The United States has set an all-time low for births in 2025, and it’s clear we’re nowhere near bottoming out unless lawmakers take decisive action to support families.
The Centers for Disease Control’s announcement came not as a surprise, but as a final warning. For decades, the federal government ignored the slow-motion collapse of the American family. As Washington prioritized corporate subsidies and globalist trade deals, the fundamental unity of our society withered under the weight of rising costs and a culture that views parenting as a burden. President Trump’s signing of the 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 goal of national policy.
The economic reality for the next generation requires nothing less than urgency. Family-friendly policies are not a niche issue for the wealthy. It’s a lifeline for struggling parents who are giving up an increasing share of their wages to cover the costs of housing, health care and education for their children, as well as vacation packages for the retired millionaires who own the homes they rent. Today, 69 million children age 17 or younger live in the United States. Their families face a difficult financial landscape. A majority of our nation’s youth – 40 million children – live in families with incomes of less than $100,000. More than 7 million people live in households with a household income of less than $20,000 per year. These are the families that form the backbone of our country, yet they often struggle the most to achieve the American Dream.
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The OBBB is addressing 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 provides an average tax cut of $1,300 for more than 40 million families. This policy respects the immense work parents do to raise the next generation of Americans. Research from the Institute for Family Studies shows 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 can’t afford.
Trump Accounts to appear in 2025, as the real estate mogul attempts to build long-term generational wealth. For each child born between 2025 and 2028, the Ministry of Finance will make a starting contribution of $1,000 into a tax-advantaged account. These accounts allow families and employers to contribute up to $5,000 annually. This policy capitalizes on every new American citizen from birth. It provides a child with a tangible foundation to eventually buy a house, start a business or pursue an education. This strategy treats every child as an investment in the country’s future, not as a drain on the country’s resources.
Moreover, the No Tax on Tips provision provides a huge boost to young parents in the service sector. Millions of Americans work in restaurants and hospitality, often working irregular hours to care for their children. By allowing these workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their taxable income, the Trump administration is providing an immediate take-home paycheck. A server who earns $20,000 in tips can save thousands of dollars annually. That money goes directly to 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 could have overseen a $4 trillion tax increase on American families by allowing the 2017 tax cuts to expire. They were willing to cut the child tax credit in half for millions of parents while protecting corporate tax loopholes. This opposition reveals a fundamental lack of concern about the affordability crisis. Likewise, some libertarian activists criticize these family-oriented policies while defending billions in corporate tax credits. This form of fiscal purity is intellectually dishonest. The tax code is already a tool of economic engineering. We must use it to benefit the family. Corporations are not the foundation of our nation. That’s what families are.
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We can find evidence that policies work by looking at South Korea. That country faced the lowest birth rate in history – a 60-year spiral of fertility mortality, driven in part by American taxpayer dollars through USAID population control programs. Yet South Korea just achieved 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 country saw a 15% increase in marriages. This happened because the government and big corporations stopped campaigning against the family and went all-in on marriage. The South Korean government is now giving married couples as much as $38,000 in housing subsidies, baby bonuses and tax breaks.
If the Republican Party has any future, it will follow suit. Under the status quo, young couples risk losing 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. You can judge a tree by its fruits. For 70 years, American policymakers have tinkered with the tax code to discourage family life. This brought us to a time with the lowest marriage rates, the lowest birth rates, and the highest rates of loneliness and depression in our history.
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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 government. They recognize that if bad policy can break a society, good policy can also fix it. As the midterm elections approach, Republicans in Congress — and Majority Leader Thune in particular — must take up the mantle of the family. They should adopt the full $5,000 child tax credit supported by Trump and pass the American Principles Project’s proposal for home savings accounts. These accounts allow young families to save for a down payment on their home in a tax-free environment.
It’s 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 escape from the American homeland. If Republicans get their act together, they can finally give American families something to celebrate next tax season.
