[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 19 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 19

Affirming the sense of Congress regarding the obligation of the United 
   States to improve the lives of the 36,950,000 Americans living in 
    poverty and the 15,928,000 of those who live in extreme poverty.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 9, 2007

   Ms. Lee submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Affirming the sense of Congress regarding the obligation of the United 
   States to improve the lives of the 36,950,000 Americans living in 
    poverty and the 15,928,000 of those who live in extreme poverty.

Whereas 8.7 percent of whites, 9.8 percent of Asian-Americans, 21.9 percent of 
        Latinos, and 24.7 percent of African-Americans in lived in poverty in 
        the United States in 2004;
Whereas the poverty rate is highest in rural counties, with 14.5 percent of the 
        population poor;
Whereas the top 5 most impoverished States according to the Census Bureau are 
        Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Louisiana, and the District of 
        Columbia;
Whereas extreme poverty is defined as people with income of less than \1/2\ of 
        the poverty level;
Whereas 12,896,000 children in the United States under the age of 18 lived in 
        poverty in 2005, and the number of children living in extreme poverty 
        rose by 87,000 from 2004-2005;
Whereas, between 2004 and 2005, the real median earnings for female full-time, 
        full-year workers declined by 1.3 percent and for male full-time, full-
        year workers declined by 1.8 percent;
Whereas, in 2005, an estimated 33 percent of the homeless population are 
        children and an estimated 1,350,000 children will experience 
        homelessness in a year;
Whereas homeless children face more barriers to school enrollment and attendance 
        due to a lack of available transportation, residency requirements, 
        inability to obtain previous school records, and a lack of clothing and 
        school supplies;
Whereas homeless children are in fair or poor health condition twice as often as 
        other children and have higher rates of asthma, ear infections, stomach 
        problems, and speech problems;
Whereas the number of uninsured Americans rose to 46,577,000 in 2005, 1,272,000 
        more than in the previous year, and the number of Americans without 
        health insurance has risen for 4 consecutive years;
Whereas the Census Bureau found that more than 25 percent of households with an 
        income of less than $25,000 did not have health insurance in 2005, 
        whereas 91 percent of households with incomes of $75,000 or more had 
        health insurance;
Whereas the Department of Agriculture has found that, in 2005, 35,100,000 people 
        lived in households experiencing food insecurity, meaning that they did 
        not have adequate access to enough food to meet basic dietary needs to 
        all times due to a lack of financial resources;
Whereas the Census Bureau survey on food security has found those at greatest 
        risk of being hungry live in households that are headed by a single 
        woman, a Latino or African-American, or with income below the poverty 
        line;
Whereas households with children experience food insecurity at more than double 
        the rate for households without children;
Whereas the Department of Labor records the unemployment level at the third 
        quarter of 2006 as being 4.1 percent for whites, 9.2 percent for 
        African-Americans and 5.3 percent for Latinos; and
Whereas on January 20, 2001, President Bush stated ``In the quiet of American 
        conscience, we know that deep, persistent poverty is unworthy of our 
        nation's promise. Where there is suffering, there is duty. Americans in 
        need are not strangers, they are citizens, not problems, but priorities. 
        And all of us are diminished when any are hopeless. And I can pledge our 
        nation to a goal: When we see that wounded traveler on the road to 
        Jericho, we will not pass to the other side.'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States has an obligation to improve the 
        lives of the 36,950,000 Americans living in poverty and the 
        15,928,000 of those who live in extreme poverty; and
            (2) the President should immediately present to Congress a 
        comprehensive plan to eradicate poverty by 2015.
                                 <all>