Harris wants to give families a big tax break for a new baby

Vice President Harris is unveiling an economic plan on Friday that will focus on the high cost of housing, groceries and raising kids — top-of-mind expenses for voters pinched by years of rising prices.

The plan includes a major expansion in the child tax credit. Low- and middle-income families would get up to $6,000 when they have a new baby. And she wants to restore the pandemic-era program that gave families up to $3,600 per child.

A bigger child tax credit has also been proposed by Republicans. Vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance said on Sunday that he would like to see it expanded to $5,000 per child.

Polls have shown President Biden has struggled to get credit for his efforts to lower prices and many voters continue to trust Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump more on the economy — but polls also show that voters are less critical of Harris on economic issues.

"While our economy is doing well by many measures, prices for everyday things like groceries are still too high. You know it and I know it," Harris said on the campaign trail in Las Vegas on Aug. 10.

Harris will focus on housing prices

In Raleigh, N.C., Harris will give the first major policy address of her campaign. It's a city where her campaign is highlighting innovative affordable housing developments — in a state that Democrats are trying to win the presidential race for the first time since 2008.

She plans to announce a proposal for tax breaks that her campaign said would lead to 3 million new housing units in four years, going beyond a Biden White House proposal to ease housing shortages with 2 million new and renovated homes.

Harris' plan would give unspecified tax incentives to homebuilders for houses geared to first-time buyers and