[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 22, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H359-H364]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS A MORAL 
     RESPONSIBILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE PERSONS, GROUPS AND 
   COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IMPOVERISHED, DISADVANTAGED OR OTHERWISE IN 
                                POVERTY

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 198) expressing the sense of 
Congress that the United States has a moral responsibility to meet the 
needs of those persons, groups and communities that are impoverished, 
disadvantaged or otherwise in poverty, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 198

       Whereas poverty can be seen as a deep, structural problem 
     that implicates our value system and our educational and 
     economic institutions;
       Whereas poverty may be defined as the lack of basic 
     necessities of life such as food, shelter, clothing, health 
     care, education, security, and opportunity;
       Whereas policy initiatives addressing poverty have not kept 
     pace with the needs of millions of Americans;
       Whereas many experts believe that the lack of an equitable 
     distribution of housing choices across the country leads to 
     isolation and concentrated poverty;
       Whereas the number of Americans living in poverty has risen 
     by over 5,000,000 since 2000;
       Whereas there were 37 million Americans living in poverty 
     in 2005;
       Whereas the official poverty rate in 2005 was 12.6 percent;
       Whereas 24.9 percent of African Americans, 21.8 percent of 
     Hispanics, 25.3 percent of Native Americans, 10.9 percent of 
     Asian Americans, and 8.3 percent of Whites lived in poverty 
     in the United States in 2005;
       Whereas in 2005 a family of 4 was considered poor under the 
     U.S. Census Bureau's official measure if the family's income 
     was below $19,971;
       Whereas the poverty rate for children 18 years and younger 
     (17.6 percent) remained higher than that of 18-24 year-olds 
     (11.1 percent) and that of people 65 and older (10.1 percent) 
     in 2005; and
       Whereas the number in poverty increased for people 65 and 
     older by almost 400,000 since 2000: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the United 
     States should set a national goal of cutting poverty in half 
     over the next 10 years.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Shays) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.


                             General Leave

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in 
consideration of H. Con. Res. 198, as amended, which expresses the 
sense of Congress that the United States has a moral responsibility to 
meet the needs of those persons, groups and communities that are 
impoverished, disadvantaged or otherwise in poverty.
  H. Con. Res. 198 was introduced by Representative Barbara Lee on 
August 1, 2007, and was amended and reported from the Oversight 
Committee on December 12 by a voice vote. The measure has the support 
and sponsorship of 80 Members of Congress and reminds each of us of the 
important role we play in the battle against poverty.
  Madam Speaker, I want to continue with certain of my remarks in the 
Record, but I would like to make other remarks at this time.
  We have just come from the celebration of the birth of Martin Luther 
King, Jr. His signature issues, of course, were war and peace and 
poverty, falling only behind civil rights. It's clear that he achieved 
what he desired, certainly much of what we desired, because during the 
1960s there were three seminal civil rights bills passed, long-time 
goals of African Americans, other people of color, and many in this 
Chamber.
  But two of King's goals remain completely without remedy. One, of 
course, is war and peace, and you can imagine where he would have been 
on the war in Iraq. But perhaps, most telling, is that we celebrated 
Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday at a time when the gap between rich 
and poor is considerably wider than when King died.
  Therefore, I am not sure whether the gentlewoman from California had 
in mind that we would bring this bill up right after Martin Luther King 
Jr.'s birthday, but there it is, and that makes it all the more timely.
  As it turns out, though, Madam Speaker, the state of the economy has 
rendered this issue high on the national agenda for the first time in 
many years. For the first time, the entire Congress will be looking or 
should be looking at those who have the least in our society and why. I 
am afraid it's not because of their high priority. They are the lowest 
voting group. They sometimes are invisible. But the fact is that 
economists across the board have said that we need to enact a stimulus 
package yesterday, and that in order for it to have any effect, and, in 
fact, not be effective when it might do more harm than good, we need to 
get the stimulus package in the pockets of people who can spend the 
money immediately.

[[Page H360]]

  Therefore, many of us think that the people we know who will spend 
the money tomorrow are the people who have no money to spend. The 
people who run out of food stamps in the middle of the month. The 
people who have run out of unemployment security. The people who need 
the most but who have the lowest profile often in the Congress now have 
assumed importance because of the state of the economy.
  Madam Speaker, what is most distressing was to see that the poverty 
rate increased even for people 65 and over by almost 400,000 people. 
The one group of people that, in fact, gets some attention in the 
Congress, of course, are the elderly. They are the highest percentage 
of voting people; yet, their poverty rate is going up. That is very 
distressing since they are on fixed incomes and are least able to do 
something about it. They don't get unemployment insurance, many of them 
don't.
  I am particularly concerned about the people who don't show up on the 
tax rolls. Many, if not most of them, pay payroll taxes. The only way 
to focus on them is to focus on them who needs, who will spend the 
money first should get the money first.
  My concern about the baby boomers, those over 65, is not only that 
they should be in this group. I know they will spend the money 
instantly. But my concern is to wonder whether or not this is a 
harbinger of the baby boomers, the first baby boomers have just come 
forward, whether we are about to see that huge group of people show up, 
bringing increased pressure on the economy.
  So I compliment the gentlelady from California for coming forward 
with a bill that I am sure will have bipartisan support.
  In the District of Columbia, I have to tell her that we are not a 
poor city. We are second per capita in Federal income taxes and, 
therefore, a lot of middle-class and rich people in the District of 
Columbia, but one of every three children in the District of Columbia 
lives in poverty.
  I want to make sure that whatever we do to stimulate the economy or 
to pay attention to this resolution hits those children very quickly. 
We have 10 percent of District residents living in extreme poverty, 
even though the District cannot be counted among those cities which 
have lost so much, many of them lost a base, because we have the 
Federal Government here, because even our real estate industry 
continues to boom.

