FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2003

CONTACT: Brendan Daly 202-225-0100

Pelosi: House GOP Child Tax Credit Plan is a Ploy to Prevent Passing a Bill to Treat Working Families Fairly

 Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today about a proposal that House Republican leaders plan to bring to the House floor tomorrow, which would include extension of the child tax credit as part of a larger tax cut that would cost $82 billion over 10 years and is not paid for:

"House Republicans are proposing an extension to the child tax credit that is a shameless ploy for their real goal -- delaying the bill and preventing passage of legislation to treat working families fairly.

"Instead of immediately approving the Senate-passed child tax credit bill that is fully paid for, Republican leaders in the House want to exploit the children they claim to help by including the measure in a massive tax cut that is not paid for, thereby indebting our children for years to come.

"Yesterday, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay revealed the Republicans’ true intentions on passing the Senate bill when he said: ‘Ain’t going to happen.’ Instead, the Republicans want to use the child tax credit as a bargaining chip to try to force the Senate to pass even larger tax cuts.

"House Democrats, and now the President, support immediate passage of the Senate child tax credit bill, but House Republican leaders would clearly prefer to bog down the legislation and to increase the deficit, leaving our children with a mountain of debt.

"It is simply the wrong thing to do. Democrats are going to continue to do what it takes to pass a fiscally responsible expansion of the child tax credit."

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi