A Longshot Bipartisan Deal In Congress Could Unexpectedly Help Children

A longshot bipartisan tax deal under negotiation on Capitol Hill could deliver extra cash to parents in exchange for business subsidies.

The top tax lawmakers in the House and Senate — Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) — have been working on a deal expanding the child tax credit alongside business tax breaks.

The deal isn’t final, and even if Wyden and Smith reach an understanding, it’s not clear that the rest of Congress would go along.

Still, an agreement would be a long-sought bipartisan breakthrough that...