                              {time}  1430

  Madam Speaker, I think this timely resolution is important not only 
for its own sake, but because it draws our attention to what I believe 
will be a first priority for the Congress this session, especially 
today as our congressional leadership on both sides of the aisle are 
meeting with the President of the United States on the very stimulus 
package that I have described.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHAYS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of H. Con. Res. 198 which 
expresses the sense of Congress that we have a moral responsibility as 
a Nation to meet the needs of those persons, groups and communities 
that are impoverished, disadvantaged or otherwise in poverty.
  Madam Speaker, it is fitting that a day after the celebration of the 
life and achievement of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., we are taking 
up a resolution that addresses our obligation to help many of those 
that Dr. King had particular concern for, the downtrodden, the 
underserved and the impoverished.
  I believe we all seek, as Dr. King did, to create a just society and 
to alleviate poverty and its attendant suffering. We may differ on 
methods, we may differ on who and how and how many, but broad 
prosperity for all is, I believe, the goal of virtually everyone who 
graces this Chamber.
  This resolution seeks to bring attention to poverty and the 
responsibility we have as citizens of this Nation and this world to 
help relieve the suffering of others. This responsibility does not fall 
only to the Federal Government, but it will be solved only through the 
collective efforts of not just governments at every level, but 
charities, businesses and individuals.
  We are told the poor will always be among us, but that does not 
relieve us of the challenge of trying to alleviate the suffering, tend 
to their needs, and improve to the extent we can their lot in life.
  I commend our colleague, Representative Lee, for reminding us of 
this, and I, too, think it is a wonderful coincidence, that we are 
taking this resolution on the day we have all come back from 
celebrations recognizing that the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. 
didn't lead a rebellion, which is a failed revolution, he led a 
revolution. And he spoke to this young person, me, in the 1950s when I 
saw Little Rock with military forces and I wondered as a child what was 
happening to my country. Reverend King helped guide all of us in a 
direction that has done so much to address many of the concerns he 
championed. His dream is not dead, it is still alive and it is a dream 
that we need to carry into the future.
  It wasn't a mindless dream, it was a dream based on the promise of 
America. He spoke to our better nature and lifted all of us. He spoke 
to the oppressor and to the oppressed, those with much and those with 
very little, and those with nothing.
  Reverend King belongs to all of us. We have a duty, as I think my 
colleague Representative Lee will point out. We have a duty and 
obligation and a wonderful opportunity to heed his call to action.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may 
desire to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) who authored the 
resolution.
  Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, let me thank the gentlelady from the District 
of Columbia, not only for managing this resolution today, but for your 
long-standing work in addressing injustice everywhere, including 
economic justice which goes to the heart of this resolution.
  Also let me take a moment to thank my colleague, the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Shays) for your leadership and for your support and 
for your commitment to eliminate poverty; to Speaker  Nancy Pelosi; our 
majority leader, Steny Hoyer; Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Tom 
Davis. I want to commend them and thank them for their strong support 
in bringing this very important resolution forward today because I 
think the bipartisan support for this shows and demonstrates that we 
all understand very clearly this is not a Democratic or Republican 
issue, it is not an urban issue or rural issue, this is a moral issue 
that we must address together.
  I would like to recognize all 83 cosponsors who have worked hard on 
this resolution. Your support has been critical in helping to move it 
forward.
  Also to those who co-chair the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus 
with me: Congressman Conyers, Chairman Baca, who chairs the 
Congressional Hispanic Caucus; Congressman Honda, who chairs the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus; and Congressman 
Butterfield. Their dedication and commitment is crucial to our broader 
goal of ending poverty.
  I would also like to thank our staff, Alexis Brandt of the majority 
leader's office; Bill Goold of the Congressional Progressive Caucus; 
Leila Gomez of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, who works in my 
office and has done a tremendous job on this; Tunde Eboda, who was a 
Brookings Fellow in my office; and Chris Lee of my staff. All of our 
staffs have really kept focused and worked together and have worked 
very hard to make sure that this resolution received the support that 
it has received.
  Madam Speaker, the resolution before us today is really very 
straightforward. It simply states that Congress supports setting a 
national goal of cutting poverty in half over the next 10 years. It is 
unfortunate that in the wealthiest country in the world that we even 
need this resolution, but the fact is that we do.
  As both the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) 
and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) reminded us, yesterday 
we took the time out to honor what would have been Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr.'s 79th birthday, and as we reflect upon his life and his 
legacy and the struggle for civil and human rights, for peace and

