Hudson Valley 360 - The American Rescue Plan Continues to Deliver

Op-Ed

By: Antonio Delgado

The American Rescue Plan has helped us return to the places and people we love, kept cherished mom-and-pop shops open for business, provided K-12 education funding, emergency rent relief, and direct support to local governments. It has boosted our economy and created millions of jobs, making a direct impact on countless upstate families from across the political spectrum.

A constituent from Hoosick Falls recently shared with me that the relief checks helped her family survive, "I'm a Teaching Artist and my job opportunities were reduced during the Pandemic. My husband is also a teacher. Without the extra support we would not have been able to pay our bills."

Out in Richfield Springs, another constituent explained how the Paycheck Protection Program saved her business, "without that program, it would have been very difficult for us to recover. Since we did get the

PPP grants...we have been able to keep our employees and ramp up now to full capacity."

We should celebrate these successes, but far too many families are still struggling.

During my time in office, I have held 60 town halls to listen to my constituents and focus on the issues affecting them. In recent town halls, folks have shared their concerns about affordable housing, living wages, and child care.

The cost of child care continues to be a grave economic issue, one that has held back parents from rejoining our workforce. Before the pandemic, child care was limited and often too expensive for working families. Now, with COVID-19 closures, it is near impossible to find both affordable and reliable child care services.

We need to do more to help. That's why, in the American Rescue Plan, we increased the Child Tax Credit to $3,000 per child ages 6 to 17 and up to $3,600 per child under age 6. This new relief will be paid to upstate families monthly. In New York's 19th Congressional District, 38,900 households are eligible to receive up to $300 per child, per month.

Child Tax Credit payments will help folks pay for child care, purchase back-to-school supplies, and put food on the table. It will give parents the support they need to go back to work and help build better lives for their families. Moreover, according to a study by Columbia University's Center on Poverty and Social Policy, the enhanced Child Tax Credit will reduce child poverty by nearly half.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) plans to start delivering these payments on July 15. For the vast majority of families, no additional steps are required to receive a monthly deposit. Families who filed taxes in 2019 or 2020 -- or who signed up to receive a stimulus check from the IRS -- should automatically receive this tax relief starting on July 15. Families who did not file a tax return in 2019 or 2020 can sign up using the IRS Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign Up Tool.

My office is always available to help folks who have questions or issues with federal agencies like the IRS. We will be working hard in the coming weeks to ensure every eligible family gets these critical payments.

The Child Tax Credit is here to help folks after a challenging year. More than just relief, it's an investment in our children and the families who take care of them. I was proud to help pass the American Rescue Plan, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact this support will have on our communities.

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