MADISON, Wis.— As Wisconsinites start to see the impact of the American Rescue Plan, Opportunity Wisconsin and Citizen Action Wisconsin Northwestern Organizing Cooperative sat down with Senator Tammy Baldwin and Badger State parents on Facebook LIVE to discuss the historic impact this law will have on children and families across the state.

[READ MORE: How the American Rescue Plan Helps Wisconsin Families]

“We’ve just passed a measure that could take half of all children currently in poverty out of poverty,” said Senator Baldwin. “Why shouldn’t we have this goal every day, pandemic or not? Why should we not have this commitment that every child has every opportunity?” [WATCH]

When asked how additional financial support from the American Rescue Plan would impact her, Barbara Cerda, a Milwaukee area mother, responded, “I got my stimulus check this morning, and my first trip was to the gas station to fill up my tank. I had been putting in little bits at a time, and this morning I was able to fill up my tank…Long term, I can pay my rent for six months, I can use that money to fix my car that has been in my garage for the past four months. It means I can buy my children new clothes, we’ve been using our summer clothes.”  [WATCH]

The American Rescue Plan cuts child poverty in the United States in half through an expansion of the child tax credit, which will lift over 46,000 Wisconsin children out of poverty. The new child tax credits will deliver up to $1,600 annually per child to the families of over 1.1 million Badger State children.

A recent survey from Opportunity Wisconsin and Change Research found broad support from Wisconsinites for the American Rescue Plan, with large bipartisan majorities in favor of many of the bill’s provisions.

Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member and UW-Eau Claire professor, Dr. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, moderated the conversation. Members of the media wishing to speak with event participants, should email press@opportunitywisconsin.org to arrange interviews.

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