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MORIAH BALINGIT Education Writer.

FILE - President Donald Trump colors during a visit with a group of children at the Nationwide Children's Hospital, Aug. 24, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

What Trump’s big tax law could mean for the youngest Americans

The impact of the massive spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on Independence Day is expected to filter down to infants and toddlers — a segment of the population that is particularly vulnerable to cuts to the federal social safety net. Many middle-class and wealthy families will see benefits from the new legislation, but programs that help low-income families keep babies healthy have been cut back. While state money funds public schools and preschool in some cases, programs supporting the youngest children are largely backed by the federal government.

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President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Hagerstown Regional Airport, in Hagerstown, Md., on his was to Camp David, Md., Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Can $1,000 at birth change a child’s future? A Republican proposal aims to find out

A House Republican proposal backed by President Donald Trump would set up tax-deferred investment accounts with $1,000 for infants born across the U.S. It builds on the concept of baby bonds, which some cities have begun introducing as a way to reduce gaps between wealthy people and poor people. But while other programs generally target disadvantaged groups, this one would be available to families of all incomes. Critics say the accounts would worsen inequality. Trump’s Republican administration says the accounts would “empower American children to reap the American Dream with a strong financial foundation.”

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