Press Release

Polling Shows Majority of Americans Believe that Congress Should Prioritize Tax Relief for Families over Tax Breaks for Corporations

09. 14. 2022

Data Builds on the Growing Consensus that Congress Must Prioritize Restoring the Expanded, Monthly Child Tax Credit

Washington, DC – September 14th, 2022 – Economic Security Project – in coordination with Lake Research Partners – today released groundbreaking new public opinion research reiterating the extraordinary favorability of pro-family policies like President Biden’s expanded, monthly Child Tax Credit (CTC) program. Topline results from this polling show:

  • 80% of Americans overwhelmingly agree: Congress shouldn’t pass any more tax breaks for big corporations unless there’s support for families too. This includes 89% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 67% of Republicans.
  • 75% of respondents support “an expanded and improved tax cut that refunds poor, working-, and middle-class families more money for each child under age 18, creates a larger tax cut for families with children under age six, and makes the credit fully available for all families with low incomes” this includes 86% of Democrats, 77% of Independents, and 64% of Republicans.
  • 68% of respondents found the following statement compelling: “There are hundreds of tax credits for corporations and billionaires, but only one tax credit for families with children. Taking the Child Tax Credit away from struggling parents who cannot find a job would push children into poverty rather than helping families.” This includes 85% of Democrats, 58% of Independents, and 52% of Republicans.
  • 65% of respondents found the following statement compelling: “Over 100 economists including former Secretaries of the Treasury and Labor say expanding the Child Tax Credit will help working- and middle-class families with rising costs — without increasing inflation.” This includes 83% of Democrats, 58% of Independents, and 48% of Republicans. Other narratives concerning the CTC’s equity and effectiveness polled similarly well.

Full findings can be found here. The survey was co-sponsored by ParentsTogether and Common Sense. 

“Last month, President Biden made his voice abundantly clear when he demanded the nation get ‘unfinished business’ done – including restoring the Child Tax Credit,” said Adam Ruben, Campaigns Director of the Economic Security Project. “Given the unprecedented favorability of the CTC indicated in our new public opinion research, the Biden Administration clearly has its finger on the pulse of America. Now it’s time for Congress to take notice and extend the expanded, monthly checks in a lame duck session before year-end.”

“Support for the Child Tax Credit runs broader and deeper than many in Washington typically assume,” said Celinda Lake, President of Lake Research Partners. “This is an important time for policymakers to be visibly fighting for the CTC, at a time of rising costs, and this research points to a powerful populist message that nearly all voters agree with: ‘Congress shouldn’t pass any more tax breaks for big corporations unless there’s support for families too.’” 

“The monthly Child Tax Credit payments were a lifeline for moms and families, making it possible for them to afford food, rent, gasoline and child care, and pulling millions of children out of poverty,” said Elyssa Schmier, MomsRising Vice President for Government Relations and National Budget. “These payments prevented hunger, evictions, and hardship while boosting our economy. This new poll shows that the public strongly supports this essential policy. We will do all we can to convince Congress to reinstate the monthly Child Tax Credit payments this year.”

The CTC has been heralded as one of the most effective and popular policies passed under President Biden, cutting child poverty by nearly 40%. Since the monthly payments ended in December, 3.7 million children – including 2.5 million Black and Latinx kids – are back into poverty. For more information about the Economic Security Project and its work to extend the expanded, monthly CTC, visit: https://www.economicsecurityproject.org/.

About Economic Security Project: Economic Security Project mobilizes resources and people behind ideas that build economic power for all Americans. As an ideas advocacy organization, we legitimize our issues by supporting cutting edge research and elevating champions, win concrete policy victories for the communities that need to see change now, and provoke the conventional wisdom to shift what’s considered possible. Our team of academics, organizers, practitioners, and culture makers disburse grants, run issue campaigns, develop creative interventions and research products to support the field, and coordinate events to encourage investment and action from others.

About Lake Research Partners: Lake Research Partners is a national public opinion and political strategy research firm founded by Celinda Lake in 1995, and the most consistently accurate—and consistently progressive—Democratic research firm in the country. For three consecutive cycles, fivethirtyeight.com rated Lake Research at the top of all Democratic polling firms in terms of accuracy. This independent analysis of pollsters underscores our simultaneous commitment to innovation and rigorous turnout models and sampling methodology.