[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 110 (Thursday, July 21, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1376-E1377]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ADDRESSING OUR NATION'S POVERTY PROBLEM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 21, 2011

  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, earlier today my colleagues spoke about 
poverty in

[[Page E1377]]

America. I regret that I could not join them at that time and now I 
wish to submit my own remarks. These are very tough times for rural 
districts such as the one I represent in the northeastern corner of 
North Carolina. It is the fourth poorest Congressional District in the 
U.S. 24 percent of the people I represent and 36 percent of the 
children live below the poverty line. Those are chilling statistics.
  There are enormous racial disparities in poverty rates, and they are 
only getting larger. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 25.8 
percent--one in four--of all black Americans live in poverty compared 
to an overall national poverty rate of 14.3 percent. This compares to 
25.3 percent poverty among Hispanics, 12.5 percent among Asians and 9.4 
percent among whites.
  The poverty problem in America is getting worse; not better. In 2006, 
the overall poverty rate was 12.6 percent, and in 2008, the overall 
poverty rate was 13.2 percent. The poverty rate now is the highest it 
has been since 1994.
  Other indicators are equally alarming. More Americans than ever find 
themselves in need of food. In 2009, 14.7 percent of U.S. households 
had difficulty providing enough food for family members at some point 
during the year. This is the highest level observed since the U.S.D.A. 
started monitoring food security in 1995. From 2007 to 2009, the number 
of households using food pantries rose by 44 percent from 3.9 to 5.6 
million households.
  Similar trends of racial disparities exist amongst individuals 
lacking health insurance coverage. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 
21 percent--one in five--black Americans are uninsured. This compares 
to 12 percent among whites and 17.2 percent among Asians. The number of 
uninsured children has risen to 7.5 million. In total, over 50.7 
million people, or 16.7 percent of the country's population lack health 
insurance coverage--a dramatic increase from 46.3 million in 2008.
  Poverty, hunger, and suffering are increasing--especially for people 
of color--during these difficult economic times. These are sad and 
terrible realities that a distressing number of my constituents face.
  My district has many vivid and unfortunate illustrations of poverty: 
nearly one in 20 homes in some counties do not have a telephone or a 
kitchen, and many of my constituents are still living without indoor 
plumbing. As the national numbers show, eastern North Carolina is not 
unique in its poverty or suffering. People are poor, getting poorer, 
and are largely being ignored by policy makers all across the country.
  Recent budget plans offered by the other side of the aisle would cut 
spending from most safety net programs, such as Medicare, Social 
Security, and food security programs, while increasing defense 
spending. If these misguided plans are passed into law, the impacts 
would be felt by all Americans and we would face a second Great 
Recession.
  As we face an impending debt crisis and unsustainable levels of 
spending, we must balance our ongoing commitments to job creation and 
tax code reform while ensuring changes are not made at the expense of 
children, minorities, and seniors. We have a moral obligation to fight 
for the millions of Americans who are overlooked and suffering each and 
every day.
  Mr. Speaker, we must work together toward developing comprehensive 
strategies to eradicate the growing poverty and hunger in the world's 
wealthiest nation.

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