Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., wrote Monday in The New York Times that tax reform should benefit families because "working Americans face a challenge in the cost of raising children that threatens the health and vitality of our country."
"Tax reform is a key part of reinvigorating the American dream so that couples have the flexibility to choose how to best start and raise a family," he wrote. "The status quo means the cost of having children makes those choices for them, resulting in smaller families, riskier pregnancies, longer commutes from more affordable exurbs and more missed recitals."
Rubio suggests that "Washington should help by modernizing the tax code for the 21st century. Think about it: For high-cost, major-life decisions, we have financial products that help families pursue the American dream. For buying a home, we have the 30-year mortgage. For going to college, we have student loans. But for having a child, we have very little, even though raising a child is more expensive than buying a house or getting a college degree."
He then suggests a proposal that he and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, made last year to put families "first in line for tax relief" as opposed to special interest groups.
"This year, Congress again has the opportunity to achieve this goal, which can be done by at least doubling the per-child tax credit to $2,000 and making it refundable against payroll tax liability — the biggest tax paid by working-class American families. The House tax bill released last week falls short in this regard," Rubio continued.
"Providing significant tax relief to working families shouldn't be a final box to check after all of the lobbyists have had their fill. As Congress works on a tax reform package, families must be our priority. We cannot lose sight of what should be the primary goal of tax reform for our time."
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