As a veteran and a mom, I know first hand that military families so appreciate and need the support of our communities and government. This Veterans Day, please join me in taking action to express your strong support for two critical tax programs that help 1 in 4 current and former armed forces families make ends meet and avoid falling into poverty.

Taking action today on Veterans Day is a big deal—and is one way you can thank veterans. In fact, unless the U.S. 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!

*In honor of Veterans Day, send a quick message to your U.S. members of Congress now to tell them to help military families make ends meet, and also lift millions of children out of poverty, by supporting and strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit:

http://action.momsrising.org/sign/EITCChildTaxCredit/

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a tax benefit for working people who have a low to moderate-income. And it works. In 2013 alone, the EITC lifted 3.2 million children out of poverty. 

On Veterans Day, we’re going for a two-for-one message to Congress because another important policy for military families, and all families, the Child Tax Credit (CTC), needs a boost from us (you!). The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is also a program that helps low and moderate-income families. With the Child Tax Credit, 38 million families are able to reduce their federal income tax by up to $1,000 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. That means more money in our pockets to pay for important things our families need like medicine, car repairs, rent, and a new pair of shoes for your kids. It also works. In 2013, the Child Tax Credit protected approximately 3.1 million people from poverty, including 1.7 million children.

These policies boost a large number of military families. In fact, 1.5 million military families receive either the EITC or the Child Tax Credit. In about 280,000 of these families, a parent is currently serving in the armed forces; in the rest, a parent is a veteran. All told, these tax credits help make ends meet for about 800,000 members of military families.

Take action TODAY in honor of Veterans Day to help military families! http://action.momsrising.org/sign/EITCChildTaxCredit/

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. (Even President Ronald Reagan said the EITC is “the best antipoverty, the best pro-family, the best job creation measure to come out of Congress.”).

These programs also have been shown to improve children’s health and education outcomes, including college attendance.

That is some powerful stuff!

Simply put: The EITC and Child Tax Credit are two of the most powerful and successful anti-poverty programs our country has right now. Congress can show their support for our nation’s veterans and military families by supporting and strengthening the EITC and Child Tax Credit.

Will you write your U.S. members of Congress today and ask them to support, protect, and strengthen the EITC and Child Tax Credit? http://action.momsrising.org/sign/EITCChildTaxCredit/

Together we are a strong voice for military families—and for all families in our nation.

P.S. EITC and the Child Tax Credit often gets lost in the mix when Congress is more focused on tax breaks for the wealthy. We need to double down on our efforts this Veterans Day and make sure the voices of real people are heard loud and clear. So can you share this blogpost with your friends and family, and paste this link on Facebook and Twitter? http://action.momsrising.org/sign/EITCChildTaxCredit/

P.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: https://www.momsrising.org/member_stories/topic/has-the-earned-income-tax-credit-eitc-or-child-tax-credit-ctc-helped-your-family/