Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) speaks at a press conference about the ongoing relief efforts in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria at the Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., September 26, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that tax legislation is likely to include an expanded child tax credit, adding that any reform without such a change would not truly provide relief for the middle class.

“My sense is it will be in the underlying bill,” Rubio told reporters, adding that he would try to ensure that the credit could be refunded against payroll taxes, not just federal income taxes. “It looks like it’s settling back to about $2,000 and that’s about as low as we can go.”