IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1024 

Expressing support for designation of January as Poverty in America 

Awareness Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 20, 2010 

Mr. MCDERMOTT submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Ways and Means 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for designation of January as Poverty 

in America Awareness Month. 

Whereas, in 2008, the Census Bureau found that the number 

of people living in poverty has jumped by nearly 

2,600,000 to 39,800,000, the highest number since 1960; 

Whereas that same report found that the percentage of people living in poverty, 13.2 percent, rose to the highest 

level since 1997; 

Whereas, in 2008, the number of children who lived in poverty increased by 744,000 to 14,000,000; 

Whereas the share of people in the United States who have 

incomes that fall below half of the Federal poverty line 

reached 5.7 percent, or 17,100,000 people, its highest 

level since 1994; 


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Whereas the next Census report on poverty will likely illustrate higher levels of poverty as the report will reflect 

data from 2009, a year in which the economy experienced 

substantial job loss and historic levels of long-term unemployment, leading some experts to project that the overall 

poverty rate may increase by 1.5 percentage points and 

the percentage of children living in poverty may increase 

by 6 percentage points in the next report; 

Whereas, between 1989 and 2000, the overall poverty rate 

declined by 1.5 percentage points and child poverty decreased by 3.4 percentage points, those achievements 

have been nearly reversed as the overall poverty rate increased by 1.9 percentage points and child poverty increased by 2.8 percentage points from 2000 to 2008; 

Whereas there is broad consensus among researchers and policy experts that the Federal poverty measure is outdated 

and inadequate in determining the depth and extent of 

poverty in the United States; 

Whereas rising levels of poverty and economic hardship have 

a severe impact on the overall well-being of children in 

the Nation; 

Whereas the U.S. Census Bureau and other organizations 

have highlighted the unmet needs that existed for some 

of the most vulnerable families prior to the recession; 

Whereas while the Federal Government has provided critical 

assistance to needy individuals and families in their time 

of need, more can and should be done to strengthen the 

Nation’s safety-net programs, and other programs investing in communities and families to ensure that all needy 

people in the United States have access to the support 

services for which they are eligible; 


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Whereas, during the present economic downturn, Congress 

should do more to help individuals and families rise out 

of poverty and maintain economic stability through the 

use of a variety of programs promoting education and 

training, childcare assistance, housing security, and related services; and 

Whereas it would be appropriate to designate the month of 

January 2010 as Poverty in America Awareness Month: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the House of Representatives— 

3 (A) supports the designation of Poverty in 

4 America Awareness Month; and 

5 (B) recognizes the important contributions 

6 of those individuals and organizations that have 

7 made a commitment to providing critical sup8 port and services to needy individuals and fami9 lies; and 

10 (2) it is the sense of the House of Representa11 tives that— 

12 (A) eradicating poverty in the United 

13 States should be the goal for all people in the 

14 United States, including all levels of govern15 ment; 

16 (B) the severe economic downturn has 

17 highlighted the need to ensure that the Nation’s 

18 most vulnerable individuals and families are 


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1 able to meet their most fundamental needs dur2 ing a time of financial crisis; and 

3 (C) Congress should recommit itself to 

4 helping individuals and families facing economic 

5 hardship receive the assistance they need and 

6 deserve in moving towards greater economic se7 curity through programs under Title IV of the 

8 Social Security Act and other related programs. 

Æ 


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