Feb 12, 2014 - LATINO LEADERS URGE “NO” VOTE ON AYOTTE AMENDMENT

PRESS RELEASE
February 11, 2014

LATINO LEADERS URGE “NO” VOTE ON AYOTTE AMENDMENT

Senators’ votes on amendment to restrict Child Tax Credit for families with DREAMers will be scored

WASHINGTON, DC -- On Tuesday, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of the 37 preeminent national Latino organizations in the country, sent a letter to Senators urging them to vote against an amendment being offered by Senator Kelly Ayotte to the military pensions legislation (S. 1963) that would deny the Child Tax Credit to eligible low-income working families for children with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. This would have a devastating impact on families with DREAMers under the age of 18. Should it become law, 80 percent of families impacted by the amendment would be Latino.

Full text of the letter follows.

Dear Senator:

We write on behalf of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 37 leading Latino nonpartisan civil rights and advocacy organizations in the country, to urge you to vote against Child Tax Credit (CTC) restrictions to S. 1963. Specifically, we oppose Ayotte S. 1977 and any similar amendments. Proposals denying eligible low-income working families with children access to the CTC because they use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) would put children, many whom are Latino, at risk of hunger, poverty, and other severe hardships. Already more than 6 million Latino children currently live in poverty, and restrictions to CTC eligibility requirements would put countless more into that position.

NHLA’s mission calls for unity among Hispanics nationwide to provide the Latino community with greater visibility and a stronger voice in our nation’s affairs, including the pressing need to overhaul our broken immigration system. NHLA will issue a scorecard assigning members a letter grade on their immigration record to give Hispanic voters and other interested voters a clear picture of their elected officials’ positions. Our forthcoming scorecard will place significant weight on votes on CTC eligibility requirements.

Our nation has a historic opportunity to address the complex realities of our broken immigration system while upholding our shared values of family, civil and human rights, diversity, and economic opportunity. True immigration reform must provide undocumented workers and their families, who have contributed over many years to our economy and society, full legal protections.

By contrast, proposals that restrict CTC eligibility would disproportionately and punitively affect millions of children. The CTC is essential to reduce child poverty, as the overwhelming majority of families that receive the CTC make less than $25,000 per year. Over 80% of families affected by these proposed changes to the CTC would be Hispanic.

In light of the above grounds, NHLA strongly urges you to vote No on proposals that would deny access to the CTC, including amendments from Senator Ayotte. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Thomas A. Saenz
NHLA Immigration Committee Co-Chair
MALDEF, President and General Counsel

Jose Calderón
NHLA Immigration Committee Co-Chair
Hispanic Federation, President

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Established in 1991, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. In 2013, NHLA launched the Latinos United for Immigration Reform campaign. For more information, please visit www.nationalhispanicleadership.org and LatinosUnited.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

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