[[Page H361]]

for justice, it is important also to reflect upon how far we have 
strayed from his vision to eradicate poverty.
  So this resolution is just one small step in honoring his legacy in 
more than words. It is one small legislative action we can do today to 
say we, too, believe that not only on his birthday but throughout the 
year we have a responsibility to live his legacy and do what we can do 
to eliminate poverty.
  Our country is the land of opportunity. But the sad reality is that 
income inequality continues to grow and more people are falling into 
poverty than getting ahead. Just consider the fact that over 37 million 
Americans, more than the population of my home State of California, are 
in poverty, and the number has grown by 5 million within the last 5 to 
6 years. One in eight Americans lives in poverty now. Poverty in the 
United States is far higher than in many other developed nations, and 
inequality is at an all-time high.
  The richest 1 percent of Americans in 2005 held the largest share of 
the Nation's income since 1925; and at the same time, the poorest 20 
percent held only 3.4 percent of the Nation's income.
  Madam Speaker, I will include for the Record a document titled ``From 
Poverty to Prosperity.'' It was put forth by the Center for American 
Progress' Task Force on Poverty.
  The statistics in this report and other reports quantify what most of 
us already know, that we are heading in the wrong direction, and that 
we need a national commitment to address the growing poverty crisis in 
this Nation.
  This resolution helps us get back on track by setting an achievable, 
and in my view a very modest goal, of cutting poverty in half over the 
next decade.
  Madam Speaker, perhaps the greatest example of the profound need for 
action to address the poverty crisis in our Nation was Hurricane 
Katrina and the incredible suffering that it brought to so many, and 
which continues today.
  The facts speak for themselves. One-third of those displaced by 
Hurricane Katrina had incomes below 1\1/2\ times the poverty line. The 
storm had its greatest impact on people of color, affecting African 
Americans who accounted for nearly half of those affected. The gulf 
coast hurricane should have been a wake-up call. Unfortunately, the 
administration chose only to hit the snooze button.

  That is why I am glad we are here today in a bipartisan way helping 
to sound this alarm again. By setting our sights to tackling poverty 
head-on, we can take some very serious steps towards bridging the gap 
between the haves and the have-nots. There is much work to be done.
  Last year again, this important document on the state of poverty in 
America made several important proposals. The Center based its 
recommendations on four principles: Promote decent work, promoting 
opportunity for all, ensuring economic security for all, and helping 
people build wealth. Based on these principles, the report offers 12 
key steps, including raising the minimum wage, and many of the efforts 
which we have been engaging in in this Congress, but much more needs to 
be done.
  So as we consider an income stimulus plan in the next few weeks, I 
hope we keep these points in mind. Fighting poverty isn't a mystery, it 
just requires us to make a commitment to the goal and to dedicate the 
necessary resources to do this.
  This resolution is an important step forward, and I urge my 
colleagues to support it and join me and my colleagues in the Out of 
Poverty Caucus in our efforts to eliminate poverty in America. This is 
a moral imperative which we must all embrace.

