Press Release2025-12-15
Improving Affordability
Ryan Mackenzie
RPA-7 · Representative
Full Text
Improving Affordability <span>Improving Affordability</span> <div class="evo-issue__body d-flex"> <div class="field__label font-weight-bold"> Body<span class="field__label__suffix mr-1">:</span> </div> <div class="field__item"><p dir="ltr"><span>Inflation has taken a toll on people all throughout our country, including here in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos. From the start of 2021 to 2025, prices increased 21% on average thanks to the worst inflation in decades. While inflation has since slowed, people in our community are still digging out of the hole created by these price increases. </span><strong>That's why I'm working to deliver the relief that workers, seniors, and families of the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos deserve. </strong></p><p dir="ltr"><strong>Read on to learn what we've done to deliver improved affordability, tax relief for every American, and an economy that works for working families. </strong></p><p dir="ltr"><iframe height="1292" width="100%" name="Affordability Priorities Survey" src="https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/EForm.aspx?__cid=PA07RM&__fid=100142&iframe=Y" title="Improving Affordability 2"> </iframe></p><dl class="ckeditor-accordion"><dt>Supporting Working Families</dt><dd> <div class="align-center media-item media-image evo-image-full-width"> <div class="image__field-media-image"> <div class="field__label font-weight-bold visually-hidden"> Image </div> <div class="field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="http://mackenzie.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/mackenzie.house.gov/files/styles/evo_image_full_width/public/evo-media-image/7.png?itok=PkEUnfk1" width="1920" height="480" alt="Congressman Mackenzie with his son. Caption: Supporting working families" class="img-fluid"> </div> </div> </div> <p dir="ltr"><span>As a husband and a father of young children, I understand the challenges facing working families in our community. That's why working to deliver relief to families has been a </span><strong>day one priority for me</strong><span> in Congress. The first legislation that I introduced was my working families tax package, a collection of bills that would significantly reduce costs for millions of American families. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Here's what's in the plan:</span></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Expanding access to paid family and medical leave by strengthening incentives for employers.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Reducing childcare costs by doubling the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>More than doubling the Child Tax Credit.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Increasing the adoption tax credit and creating a matching credit for IVF. </span></li></ul><p class="text-align-center" dir="ltr"><span>Learn more about the </span><em>Working Families Tax Package </em><a href="https://mackenzie.house.gov/issues/supporting-working-families"><u>HERE</u></a><span>. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>After introducing this legislation, I got to work on including these concepts in the 2025 budget reconciliation package. Following my advocacy, we were able to secure real wins for working families in our community, including:</span></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>A permanent increase to the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,200, with future indexing for inflation to ensure that the credit doesn't lose its value.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>An </span><a href="https://bipartisanpolicy.org/article/tax-support-child-care-enhanced-cdctc-calculator/#:~:text=For%20most%20working%20families%2C%20child,weather%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic."><u>expansion</u></a><span> of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>A $750 increase to the standard deduction for every taxpayer.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>The creation of savings accounts for all children born from 2025-2028, with over $1,000 in starting funds from the government and private donors. </span></li></ul></dd><dt>Standing up for Workers</dt><dd> <div class="align-center media-item media-image evo-image-full-width"> <div class="image__field-media-image"> <div class="field__label font-weight-bold visually-hidden"> Image </div> <div class="field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="http://mackenzie.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/mackenzie.house.gov/files/styles/evo_image_full_width/public/evo-media-image/8.png?itok=koPd0b-h" width="1920" height="480" alt="Congressman Mackenzie with workers at McDonald's. Caption: Standing up for Workers" class="img-fluid"> </div> </div> </div> <p dir="ltr"><span>Washington has failed American workers for decades - failing to address unfair and illegal competition, punishing hard work, and allowing wages to stagnate. Improving affordability doesn't just mean reining in inflation, it means ensuring that workers have the take-home pay that they deserve in an economy that works. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>First, we're ensuring that hard work pays off for American workers, and that tips are going to th