Harris to propose expanded child tax credits as part of economic agenda

The Harris campaign on Friday announced plans to restore and expand the child tax credit as part of her economic agenda she will detail in a policy speech in North Carolina.

Vice President Harris will retain President Biden’s commitment not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 annually. The campaign also outlined ways she will push to cut taxes for middle-class families.

The main method will be through restoration of the expanded child tax credit that was included in the American Rescue Plan, passed in 2021 with only Democratic votes. But the tax credit expired the same year. Harris campaign aides said she would push for restoration of the policy, which would provide up to $3,600 per child tax credit for many families.

The vice president will also call for providing up to $6,000 in tax relief for middle- and low-income families for the first year of their child’s life, the campaign said.

In addition to expanding the child tax credit, the Harris campaign said the vice president would also call for an expanded earned income tax credit of up to $1,500 for individuals in lower-income jobs who aren’t raising children.

The tax policies Harris is proposing will be central to her economic platform as she runs for president following Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid. The Harris campaign this week detailed other components of the plan, which included a call for a federal ban on price gouging and an effort to increase housing supply.

The Harris campaign is likely to draw a contrast between her proposal and those of former President Trump, who has said he would extend the tax cuts first passed in 2017 during his first administration. Trump has blamed Harris for persistent inflation and has claimed the vice president is campaigning on the largest tax increase in history.

The campaign will also likely use the policy to hit Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), whose 2021 comments that the country was being run by “childless cat ladies” have gotten renewed attention in recent weeks. Vance has defended the comments by arguing he was making the point that Democrats are antifamily.