June 23, 2003

Two United Methodists are among a dozen Christian leaders calling on President George W. Bush to ask Congress to restore child tax credit provisions that were dropped from the tax bill he signed in May.

The leaders, who wrote to Bush on June 19, represent denominations affiliated with the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. They include the Rev. Robert Edgar, the NCC's top staff executive and a United Methodist, and Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, ecumenical officer for the United Methodist Council of Bishops.

"The National Council of Churches urges you to call on the House leadership to restore the child tax credit benefits that were dropped from the final tax bill," the religious leaders wrote to Bush. "You have called faith-based groups 'soldiers in the armies of compassion.' As faith leaders we implore you to lead us in the fight for the children of low-income families by interceding on their behalf. Without your personal intervention, this bill will surely die in Congress."

Initially, the tax bill excluded relief to lower-income families, but the Senate passed bipartisan legislation, supported by Bush, to include the child tax credit in the final bill. Remedial legislation would restore the tax relief to the working parents of almost 12 million children - one out of every six children under age 17, and more than a million children of military personnel, the NCC said. The bill is in the House of Representatives.

The faith leaders said they "have grave concerns" about the bill. "We pray that you will demonstrate America's concern for every child by urging the House to accept the Senate version of the bill without further delay," they wrote to Bush. Without his help, "millions of low-income families will be denied the relief they need," they wrote.

"We really need the President to move on this," Edgar said in a press release. "Our children need us to show them through our actions that we care about their well-being."

The letter also was signed by Presbyterian Church (USA), American Baptist, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, United Church of Christ and Episcopal leaders.

United Methodist News Service