Congress created a more generous child tax credit in 2021 as part of economic legislation in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of that expansion, millions of children were lifted out of poverty.

After the updated credit was allowed to expire at the end of 2021, child hunger and child poverty rates rose swiftly. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, in 2022 poverty among children more than doubled to 12.4%.