A Letter to UNITE HERE Unions at Yale from Rosa DeLauro

Over two decades ago, I began a fight against child poverty by working to extend the Child Tax Credit. We have reached a historic victory in that fight. Today, July 15th, virtually all working families across the nation will begin receiving $250 per month per child six and up and up to $300 per month for every child under the age of six. This expansion of the child tax credit, which is part of the American Rescue Plan passed in March, will help cut child poverty in half. UNITE HERE wins campaigns with the ethos of “one day longer,” and this victory could not have been possible without many who have never relented in their fight for justice and equality.

Beating Trump and taking back the Senate were a major part of this victory and crucial to expanding the Child Tax Credit. Throughout 2020, I argued that we were in a battle for the soul of the nation, and I’m proud of our victories in this battle.

You all understood the stakes in this fight and acted with the right urgency.  Hundreds of people from New Haven’s movement and UNITE HERE members traveled to swing states like Pennsylvania, Florida, Nevada and Arizona to knock on doors in the largest on-the-ground canvassing operation for President Biden. Hundreds more took up phone banking shifts. These efforts were vital in beating Trump and knocking back one of the greatest threats to democracy that our country has ever faced. You all did this while supporting my election, and elections that expanded the Democratic majorities in the Connecticut State House and Senate.

But you all didn’t stop with these victories. Hundreds cut their holidays short to travel to Georgia while others jumped back on the phone to support Senator Raphael Warnock and Senator Jon Ossoff. Without the support of these Senators, the American Rescue Plan and expanded Child Tax Credit would not have passed, and working families would be struggling even more as we deal with the pandemic.

Elections matter, the results of this previous election make that clear but our work is not over. The Child Tax Credit is temporary but we all have a role to play in making it permanent, winning other transformational victories for working families, and fending off future threats to our democracy. Your work proves that we can achieve so much when we understand the stakes of the moment and undertake the hard work of moving history accordingly. 

Learn about the Child Tax Credit here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/child-tax-credit/