                       From Poverty to Prosperity


                           EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

       Thirty-seven million Americans live below the official 
     poverty line. Millions more struggle each month to pay for 
     basic necessities, or run out of savings when they lose their 
     jobs or face health emergencies. Poverty imposes enormous 
     costs on society. The lost potential of children raised in 
     poor households, the lower productivity and earnings of poor 
     adults, the poor health, increased crime, and broken 
     neighborhoods all hurt our nation. Persistent childhood 
     poverty is estimated to cost our nation $500 billion each 
     year, or about 4 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic 
     Product. In a world of increasing global competition, we 
     cannot afford to squander these human resources.
       The Center for American Progress last year convened a 
     diverse group of national experts and leaders to examine the 
     causes and consequences of poverty in America and make 
     recommendations for national action. In this report, our Task 
     Force on Poverty calls for a national goal of cutting poverty 
     in half in the next 10 years and proposes a strategy to reach 
     the goal.
       Our nation has seen periods of dramatic poverty reduction 
     at times when near-full employment was combined with sound 
     federal and state policies, motivated individual initiative, 
     supportive civic involvement, and sustained national 
     commitment. In the last six years, however, our nation his 
     moved in the opposite direction. The number of poor Americans 
     has grown by five million, while inequality has reached 
     historic high levels.
       Consider the following facts:
       One in eight Americans now lives in poverty. A family of 
     four is considered poor if the family's income is below 
     $19,971--a bar far below what most people believe a family 
     needs to get by. Still, using this measure, 12.6 percent of 
     all Americans were poor in 2005, and more than 90 million 
     people (31 percent of all Americans) had incomes below 200 
     percent of federal poverty thresholds.
       Millions of Americans will spend at least one year in 
     poverty at some point in their lives. One third of all 
     Americans will experience poverty within a 13-year period. In 
     that period, one in 10 Americans are poor for most of the 
     time, and one in 20 are poor for 10 or more years.
       Poverty in the United States is far higher than in many 
     other developed nations. At the turn of the 21st century, the 
     United States ranked 24th among 25 countries when measuring 
     the share of the population below 50 percent of median 
     income.
       Inequality has reached record highs. The richest one 
     percent of Americans in 2005 had the largest share of the 
     nation's income (19 percent) since 1929. At the same time, 
     the poorest 20 percent of Americans had only 3.4 percent of 
     the nation's income.
       It does not have to be this way. Our nation need not 
     tolerate persistent poverty alongside great wealth.
       The United States should set a national goal of cutting 
     poverty in half over the next 10 years. A strategy to cut 
     poverty in half should be guided by four principles:
       Promote Decent Work. People should work and work should pay 
     enough to ensure that workers and their families can avoid 
     poverty, meet basic needs, and save for the future.
       Provide Opportunity for All. Children should grow up in 
     conditions that maximize their opportunities for success; 
     adults should have opportunities throughout their lives to 
     connect to work, get more education, live in a good 
     neighborhood, and move up in the workforce.
       Ensure Economic Security. Americans should not fall into 
     poverty when they cannot work or work is unavailable, 
     unstable, or pays so little that they cannot make ends meet.
       Help People Build Wealth. All Americans should have the 
     opportunity to build assets that allow them to weather 
     periods of flux and volatility, and to have the resources 
     that may be essential to advancement and upward mobility.
       We recommend 12 key steps to cut poverty in half:
       1. Raise and index the minimum wage to half the average 
     hourly wage. At $5.15, the federal minimum wage is at its 
     lowest level in real terms since 1956. The federal minimum 
     wage was once 50 percent of the average wage but is now 30 
     percent of that wage. Congress should restore the minimum 
     wage to 50 percent of the average wage, about $8.40 an hour 
     in 2006. Doing so would help over 4.5 million poor workers 
     and nearly nine million other low-income workers.
       2. Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax 
     Credit. As an earnings supplement for low-income working 
     families, the EITC raises incomes and helps families build 
     assets. EITC expansions during the 1990s helped increase 
     employment and reduced poverty. But the current EITC does 
     little to help workers without children. We recommend 
     tripling the EITC for childless workers, and expanding 
     help to larger working; families. Doing so would cut the 
     number of people in poverty by over two million. The Child 
     Tax Credit provides a tax credit of up to $1,000 per 
     child, but provides no help to the poorest families. We 
     recommend making it available to all low- and moderate-
     income families. Doing so would move two million children 
     and one million parents out of poverty.
       3. Promote unionization by enacting the Employee Free 
     Choice Act. The Employee Free Choice Act would require 
     employers to recognize a union after a majority of workers 
     signs cards authorizing union representation and establish 
     stronger penalties for violation of employee rights. The 
     increased union representation made possible by the Act would 
     lead to better jobs and less poverty for American workers.
       4. Guarantee child care assistance to low-income families 
     and promote early education for all. We propose that the 
     federal and state governments guarantee child care help to 
     families with incomes below about $40,000 a year, and also 
     expand the child care tax credit. At the same time, states 
     should be encouraged to improve the quality of early 
     education and broaden access for all children. Our child care 
     expansion would raise employment among low-income parents and 
     help nearly three million parents and children escape 
     poverty.

[[Page H362]]

