please this American Rescue Package, this child tax credit is for you. It's fully refundable. But in order to get that refund, you have to file a tax form. So those are the two major points I want to make. Number one, the child tax credit is going to be significant income support for our families with kids. The vast majority, 90% of children in the state of Vermont, 90% of children in the state of Vermont are going to be benefited by this program. But second, to benefit by the program, file your tax form. And we're going to hear from folks at CVOEO some of the work that they've been doing about this. So thank you. Joining me today are first of all Paul Dragon, who runs CVOEO. And he's going to be followed by Trisha Coates, who as you all know is a great American. She used to be my state director when I first got elected for eight years. Trisha got us started here in Vermont and I continue to be indebted to you. And I hope I'm doing okay. And then we have Trudy Namu Biro, who works at CVOEO and is a new American and has been very, very helpful for folks getting situated here. Thank you. So Paul, thank you. Good morning, everyone. Thank you so much for coming. First of all, I just want to thank Congressman Welch and his team for this important work and this groundbreaking legislation that is going to lift millions of families struggling with poverty out of poverty. So thank you so much for your work. Child poverty in the United States, it is a unique American tragedy. It is unique because of all the wealthy nations. The United States has one of the highest rates of poverty. It's a tragedy because it can be avoided. And this is the first step to reducing childhood poverty, as the congressman said, in generations. So the child tax credit promises to reduce child poverty by up to 45%. So this is groundbreaking legislation and not only will it help end childhood poverty, it is going to promote social mobility, which is critically, critically important. It is going to help mitigate intergenerational poverty for generations to come. So CVOEO's work is as an anti-poverty organization is trying to not only bridge gaps, get people get people the things they need so they're no longer living in poverty, but it is also to build futures. And this legislation does both those things. It puts food on the table, it gives people essential supports, and it looks at really bringing families out of poverty for the long term. So this is a one-year legislation right now. CVOEO will be joining its partner organizations to make sure that this is an important feature, a normal feature, of American life for years and years to come. And we can't thank the congressman and his team enough for driving this legislation forward. It's groundbreaking. It is similar to the New Deal. It's absolutely critical for our families who are struggling. Thanks, Paul. Sure, thank you. Thank you, Congressman Welch, for your leadership. Thanks, Paul, for your your words. If there's anything I ever did for Congressman Welch, it was that I bought this mic stand in 2007. So you're welcome. My name is Trisha Coats. I'm the president of Lund. We serve Vermont families in treatment, adoption and family services, and we touch 5000 Vermonters annually. In short, our work is strengthening Vermont families. And the majority of the families we serve, struggling with the cost of living is is really not a new COVID challenge. Making choices between food and medicine, doctor's appointment or keeping a car on the road. These are the heartbreaking choices that families, parents and caregivers make every day. And but what we have seen in our families through the pandemic is an added layer of anxiety around these challenges around these choices. When a caregiver's hours are reduced, when there's been a layoff, when somebody's been sick, or when the children need to be cared for full time at home. So the increase in the child tax credit comes at this very moment. And what it's going to do is make a difference for over 100,000 Vermont children and their families. The fact that this credit can come as soon as July in a monthly payment immediately provides breathing room for families that they have not had. What does it mean for the families that Lund serves? A parent who has worked hard to maintain their recovery and custody of their child who has successfully discharged from treatment can continue to pay the rent and remain independent. Many of the 206 families who have adopted a foster child through Lund since last summer may be able to pay for a week of camp or afford the internet. A family in our childcare may be able to make a car repair that will help them continue to get to work. In short, the child tax credit gives family families a reason to worry a little bit less. On behalf of our families, I want to thank Congressman Welch and our senators for their advocacy for families and for their support of this lifeline. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Trisha. Sure. And now Trudy Namoviro. Trudy, thank you. Oh, my name is Trudy Namoviro and I am a new American and a single mother over five year old. I've been working with CVE for for about six, seven months. I started in August last year and it's been the best place to work at so far. I'm going to the subject of tax credit. I am a middle middle class income earner. And as I speak right now, I don't qualify for most of the financial subsidies because I'm above the threshold and yet I have a child to take care of much as I am the seller that is good enough for me. If I was single, if I was alone, but it's not enough to take care of the child because we need transport and the housing, housing expenses are increasing because as of last year, two bedroomed house was $1,544 US dollars. And now it has increased to $1,620. So if this child credit subsidy comes in, it would help us with accommodation. It would help us with expenses of transport. It would help us with food and clothing, you know, how kids grow almost every day. So it would really help us a lot. And as far as I'm concerned right now, I'm not saving a lot because everything goes to the expenses. But if this child credit tax credit comes through, it would help us with with trying to save for the future of our children, maybe send them to college someday, or even buy a house. So I'm really, really, really grateful to the congressman for doing this for us, especially the middle class income earners. Thank you. God bless the USA and God bless the state great state of the world. Thank you, Trudy. Trudy's child is five years right now. Trudy's child is five years old. Any any questions for any of us? It's four years. And many of us hope to make it permanent. The annual we're gonna I'll get back to you on that Stuart. I don't know exactly what it is. It's it's part of this program right now is part of the American Rescue package. But we believe that this should be an anchor in family support going forward. There is there's a lot of support for us to do this. You know, keep in mind that it's a struggle for families. I mean, Trudy just mentioned she's got a good job. But the rent here in Burlington is incredibly high. If Trisha mentioned you get a car repair, then where's the money? How are you going to deal with it? And the other thing that's really important here is that one of the big challenges that we're facing in Vermont, we can't get workers and for many employers who have jobs. And one of the major challenges is that the pressure and it falls on women much more than men is childcare. And if something goes awry, the choice that a woman has with a child is between trying to work or neglecting their child. And as Trisha was mentioning, you get a little extra income support. And it makes it somewhat more flexible for that woman to be able to continue making a choice that includes working in the labor force. And by the way, that's why childcare is also so important. It's important for the family. It's important for the child. But it's also important so that people who would like to be in the labor force, women, and they're dropping, they're the ones dropping out much more than men because of childcare responsibilities, they have that option. So this is really important economically for the well being of our economy, not just for the well being of the family. Yes, no, no, it's up to the parent. There's eligibility in terms of income. But again, you know, a point I was making that I think is really, really important. Because you know, we know what we know how divided it is in Congress right now. And what's so what's so destructive about the division is that we've got common problems. So you've got Trudy here in Vermont in Burlington. You've got her counterpart in Oklahoma. And in some states, as I mentioned, they may have voted for Trump. Other states they voted for Biden, some families, the same thing. Well, they've all got kids. They all have the same challenges. Why don't we have a program that helps all of them? You know, it's not a democratic or republican priority to try to help our kids. We might have a debate about how to do it. So there's income eligibility. But there's flexibility then for the parent to make a sensible decision. What makes sense for my family and my child? Monthly. The deadline for filing your tax information is on May 17. It's in a week. And your tax information, this is what's going to be tough for a lot of people. If your tax information is you don't owe any money, you still want to file so you may get some money. All right. And the IRS is the agency that's going to be administering this and sending the checks out. But they have to have your personal and family information, your child's name and social security number, your name, social security number. Thank you. We're all set.