The United States set an all-time low for births in 2025, and it’s clear that we are nowhere near rock bottom unless lawmakers take resolute action to support families.
The Centers for Disease Control announcement arrived not as a surprise, but as a final warning. For decades, the federal government ignored the slow-motion collapse of the American family. While Washington prioritized corporate subsidies and globalist trade deals, the foundational unit of our society withered under the weight of rising costs and a culture that views parenthood as a burden. The signing of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) marks a decisive end to this era of neglect. By expanding the Child Tax Credit and establishing Trump Accounts, this administration recognizes that the survival of the American family must be the primary objective of national policy.
The economic reality for the next generation demands nothing less than urgency. Pro-family policy is not a niche concern for the wealthy. It is a lifeline for struggling parents who surrender ever-increasing shares of their paychecks to cover the costs of housing, healthcare and education for their kids, as well as vacation packages for the millionaire retirees who own the home they are renting. Today, 69 million children aged 17 or younger live in the United States. Their families face a daunting financial landscape. A majority of our nation’s youth — 40 million children — live in families with incomes below $100,000. More than 7 million live in households with household incomes below $20,000 annually. These are the families who are the backbone of our country, yet they often struggle most to achieve the American Dream.
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The OBBB addresses this crisis by transforming the Child Tax Credit (CTC) into a permanent, robust pillar of the economy. By increasing the credit to $2,500 per child, the bill secures an average tax cut of $1,300 for more than 40 million families. This policy respects the immense work parents perform to raise the next generation of Americans. Research from the Institute for Family Studies indicates that financial incentives of this magnitude could increase U.S. fertility rates by as much as 10%. By reducing the financial penalty of parenthood, we empower young couples to have the children they already want but feel they cannot afford.
Trump Accounts arrive in 2025 as the real estate mogul seeks to build long-term generational wealth. For every child born between 2025 and 2028, the Treasury Department will provide a $1,000 seed contribution into a tax-advantaged account. These accounts allow families and employers to contribute up to $5,000 annually. This policy capitalizes every new American citizen from birth. It provides a tangible foundation for a child to eventually buy a home, start a business, or pursue an education. This strategy treats every child as an investment in the nation’s future rather than a drain on its resources.
Furthermore, the No Taxes on Tips provision offers a massive boost to young parents in the service industry. Millions of Americans work in restaurants and hospitality, often juggling irregular hours to provide for their kids. By allowing these workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their taxable income, the Trump administration provides immediate take-home pay. A server earning $20,000 in tips could save thousands of dollars annually. That money goes directly toward childcare, groceries and rent.
The political contrast is absolute. Democrats in Congress fought the OBBB with a ferocity usually reserved for terrorists. Had they succeeded, they would have overseen a $4 trillion tax hike on American families by letting the 2017 tax cuts expire. They were prepared to halve the Child Tax Credit for millions of parents while protecting corporate tax loopholes. This opposition reveals a fundamental lack of concern for the affordability crisis. Similarly, some libertarian activists criticize these family-focused policies while defending billions in corporate tax credits. This brand of fiscal purity is intellectually dishonest. The tax code is already a tool of economic engineering. We must use it to favor the family. Corporations are not the bedrock of our nation. Families are.
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We can find proof that policy works by looking at South Korea. That nation faced the lowest birth rate in history — a 60-year fertility death spiral driven in part by American tax dollars through USAID population control programs. Yet, South Korea just pulled off two consecutive years of monthly birth increases. This recovery is not the result of IVF or delayed parenthood. It is the product of marriage. South Korea’s mini baby boom exploded after the nation saw a 15% jump in marriages. This happened because the government and major corporations stopped propagandizing against the family and went all-in on marriage. The South Korean government now shells out as much as $38,000 to married couples in housing subsidies, baby bonuses and tax breaks.
If the Republican Party has any future, it will follow this example. Under the status quo, young couples stand to lose as much as $30,000 in benefits the moment they say, “I Do.” These marriage penalties are not accidental. They are the product of an ideology hostile to the family. One can judge a tree by its fruit. For seven decades, American policymakers tinkered with the tax code to discourage family life. This brought us to a time of the lowest marriage rates, the lowest birth rates and the highest rates of loneliness and depression in our history.
President Trump and Vice President Vance are the first American leaders in generations to reject the myth that family formation is beyond the reach of good governance. They recognize that if bad policy can break a society, then good policy can fix it. As the midterms approach, congressional Republicans—and Majority Leader Thune in particular—should take up the mantle of the family. They must adopt the full $5,000 Child Tax Credit backed by Trump and pass the American Principles Project proposal for Home Savings Accounts. These accounts would allow young families to save for a home down payment in a tax-free environment.
It is fitting that the CDC released the bad news about birth rates just days before Tax Day. For too long, April 15 has felt like an extraction from the American home. If Republicans get their act together, they may finally give American families something to celebrate next tax season.