       5. Create two million new ``opportunity'' housing vouchers, 
     and promote equitable development in and around central 
     cities. Nearly 8 million Americans live in neighborhoods of 
     concentrated poverty where at least 40 percent of residents 
     are poor. Our nation should seek to end concentrated poverty 
     and economic segregation, and promote regional equity and 
     inner-city revitalization. We propose that over the next 10 
     years the federal government fund two million new 
     ``opportunity vouchers'' designed to help people live in 
     opportunity-rich areas. New affordable housing should be in 
     communities with employment opportunities and high-quality 
     public services, or in gentrifying communities. These housing 
     policies should be part of a broader effort to pursue 
     equitable development strategies in regional and local 
     planning effects, including efforts to improve schools, 
     create affordable housing, assure physical security, and 
     enhance neighborhood amenities.
       6. Connect disadvantaged and disconnected youth with school 
     and work. About 1.7 million poor youth ages 16 to 24 were out 
     of school and out of work in 2005. We recommend that the 
     federal government restore Youth Opportunity Grants to help 
     the most disadvantaged communities and expand funding for 
     effective and promising youth programs--with the goal of 
     reaching 600,000 poor disadvantaged youth through these 
     efforts. We propose a new Upward Pathway program to offer 
     low-income youth opportunities to participate in service and 
     training in fields that are in high-demand and provide needed 
     public services.
       7. Simplify and expand Pell Grants and make higher 
     education accessible to residents of each state.
       Low-income youth are much less likely to attend college 
     than their higher income peers, even among those of 
     comparable abilities. Pell Grants play a crucial role for 
     lower-income students. We propose to simplify the Pell grant 
     application process, gradually raise Pell Grants to reach 70 
     percent of the average costs of attending a four-year public 
     institution, and encourage institutions to do more to raise 
     student completion rates. As the federal government does its 
     part, states should develop strategies to make post-secondary 
     education affordable for all residents, following promising 
     models already underway in a number of states.
       8. Help former prisoners find stable employment and 
     reintegrate into their communities. The United States has the 
     highest incarceration rate in the world. We urge all states 
     to develop comprehensive reentry services aimed at 
     reintegrating former prisoners into their communities with 
     full-time, consistent employment.
       9. Ensure equity for low-wage workers in the Unemployment 
     Insurance system. Only about 35 percent of the unemployed, 
     and a smaller share of unemployed low-wage workers, receive 
     unemployment insurance benefits. We recommend that states 
     (with federal help) reform ``monetary eligibility'' rules 
     that screen out low-wage workers, broaden eligibility for 
     part-time workers and workers who have lost employment as a 
     result of compelling family circumstances, and allow 
     unemployed workers to use periods of unemployment as a time 
     to upgrade their skills and qualifications.
       10. Modernize means-tested benefits programs to develop a 
     coordinated system that helps workers and families. A well-
     functioning safety net should help people get into or return 
     to work and ensure a decent level of living for those who 
     cannot work or are temporarily between jobs. Our current 
     system fails to do so. We recommend that governments at all 
     levels simplify and improve benefits access for working 
     families and improve services to individuals with 
     disabilities. The Food Stamp Program should be strengthened 
     to improve benefits, eligibility, and access. And the 
     Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program should be 
     reformed to shift its focus from cutting caseloads to helping 
     needy families find sustainable employment.
       11. Reduce the high costs of being poor and increase access 
     to financial services. Despite having less income, lower-
     income families often pay more than middle and high-income 
     families for the same consumer products. We recommend that 
     the federal and state governments should address the 
     foreclosure crisis through expanded mortgage assistance 
     programs and by new federal legislation to curb unscrupulous 
     practices. And we propose that the federal government 
     establish a $50 million Financial Fairness Innovation Fund to 
     support state efforts to broaden access to mainstream goods 
     and financial services in predominantly low-income 
     communities.
       12. Expand and simplify the Saver's Credit to encourage 
     saving for education, homeownership and retirement. For many 
     families, saving for purposes such as education, a home, or a 
     small business is key to making economic progress. We 
     propose that the federal ``Saver's Credit'' be reformed to 
     make it fully refundable. This Credit should also be 
     broadened to apply to other appropriate savings vehicles 
     intended to foster asset accumulation, with consideration 
     given to including individual development accounts, 
     children's saving accounts, and college savings plans.
       We believe our recommendations will cut poverty in half. 
     The Urban Institute, which modeled the implementation of one 
     set of our recommendations, estimates that four of our steps 
     would reduce poverty by 26 percent, bringing us more than 
     halfway toward our goal. Among their findings:
       Taken together, our minimum wage, EITC, child credit, and 
     child care recommendations would reduce poverty by 26 
     percent. This would mean over nine million fewer people in 
     poverty and a national poverty rate of 9.1 percent--the 
     lowest in recorded U.S. history.
       The racial poverty gap would be narrowed. White poverty 
     would fall from 8.7 percent to 7 percent. Poverty among 
     African Americans would fall from 21.4 percent to 15.6 
     percent. Hispanic poverty would fall from 21.4 percent to 
     12.9 percent and poverty for all others would fall from 12.7 
     percent to 10.3 percent.
       Child poverty and extreme poverty would both fall. Child 
     poverty would drop by 41 percent. The number of people in 
     extreme poverty would fall by over two million.
       Millions of low- and moderate-income families would 
     benefit. Almost half of the benefits would help low- and 
     moderate-income families.
       That these recommendations would reduce poverty by more 
     than one quarter is powerful evidence that a 50 percent 
     reduction can be reached within a decade.
       The combined cost of our principal recommendations is in 
     the range of $90 billion a year--a significant cost but one 
     that is necessary and could be readily funded through a 
     fairer tax system. An additional $90 billion in annual 
     spending would represent about 0.8 percent of the nation's 
     Gross Domestic Product, which is a fraction of the money 
     spent on tax changes that benefited primarily the wealthy in 
     recent years. Consider that:
       The current annual costs of the tax cuts enacted by 
     Congress in 2001 and 2003 are in the range of $400 billion a 
     year.
       In 2008 alone the value of the tax cuts to households with 
     incomes exceeding $200,000 a year is projected to be $100 
     billion.
       Our recommendations could be fully paid for simply by 
     bringing better balance to the federal tax system and 
     recouping part of what has been lost by the excessive tax 
     cuts of recent years. We recognize that serious action has 
     serious costs, but the challenge before the nation is not 
     whether we can afford to act, but rather that we must decide 
     to act.


