Beginning this month, tens of thousands of families in Alaska will receive payments from the federal government.<\/p>\n
The payments are part of a child tax credit <\/a>included in the massive federal stimulus package known as the American Rescue Plan, which earlier this year passed narrowly along party lines in both the U.S. House and Senate. No member of Alaska’s all-Republican congressional delegation voted for the bill, according to Congress’ voting records. <\/a> Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young<\/a> voted against the bill. Sen. Dan Sullivan was absent for the 50-49 Senate vote due to a family funeral<\/a> but had previously voiced opposition to the bill. <\/a><\/p>\n The child tax credit component of the bill provides payments to eligible families who filed taxes in 2020 or 2019. Eligible families with a child between 6 and 17 years old may receive payments of up to $250 per child, according to a fact sheet shared by the White House. Eligible families with a child younger than 6 may receive up to $300 per child. Most eligible families will automatically receive payments, which are set to continue through the end of this year. President Joe Biden has proposed extending the payments.<\/p>\n