[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19386]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             POVERTY IN SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES IS ON THE RISE

  (Mr. PAULSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, when one thinks of poverty, it is likely 
they envision poverty in an urban or maybe a rural setting; and it may 
come as a surprise, but poverty in suburban communities is on the rise.
  In fact, the number of people living in poverty outside of the Twin 
Cities' urban core in Minnesota increased 93 percent between 2000 and 
2015.
  The suburbs are often thought of as places of comfort, if not wealth. 
However, when considering suburban areas, it is estimated there are 
more than 187,000 people in poverty in the Twin Cities.
  Organizations within our community, like People Reaching Out to 
People, PROP; the Lakewinds Food Co-op; Southwest News Media; and 
Chanhassen DECA students, Mark Self, Brian Taylor, and Alex Walther, 
are shedding light on the issues of suburban poverty and making a 
difference.
  Mr. Speaker, the holiday season that we are in now is a time to come 
together and think about others who may need a little extra help and 
generosity. It is the perfect time to start helping neighbors and 
friends in our communities who are struggling. Awareness is just the 
first step. Taking action should follow.

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