                             THE NEXT STEPS

       In 2009, we will have a new president and a new Congress. 
     Across the nation, there is a yearning for a shared national 
     commitment to build a better, fairer, more prosperous 
     country, with opportunity for all. In communities across the 
     nation, policymakers, business people, people of faith, and 
     concerned citizens are coming together. Our commitment to the 
     common good compels us to move forward.


                       poverty task force members

       Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder and CEO, PolicyLink (co-
     chair).
       Peter B. Edelman, Professor of Law, Georgetown University 
     (co-chair).
       Rebecca Blank, Dean, Gerald R. Ford School of Public 
     Policy, Henry Carter Adams Collegiate Professor of Public 
     Policy, University of Michigan.
       Linda Chavez-Thompson, Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO.
       Reverend Dr. Floyd H. Flake, President, Wilberforce 
     University.
       Wizipan Garriott, Law Student and Board President of the He 
     Sapa Leadership Academy.
       Maude Hurd, National President, ACORN.
       Charles E. M. Kolb, President, Committee for Economic 
     Development.
       Meizhu Lui, Executive Director, United for a Fair Economy.
       Alice M. Rivlin, Senior Fellow and Director, Greater 
     Washington Research Program, Brookings Institution.
       Barbara J. Robles, Associate Professor, Arizona State 
     University.
       Robert Solow, Professor Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute 
     of Technology.
       Dorothy Stoneman, Founder and President, YouthBuild USA.
       Wellington E. Webb, Former Mayor of Denver.
  Mr. SHAYS. I had already yielded back my time.
  I wonder if the gracious lady would yield me a minute.
  Ms. NORTON. I certainly will.
  Mr. SHAYS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time, and I want to agree with everything I have heard to the 
point of the need to have a stimulus package that recognizes those who 
have the least resources.
  But I do want to say that we also need to recognize that we need to 
stimulate investment in plants, machinery, and we need to make sure 
that whatever goods consumers buy are likely to be American products 
and that we are just not transferring that benefit overseas. So there 
is going to be a lot that happens, but I agree with my colleagues, we 
will be able to work together on this issue.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, the poor in our country have assumed a 
high profile today because of the state of the economy. I hope that the 
gentlelady's resolution helps us to bear in mind that the poor in our 
country need a higher profile throughout the 110th Congress.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong 
support of H. Con. Res. 198, expressing the sense of Con-

[[Page H363]]

gress that the United States has a moral responsibility to meet the 
needs of those persons, groups and communities that are impoverished, 
disadvantaged or otherwise in poverty, introduced by my distinguished 
colleague from California, Representative Barbara Lee. Congresswoman 
Barbara Lee, co-founder of the Out of Poverty Caucus, has articulated a 
national goal to reduce poverty by 50 percent over the next 10 years. 
This legislation is an imperative instrument in addressing the ongoing 
endemic that is poverty in America.
  Approximately 36.5 million American citizens, 12.3 percent of United 
States population, live in poverty. The incidence of destitution is 
associated with race and ethnicity, location, family composition, age, 
and education. America has allowed poverty to fall off the national 
agenda. In a nation as industrial and prominent as the United States, 
it seems paradoxical to have such high levels of poverty. During the 
1960s, when President Johnson made poverty a national concern, policies 
and programs were created to set into motion a series of bills and acts 
which ``brought about real results, reduced rates of poverty, and 
improved living standards for America's poor.''
  Madam Speaker, it is essential that this Congress satisfies the needs 
of Americans who are impoverished, disadvantaged, or otherwise in 
poverty; this legislation requires that we acknowledge that 
responsibility. While poverty is believed by some to be a statistical 
phenomenon, it is in fact a daily reality for millions of Americans. 
Policy proposals addressing poverty have not kept pace with the needs 
of millions of Americans. The measure of poverty is simple but rather 
crude. Poverty cannot be accurately evaluated until we can essentially 
comprehend the number of people in poverty.
  When Mollie Orshansky, renowned economist and statistician, defined 
the poverty line in the 1960s, she used a farm family living in the 
1950s as her model, nevertheless times have changed. In this day and 
age, an income of $20,000 is not sufficient for a family of four to 
survive. Journalist Barbara Ehreinreht worked alongside the ``near 
poor'' in her nonfiction piece ``Nickel and Dimed.'' Ten years ago, a 
family in her book earned $40,000 a year cumulatively, but was still 
unable to afford suitable housing. An annual income of $20,000 in 1950 
and $40,000 in 1998 for a family of four is ``unpretentious.'' 
Technology has advanced, times have changed, the price of living is 
constantly rising, and those factors, along with many others should be 
used to evaluate how a family can survive.

