His proposal would bring back the direct monthly payments many parents used for six months last year to cover the cost of food, clothing and child care before Congress let the tax credit expire.

But Romney’s form of extra monthly payments would add stringent work requirements, slash programs that aid vulnerable Americans and make significant changes to the tax code.

While the additional work requirements and the reduced safety net programs could be tough pills for Democrats to swallow — even before they consider the sticky issue of tax reform — a bipartisan bill might be the only way for the expanded child tax credit to land on President Joe Biden’s desk.