Fox News Host to Face GOP Senator for Backing Child Tax Credit Under Trump But Not Biden

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Fox News anchor Chris Wallace addressed Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican, in his support for expanding child tax credits under former President Donald Trump as he now opposes Democrats ’efforts to expand further under President Joe Biden.

The Republic’s 2017 tax cut doubled existing child tax credits. Democrats then temporarily increased child tax credits under the American Rescue Plan approved in March, and began sending monthly payments. With the $ 3.5 trillion budget adjustment measure, the increased tax credits could be extended.

While Barrasso supports child tax credits as part of Trump’s signature tax cut, the GOP senator now opposes a $ 3.5 trillion bill that would improve them. Wallace pressed Barrasso on the issue in an interview Sunday on Fox News Sunday.

“As part of Trump’s tax cuts in 2017, you voted to increase the child tax credit from $ 1,000 to $ 2,000. Now, as part of this bill, Democrats are extending that until 2025 to a higher level, ”Wallace explains. “And the truth is your state of Wyoming is one of the states that benefits most from increasing the child tax credit. Why would you oppose it?”

In this screenshot, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace asks Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) about his opposition to the $ 3.5 trillion bill proposed by President Joe Biden and Democrats. Fox News Week / screenshot

Barrasso responded by pointing out his concerns about the broader $ 3.5 trillion package. The Wyoming Republican called it “a massive bill.”

Wallace followed. “Forgive me sir, but I’m asking about the specific part of this bill. I understand that there are parts you don’t like. For example – I think part of the question is, can you have them worked on this tax boy credit? Which one did you vote for in 2017, that’s one of the things you’re voting for now. Why oppose that particular program? “

The GOP senator said lawmakers should “look at the whole bill and say whether you’re for the bill or not.” The Wyoming lawmaker went on to complain that Democratic lawmakers are not “coming to talk to Republicans on any of these matters.”

Later in the interview, Wallace pressed Barrasso about the provision to expand child care and fund universal pre-kindergarten through a $ 3.5 trillion settlement package: “In the state of Wyoming, less than a quarter of children [ages] three to four, which will be covered in the bill, are listed in the publicly funded-less than a quarter. Wouldn’t many families in Wyoming benefit from universal pre-k? “

Barrasso admitted that “there are many things that will help the citizens of Wyoming” in the bill. But he insisted that “in general, Joe Biden’s policies hurt the people of Wyoming.”

Newsweek reached out to Barrasso’s press representatives for further comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The $ 3.5 trillion reconciliation package proposed by the White House and Democratic leaders will provide funding for universal pre-kindergarten, expand popular child tax credits, make two years of community college free for all Americans, expanding access to medicine, working to lower the cost of prescription drugs and address climate change, among other priorities. But Republicans in Congress are united in opposing Democratic law.

Democrats turned to the budget adjustment process clearly that they would not receive any GOP support for the bill. Because of the Senate law amendment rule, most legislation requires at least 60 votes to pass in the upper chamber of Congress. In an equally separated Senate-50 to 50-Democrats turned to the budget adjustment process, allowing passage with a small majority. Vice President Kamala Harris, the president of the Senate, could deliver the final decision on tied votes.

But moderate Democratic Senators Kyrsten Cinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia have expressed opposition to the high -price adjustment bill – leaving its passage in doubt. Manchin said last week that he would support a slightly smaller $ 1.5 trillion bill and President Joe Biden said he told lawmakers that the final package could be close to $ 1.9 trillion or $ 2.2 trillion.

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