  Many impoverished individuals are believed to be able to return to 
self-sufficiency with 12-18 months of assistance and affordable 
housing. Since its conception, welfare has caused countless economic, 
political, psychological, and sociological effects that have shaped 
American society, produced innumerable reforms and depicted its 
recipients as irresponsible agents of self- inflicted poverty. In 1996, 
the Republican-led Congress introduced welfare reform. If the objective 
was to reduce the number of people on the welfare rolls, it worked; 
however, poverty did not decline. The central goal that needs to be 
established is how to decrease poverty while simultaneously placing 
welfare recipients in a position to maintain an existence above the 
poverty line after assistance. Welfare is not a substantial economic 
alternative; in no state do welfare disbursements alone lift a family 
above the poverty line. The Federal Government must play a vital role 
in revitalizing and restoring opportunities for Americans to reach the 
American dream.
  Congress is morally obligated to provide better services to meet the 
needs of its citizens; nevertheless, the quality of the services for 
various groups differs greatly. The aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita demonstrated that sub-par services are readily available to 
minorities. While many existing organizations have worked to help those 
displaced, and some new groups and special efforts have been initiated, 
the survivors of Hurricane Katrina are still largely disorganized and 
deprived. In the United States, the incidence of poverty is associated 
with race and ethnicity, location, family composition, age, and 
education. Three years ago, the criticisms of the Government's response 
to Hurricane Katrina generally consisted of condemnations of negligence 
and lack of leadership in the relief efforts in response to the storm 
and its aftermath. Currently, the principal criticism is the long 
overdue assistance for the poverty-stricken.
  The U.S. has a higher sense of poverty and a visible phenomenon of 
poverty than any other country. Internationally, the United States 
poverty rate at the turn of the 21st century ranked 24th of 25 
countries, with only Mexico having a higher percentage rate.
  This important piece of legislation will recognize the continuing 
need of many Americans. This is extremely significant in the sense that 
it will assist those who desire upward mobility and believe in the 
``American Dream.'' This is an unprecedented step forward for 
impoverished Americans and I applaud this legislation for this 
significant first step towards helping American realize their dreams.
  As we celebrate Dr. King's birthday, we also commemorate the 40th 
anniversary of King's Poor People's Campaign which, through nonviolent 
direct action, King hoped to focus the Nation's attention on economic 
inequality and poverty. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this extremely important legislation.
  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 
198, a resolution introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee that 
expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should set a 
national goal of cutting poverty in half over the next 10 years.
  Poverty can be defined as meaning a lack of the basic necessities of 
life such as food, shelter, clothing, health care, education, security, 
and opportunity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2006 over 38.7 
million men, women and children across this country struggled to 
survive on an annual income well below the national poverty line. The 
number of people living in poverty has increased by over 5 million 
since the year 2000. In a country that prides itself on being the land 
of freedom and opportunity, and that has a level of affluence 
unparalleled by any other nation in the world, these statistics are 
both alarming and unacceptable.
  I am a proud cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 198 because I believe that any 
nation that considers itself great must make a concerted effort to step 
up and do something about the problem of poverty. When the average 
national poverty rate is at 13.3 percent and growing, the status of 
poverty in this country should not be diagnosed as simply an 
unfortunate anomaly, but rather, as a nationwide epidemic; an epidemic 
that should be treated with the utmost care and concern, because it is 
a condition that affects all of us. Poverty erodes the health and 
security of our Nation's most valuable resources--our children and our 
communities. Strong, healthy communities are necessary for the 
preservation of the American way of life, a way of life that cannot 
exist when infected by the ills that are symptomatic of poverty 
stricken areas.
  In addition, poverty hits hardest those with the least amount of 
immunity against the conditions that contribute to poverty. While 
minority communities have made many significant advancements over the 
past few decades, a disproportionate number of minorities are still 
impoverished and disadvantaged. African Americans comprise nearly 25 
percent of people living in poverty, Hispanics 22 percent, and Asian 
Americans nearly 11 percent. Native American communities capture an 
astounding 25.3 percent of people living under the poverty level, many 
living in what are considered ``fourth world'' poverty conditions. Many 
Native Americans on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations will not 
make it through the winter due to inadequate housing, warm clothing, 
and nourishment. In this country, and in this day and age, these 
numbers are simply deplorable. Unfortunately, they do not stop there.
  More than half of those living at or below the Federal poverty level 
come from single parent households, and children ages 18 and younger 
have the highest rate of poverty of any age group with 17.6 percent 
living at or below the poverty line. Instead of receiving a proper 
education in school, learning valuable life-lessons and leadership 
skills in extra-curricular activities, and partaking in the many other 
childhood activities that are a necessary part of growing up, nearly 13 
million kids will spend the day wondering whether or not they are going 
to eat that night, or whether their mother or father will be drunk or 
in prison when they get home, that is assuming they even have a place 
to go home to. Nevertheless, these children are expected to perform 
well in schools, meet the national score on standardized tests, or risk 
having their school shut down thanks to No Child Left Behind system. 
Children who live under such conditions are not destined to succeed. 
Most will not graduate from high school. Many will turn to gangs, 
drugs, or a life of crime, and as a result, spend most of their adult 
life in and out of prison.
  Poverty is the result of a deep structural problem that implicates 
our value system as well as our educational and economic institutions, 
and it is a problem that permeates into all aspects of society. The 
costs to victims of poverty are great, but the costs to us are greater.
  That is why I wholeheartedly emphatically support the commitment to 
cutting poverty made by H. Con. Res. 198. It will not be easy, but 
there is a moral, and social urgency facing us. We have the opportunity 
today to impact the lives of millions and give others the opportunity 
to share in the great wealth that our nation has to offer.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, in the richest country in the world, no 
one should go to bed hungry, no one should have to go without heat on a 
cold winter night, and no one should be deprived of life saving 
medicine because they can't afford it.

