House Bill
On April 17, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) introduced the Making Adoption Affordable Act (HR 4373). (Read Rep. Braley’s press release) This is the only pending House bill that would accomplish all of the goals of the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group. The bill would set the adoption tax credit at $13,360 and make it refundable and permanent. The bill is continually gaining bipartisan co-sponsors. (View the list of co-sponsors)
If your member of Congress is not a co-sponsor (click on the link above to check), we encourage you to ask your member of the House of Representatives to become a co-sponsor of HR 4373. Please visit the Advocate section for more information about what you can do and how to contact your Representative.
Senate Bill
On September 21, Senators Landrieu (D-LA), Blunt (R-MO), Hutchison (R-TX), and Cardin (D-MD) introduced S. 3616. (View the full list of co-sponsors.) This Senate bill meets all of the goals of the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group to make the adoption tax credit inclusive, flat for special needs adoptions, refundable, and permanent. (Read Senator Landrieu’s press release)
We encourage everyone to contact their two U.S. Senators to ask them to become co-sponsors of this bipartisan bill. You can find your Senators and their contact information at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.
When Will the Credit Be Considered by Congress?
The adoption tax credit is likely to be included in a package of other tax credits that need to be extended, and we expect such a package to be considered by Congress sometime after the November election. We are concerned the final extended credit will not be refundable. We are working hard to ensure that refundability is part of the discussion, but we need your help in showing members of Congress that refundability helps foster care adoption and lower to middle income tax filers. Be sure to discuss why the adoption tax credit matters to you and mention the importance of a refundable tax credit when you contact your members of Congress. Having more members of Congress signed on as co-sponsors of these two bills that include refundability will also help. You can find more information about why refundability matters in the FAQs.
