WASHINGTON — The Democratic-led Senate will hold a key test vote Thursday bipartisan bill for expand the child tax credit and provides some tax benefits for businesses.
But it’s not clear that Democrats have enough Republican support to break the impasse and advance the bill to a final vote. Many GOP senators oppose it.
“It should be a no-brainer,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters. “The only people standing in the way right now are the Republicans in the Senate. Everyone, even Republicans in the House of Representatives, are in favor of it.”
This is how the vote on the bill that provides the most financial assistance to families with many children Senator JD VanceR-Ohio, is facing the GOP vice presidential nominee heated criticism it’s over past records disparaging “childless cat ladies” and questioning the character of women who choose not to have children. Vance is expected to travel to the US-Mexico border in Arizona on Thursday and miss the vote. He did not say how he would vote if his office were in Washington.
Speaking to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said when asked about Vence’s labeling of Democrats as “anti-family”: “There are a lot of people. strange things are going on here.”
Democrats are voting in response to Vance, which Schumer said Wednesday most Republicans would vote against despite saying they “care about families.” Until September 9. The House passed the child tax credit bill in January.
There is strong opposition to the GOP bill in the Senate, led by Mike Krapo of Idaho, the ranking member of the Finance Committee, who aligns with party leadership. He told NBC News this week that the bill was underfunded and lacked enough conditions for the child tax credit to win his vote.
Sen. Thom Tillis, RN.C., strongly opposes the bill for similar reasons.
“They lost me to pay,” Tillis said. “The Child Tax Credit does not have any of the basic requirements that we want. It should go back to the oven and come out next year with our tax reform.”
Tillis handed out flyers at a Senate GOP luncheon Tuesday as he rallied colleagues to oppose the bipartisan measure. “WYDEN-SMITH IS NOT THE TAX FIGHT WE’RE LOOKING FOR,” the document read.
Wyden and Smith negotiated the legislation He passed the house 357-70. It would expand child tax credits, raise the $1,600 refundable ceiling and adjust benefits for inflation — primarily designed to help large families with low incomes. The bill also includes business tax credits for research and development and small business spending, helping to win GOP support in the House.
At least one Republican, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, has said he supports it.
“As Republicans, we have to be in favor of helping people who want to have families,” Hawley said, adding that he doesn’t believe the GOP is debating childless women like Vance is.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she was undecided on how she would vote, but expressed disappointment that Schumer did not allow the amendment.
“I don’t think we’re really paying attention when you bring it up as a final vote. I guess this will be the last vote before we go on recess. So it’s disappointing,” he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ potential vice presidential running mate Sen. Mark Kelly followed Vance, calling her comments “disgusting” and “simply wrong” and blasting Vance’s advice to parents. get more voting rights relative to childless Americans.
“I am not surprised that he is not a supporter [of] helping families that really need help,” Kelly said. “I would probably put him in a category with someone like Donald Trump — trying to help his billionaire friends and the wealthiest Americans, big corporations.”
Vance’s team responded aggressively.
“Little Mark Kelly sang a completely different tune about Senator Vance before he started desperately trying to become Kamala’s vice president. He introduced the bill with him and said that their joint work will bring results.good paying job“Every corner of every state,” Vance spokesman William Martin told NBC News. “It’ll be nice to watch this scam move to one of the half-assed Governors on Kamala’s shortlist.”