Democrats say the BBB would be the “most transformative investment in children and caregiving in generations” because it would, in part, extend the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC). But according to the language of the Build Back Better bill, the CTC will only be expanded for one year, at a cost of $130 billion.

If the expanded CTC were to be extended for 10 years, which is very likely what Democrats are planning, it would cost well over $1 trillion—nearly 10 times the amount estimated.

Another “transformative investment” that the BBB will supposedly phase out is its universal pre-K and child care tax credit provisions. Together, they will officially cost $390 billion and will be eliminated after just six years. If they were extended so that the program lasts at least 10 years, the cost of the program would more than double, to $800 billion.

Similar budgetary gimmicks were used to make the proposal to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and Affordable Care Act, among other important parts of the BBB legislation, more palatable to Americans worried about our ballooning national debt.