Raise the child tax credit and introduce a ‘baby bonus’ for parents of newborns.
Donald Trump’s return to office will unfold in a post-Dobbs policy landscape. With a Republican trifecta, conservatives have a unique opportunity to define what pro-family and pro-life governance truly means. During the vice presidential debate, Senator JD Vance emphasized that when it comes to abortion, the Republican Party must earn “the American people’s trust back.” A crucial first step is to use the upcoming tax code overhaul to put American families first.
Trump didn’t campaign on a platform of federal abortion bans — he plans to leave that debate to the states. And while pro-life voters already expect Trump to roll back President Biden’s executive orders and regulations expanding access to abortion, there are also pro-family and pro-life laws his administration should pursue at the federal level. Parents facing uncertainty about welcoming and caring for a new child deserve real support. Strengthening the child tax credit (CTC) and introducing a baby bonus would provide critical help at the moment families need it most.
Pocketbook issues delivered Republicans their trifecta, and they remain central for many mothers who are grappling with the choice between a trip to the abortion clinic or a prenatal appointment. To honor the trust of the voters who put them in power, Republicans must prioritize pro-family tax policies. By building on a successful approach from Trump’s first term, they can deliver meaningful support to vulnerable mothers and families when it matters most…
Trump’s signature Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubled the CTC to $2,000 per child, but that provision is set to expire at the end of 2025. Simply maintaining the current CTC won’t do enough for American families. Inflation has already eroded much of its value — today, it would take a $2,500 credit just to match the purchasing power of Trump’s original expansion. Ideally, the CTC should rise to $3,000 or more. On the campaign trail, Vance even proposed a $5,000 credit to help families keep up in a country with higher prices and fewer parents.
The CTC is a well-designed, proven tool that gives working parents a much-needed hand up. Unlike other family benefits, it never punishes parents for getting better jobs or choosing to marry. To fund an expansion of the CTC, Republicans can streamline the tax code by trimming less effective family-focused credits that impose work or marriage penalties.
But the new administration shouldn’t stop there. Beyond fixing the tax code, the Republican trifecta has a unique opportunity to advance a commonsense pro-family policy: a baby bonus.
A baby bonus would provide support at the exact moment families need it most — right after a child is born, when expenses are high and parents’ earning power is often lower than later in their careers. A bonus of $2,000 or more, ideally delivered alongside the baby’s birth certificate, would give parents immediate help to cover essentials like diapers, wipes, and other necessities. This policy directly answers a common pro-choice talking point: “Do you only care about the baby before it’s born?” By offering tangible support at birth, Republicans can show they are committed to both the dignity of life and the well-being of families.
A baby bonus, passed by a Republican trifecta, would mark a meaningful victory for families that could become a signature achievement for pro-family and pro-life conservatives. It’s a well-targeted, cost-effective policy that provides crucial support at a moment when the arrival of a new baby can feel overwhelming.
With the expiration of tax cuts looming, the tax code must be overhauled this year. Expanding the CTC and establishing a baby bonus is a prime opportunity to put families first and invest in America’s future.
Leah Libresco Sargeant is a senior policy analyst in Family Economic Security at the Niskanen Center. She runs the Substack
Thankfully, “In his inaugural address, Donald Trump thanked Black and Hispanic communities for their votes and invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose federal holiday Trump shares with the day of his second inauguration. Trump said his presidency would honor King’s legacy.” — NBC
Catholic Critique 