WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans stopped a bipartisan bill on Thursday that aimed to expand the child tax credit and give tax breaks to businesses, likely putting it on hold for the rest of the year.
Senate Republicans Stop Bill to Increase Child Tax Credit – The vote ended at 48-44, with most GOP senators opposing the bill. All Democrats supported it, except for two independents who usually side with the Democrats: Bernie Sanders and Joe Manchin. Only three Republicans voted in favor: Josh Hawley from Missouri, Rick Scott from Florida, and Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma.
“This should be a no-brainer,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
“This should be a no-brainer,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York. “Right now, the only ones blocking this are Senate Republicans. Everyone else, even House Republicans, support it.” Before the bill failed, Schumer changed his vote to “no” to keep the option open to bring it up again later.
“Today, because of Republicans, American families lost,” Schumer said after the vote.
Senate GOP opposition was led by Mike Crapo from Idaho, the top Republican on the Finance Committee, who is in line with party leaders. He told NBC News this week that the bill wasn’t adequately funded and didn’t have enough conditions on the child tax credit to get his vote.
On Thursday, Crapo called it a “senseless show vote,” saying Senate Republicans weren’t properly consulted. He argued that the generous provisions made the bill “not tax relief — it’s a subsidy.”
The vote came as Sen. JD Vance from Ohio, the GOP vice presidential nominee, faced criticism for past comments about “childless cat ladies” and women who choose not to have kids. Vance, who missed the vote because he was visiting the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, has said he supports expanding the child tax credit but hasn’t specified how he would have voted on this bill.
Responding to criticism for missing Thursday’s vote, Vance said, “Unless we get a better president, Congress can’t pass anything that will truly improve Americans’ lives.” – Senate Republicans Stop Bill to Increase Child Tax Credit
When asked about Vance calling Democrats “anti-family,” Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, who worked on the bill with House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, replied, “There’s a lot of strange stuff happening here.”
Democrats had partly framed the vote as a response to Vance, with Schumer predicting that most Republicans would vote against it despite claiming to care about families. This was the last vote the Senate took before their August break, which lasts until September 9. The House had already passed the child tax credit bill in January.
Sen. Thom Tillis strongly opposed the bill, saying, “I can’t support how they’re paying for it. The child tax credit lacks some basic requirements we need. It needs more work and should be part of our tax reform next year.”
At a Senate GOP lunch meeting on Tuesday, Tillis handed out pamphlets urging his colleagues to oppose a bipartisan bill. The pamphlet stated, “WYDEN-SMITH IS NOT THE TAX DEAL WE ARE LOOKING FOR.”
The bill, negotiated by Wyden and Smith, passed the House with a 357-70 vote. It aims to expand child tax credits, remove the $1,600 limit on refundability, and adjust the benefits for inflation, primarily helping low-income families with multiple children. It also includes business tax breaks for research and development and small-business expenses, which helped gain Republican support in the House.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was one of the few Republicans who supported the bill.
“As Republicans, we should support people who want to have families,” he said, adding that the GOP should not discuss women without children as Vance did.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, expressed frustration that Schumer hadn’t allowed amendments.
“I don’t think we’re giving this serious attention when it’s the last vote before break. That’s frustrating,” she said.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a possible vice-presidential candidate for Kamala Harris, criticized Vance, calling his comments about giving parents more voting power than childless Americans “obnoxious” and “just wrong.”
“It doesn’t surprise me that he’s not in favor of helping families that need it,” Kelly said. “He’s more like Donald Trump, helping out billionaire friends and big corporations.”
Vance’s team fired back.
“Before trying to be Kamala’s VP pick, Mark Kelly praised Senator Vance and worked with him on legislation to bring ‘good-paying jobs’ to every state,” said Vance spokesperson William Martin. “It will be enjoyable to watch this fraud get passed over for one of the half-rate governors on Kamala’s shortlist.”