[[Page H364]]

  It is so sad that in our country, the richest in the world, 37 
million people live below the poverty line and deal with these fears 
everyday.
  As a Congress, we need to do more to help these people, which is why 
I am proud to stand in support of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's bill, H. 
Con. Res. 198, and the goal of cutting poverty in the U.S. in half in 
the next 10 years.
  This bill, recognizing the problem of poverty in our country is a 
good start, but we need to do more. We can put our money where our 
mouths are, starting with an economic stimulus package that gets money 
to the people who need it most in an economic downturn. This can be 
done by extending unemployment insurance and food stamps to help the 
neediest among us .  .  . not by extending tax breaks for the richest 
people in this country who have amassed great wealth at the expense of 
the rest of us. Let's do the right thing and help those who actually 
need it.
  Madam Speaker, again I thank Representative Lee for her leadership in 
fighting poverty and for bring this resolution to the floor and urge 
all my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of resolving 
to cut poverty in half over the next 10 years. America is the richest 
country in the history of the world, yet 37 million Americans languish 
in poverty. The poverty rate is an inexcusable 17 percent for all 
children and 33 percent for black children. As a body, Congress has a 
moral obligation to alleviate poverty and provide all people with 
opportunities to lead healthy and independent lives.
  The resolution, H. Con. Res. 198, before us is simple: it puts 
Congress and the Nation on the clock and acknowledges our collective 
responsibility to the impoverished and disadvantaged. As a country, we 
spend more than all other countries combined on our military and 
ongoing wars. Yet, our poverty rate is dead last among developed 
nations. Clearly, we have the financial ability to drastically reduce 
the number of people living in poverty. The question is do we have the 
political will.
  I believe the answer is yes. During the 1960s the poverty rate fell 
from over 22.2 percent to 12.6 percent. These gains were brought about 
by the creation and expansion of a strong safety net supported by 
programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, and AFDC. Now, the safety net 
is frayed and under constant attack from those who don't blink when 
approving the $500 billion to fight the Iraq war, but would like to see 
crucial entitlement programs ``wither on the vine.'' This resolution 
rejects the failed ideology that has brought us the manmade disaster in 
New Orleans and the shame of an additional 5 million people living in 
poverty since 2000.
  As we celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday, we must redouble our 
efforts to fight poverty. Congress has to expand SCHIP and continue 
moving toward universal health care. We need to ensure that all 
families can afford childcare, decent housing, nutritious meals, and a 
good education. These are basic human rights. As a society, our 
obligation is to lift those who are disadvantaged and provide 
opportunities. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and 
rededicate ourselves to eradicating poverty.
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong and unwavering 
support for H. Con. Res. 198 and am pleased to be a co-sponsor on this 
Congressional Resolution that draws attention to the approximately 37 
million Americans who live in poverty. In particular, I am bound and 
determined to meeting the Resolution's goal of cutting poverty in half 
over the next 10 years.
  The number of impoverished Floridians increased from 859,888 in 2000 
to 943,670 in 2005, a 9.7 percent rise, representing almost 6 percent 
of the total population. Over those years, Broward County's severely 
poor grew from 77,942 to 82,327, while Miami-Dade's poverty rate of 6.8 
percent was among the highest in the State.
  African Americans and Hispanics have poverty rates far above the 
poverty rate for Caucasians. In 2005, 24.9 percent of African Americans 
(9.2 million) and 21.8 percent of Hispanics (94 million) had incomes 
below poverty, compared to 8.3 percent of non-Hispanic whites (16.2 
million) and 11.1 percent of Asians (1.4 million). Although African-
Americns represent only 12.6 percent of the total population, they make 
up 24.8 percent of the poor population.
  And among those that are the highest of our country's poor are our 
children. In 2005, 12.3 million children (17.1 percent) were poor. For 
African American children, this statistic is even higher--in 2005, 34.2 
percent of black children were poor (3.7 million). This is inexcusable 
in a country where so many live in great wealth.
  Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick 
and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to 
school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is 
fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a 
child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is 
powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.
  It is time to change these statistics. Our citizens with minimal 
education, and our citizens without a job are among those that are the 
most susceptible to poverty. Clearly, Americans need to work. We need 
to do what we have to do to make this happen.
  And we need to do this soon, and not drag our feet on this important 
issue. This Resolution will motivate us to get moving and gives us a 
very necessary goal--to cut poverty in half over the next 10 years.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
198, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________