Tax Day is TODAY (April 15th).

And while you’re filing your taxes, rushing off to the post office, and taxes are on the top of your mind—it’s the perfect opportunity to also remind your U.S. Representative and Senators to be sure to protect tax breaks that boost working families and our economy—in particular the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) —NOT corporate loopholes.

**Write your members of Congress TODAY and ask them to support, protect, and strengthen the EITC and Child Tax Credit! http://action.momsrising.org/sign/EITCChildTaxCredit/

The EITC and Child Tax Credit is one of the most successful anti-poverty programs our country has right now. 9.4 million people, including 5 million children, were lifted out of poverty by the EITC and Child Tax Credit in 2013 alone. The money received through tax credits helps our families afford rent, gas for our cars, new shoes for our children, and other necessities. And by making those purchases we are also funneling money back into our local economy, which sorely needs it. In short, these policies boost our families and our economy.

And as if that isn’t enough, the EITC and Child Tax Credit also helps military families and veterans. 1.4 million veteran and armed-forces families with children receive the EITC or the Child Tax Credit.

Take a moment to write your members of Congress, and ask them to boost families, children, and our economy—including military families and veterans—by supporting an extension of the EITC and Child Tax Credit.

The EITC and the Child Tax Credit help our families in a BIG way! In 2013 alone, 28 million people in the U.S. benefited from the EITC, earning an average $2,407 in tax breaks. And 20.4 million households received the refundable part of the Child Tax Credit. In fact, 20.9 million working moms received the EITC, the CTC, or both tax credits…wow!

We know all the amazing benefits of the EITC and the Child Tax Credit. But we need Congress to know as well…and then take action. Just a few weeks ago the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate introduced a federal budget that lowers tax rates for large corporations and wealthy individuals, creating a windfall for the wealthiest few, while pushing struggling families deeper into poverty by cutting important programs like Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps). As if that weren’t bad enough, unless Congress acts soon, key provisions of the EITC and Child Tax Credit will expire, pushing nearly 16 million people—including 8 million children and many military families—into poverty and making it harder for tens of millions more families to pay their bills. We can’t allow this to happen! We can’t allow Congress to continue to pass bills that benefit the wealthy and the rich, while leaving behind hard-working families and hurting our economy.

Now is the time to make our voices heard!

Make this Tax Day a reminder to Congress that they need to boost hard-working families and our economy by protecting and strengthening the EITC and Child Tax Credit.

Your voice is needed to shine a bright light on the importance of these programs to members of Congress—and the more of us who speak up, who sign on, and who take action, the bigger the impact we’ll have together shoring up support for the EITC and Child Tax Credit, which are both anti-poverty programs that have had bi-partisan support over the years. (President Ronald Reagan said the EITC is “the best antipoverty, the best pro-family, the best job creation measure to come out of Congress.”)

Don’t forget to file your taxes….and don’t forget to write your members of Congress. After you take action, spread the word by posting the action link  (http://action.momsrising.org/sign/EITCChildTaxCredit/) to Twitter and your Facebook page. The more moms, dads, grandparents, and neighbors we have speaking out on this issue, the bigger the impact we’ll have on Congress.

Together we are a strong voice for families.

P.S. Do you have experience with the EITC or Child Tax Credit? Do tell! How has the EITC and Child Tax Credit helped your family? Have these tax credits helped you keep your head above water? What would you be able to do with this extra money? Please share your thoughts and experiences here.