[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 26 (Friday, February 12, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H803]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         POVERTY AND THE BUDGET

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, the Democratic Whip Task Force on Poverty, 
Income Inequality, and Opportunity was launched to bring to the 
forefront of Congress' attention the everyday challenges of Americans 
living in poverty.
  On Tuesday, the President sent us a budget that invests in meeting 
our greatest challenges: creating opportunity for all, an objective 
that all of us I think are committed to.
  The budget expands Pell grants to make college more affordable and 
supports more apprenticeships and skills training so that young people 
and others can make it in America. It doubles investment in clean 
energy and R&D to attract more jobs while tackling climate change.
  The President's budget expands access to quality child care and paid 
leave for working parents and provides children from low-income 
families healthy meals over the summer months when they are out of 
school, but are still eating, of course. It makes it easier to save for 
a retirement and provides a better backstop for when economic 
circumstances push careers off track.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, it is up to Congress to craft a budget. I hope 
Republicans will work with us to provide the opportunities necessary to 
escape poverty, as Speaker Ryan says we ought to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman, Barbara Lee, and her members of 
the task force for undertaking and focusing on this important effort.

                          ____________________