CitizenAction Letters

Dear Rep. [Smith]:

I am a constituent, and I urge you to pass the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act.

The attacks on women’s health care have never been more palpable than they are today. Last year, when an extreme abortion ban went into effect in Texas — where 7 million women of reproductive age live — at least one in every ten women in the country had their reproductive rights essentially stripped away. Today, other abortion-hostile states are copying Texas’ lead, stripping away women’s protected rights with harsh, invasive and unconstitutional laws to restrict a woman’s right to choose and deny her right to privacy.

This March, when President Biden signed a government funding bill into law, the legislation contained numerous provisions that purposely inhibit access to reproductive health care, including the so-called “Hyde Amendment” that blocks certain health insurance programs from covering abortion services. This long-standing legacy rider harms low-income people and people of color the most. Congress could eliminate this barrier to care by passing the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act, which would prevent political interference to abortion access and ensure health coverage for everyone no matter their race, income status or location. The EACH Act could undo decades of harm to vulnerable communities and ensure all people have equal access to reproductive health care.

Please let me know how you intend to address this issue.

Sincerely,

[CREDO member’s name and address here]

Dear Sen. [Smith]:

I am a constituent, and I urge you to restore and extend the expanded Child Tax Credit.

Last year, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law which included a wildly successful expansion of the Child Tax Credit. This historic program cut child poverty by roughly 30% and reduced hunger in families with children by one quarter. The very first monthly check issued to families in July 2021 cut child poverty by 26% on its own. Survey after survey showed that families who received this credit spent the extra money on basic necessities like food, clothing, and utilities, and many were just starting to get their heads above the waters of financial peril.

Unfortunately, Congress allowed the expanded CTC to expire at the beginning of the year, pulling the rug out from under vulnerable families and plunging 3.7 million kids back into poverty, with an estimated 10 million children predicted to fall into poverty if Congress fails to act. With inflation reaching a 40-year high and families struggling to put food on the table and fuel in their vehicles, now would be the best time to restore and extend this vital lifeline for millions of children to avoid long term calamity for families and our local economies. In addition, the expanded CTC is wildly popular: Nearly 60% of likely voters, including those who did and did not receive this credit, support the program. Children are falling into poverty as you read this; I hope you will act quickly to restore this vital lifeline.

Please let me know how you intend to address this issue.

Sincerely,

[CREDO member’s name and address here]