[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 14] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 19742-19743] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING POVERTY ______ HON. DANNY K. DAVIS of illinois in the house of representatives Monday, December 13, 2010 Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I wish to take a moment to recognize the growing number of those living in poverty in the United States. As we approach the holiday season, a time of giving and reflection, it is important to remember those who are less fortunate. Poverty is a part of daily life for far too many individuals across America. According to the U.S. Census report, the wealthiest 20 percent of Americans received 49.4 percent of all income, compared to 3.4 percent combined for all Americans living in poverty, marking the greatest level of disparity since the U.S. Census Bureau began tracking household income in 1967. This most recent Census Bureau information also indicates that the overall poverty rate climbed to 14.3 percent, or 43.6 million people. This marks the largest number of people counted as living below the poverty line last since the Census Bureau began keeping records in the 1950s. The concentration of poverty in urban centers--such as my home of Chicago hinders all those who seek to access all the opportunities that a great city offers. As of 2009, in Cook County alone, there were 825,870 people living in poverty, a dramatic increase from the 713,040 people living in poverty in 1999. The recession has pushed the Nation's poverty rate to levels not seen in more than a decade, destroying gains made in the long-running War on Poverty and adding more financial instability to the lives of millions of Americans. This increase in poverty unfairly and disproportionately affects young children. Indeed 20.7 percent of our nation's children were living in poverty as of 2009, a 2.7 percent increase from 2007. In Cook County, 22.6 percent of children live in poverty which is higher than the national average. This percentage accounts for 286,312 children who struggle everyday just to get by. Families living in poverty often cannot provide the necessary resources in order to ensure healthy physical and emotional development of their children. Living in poverty also greatly hinders a child's access to quality education, health care, and living conditions. This is unacceptable. Children are a public good, and it is imperative that our country invests in and ensures the prosperity of its youngest citizens. The unemployment rate in my home state of Illinois, which was higher than the national average, was 10.1 percent this past August up 4.6 percentage points from December 2007. This represents 671,000 Illinois residents who lost more than just earnings--this represents hundreds of thousands of families whose entire means of financial support is gone. This massive unemployment rate has contributed greatly to the high foreclosure rate in Illinois. In Illinois as of the second quarter of 2010, 6.0 percent of all mortgages, including 18.1 percent of subprime mortgages, were in foreclosure. Alarming as well is the way that this economic downturn has hit some communities much harder than others. According to the most recent congressional Joint Economic Committee findings, the poverty rate for African Americans and Hispanics increased significantly from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, the poverty rate was 25.8 percent for African Americans and 25.3 percent for Hispanics, compared to 24.5 percent for African Americans and 21.5 percent for Hispanics in 2007. Important to notice as well is the disparity in the number of minorities currently insured. The percentages of Hispanics and African Americans without health insurance are higher than that of whites and other racial or ethnic groups. Nearly one-third of Hispanics and over one-fifth of African Americans were uninsured in 2009, compared with about one-tenth of whites. [[Page 19743]] While the number of people living in poverty remains much too high, we must recognize that this number was not as high as originally expected given the severity of the recession and the massive job losses last year. I am proud of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress this past year that expanded unemployment benefits and Social Security payments. This act also helped to create and save approximately 3.5 million jobs, gave tax cuts to small business and 95 percent of American workers, and began to rebuild America's road, rail, and water infrastructure. Access to the job market is one of the first steps in helping individuals rise out of poverty, and this legislation increased jobs for the unemployed as well as the underemployed. This past year we have begun to reform our current healthcare system and passed legislation that enables 11 million children to finally be able to access and maintain cost-effective quality healthcare. Signed into law as well was the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act, which guarantees access to lifesaving medical services, primary care, and medications for low-income patients with AIDS and HIV. Both of these legislative acts will greatly enhance the well being of individuals with limited financial resources. While there remains much to be done to improve access to quality education, healthcare, and job opportunities in the United States, I am proud of the progress that has been made by this Congress. It is imperative that in this current economic crisis, the Federal government assists state governments in addressing the needs of individuals and their families. Our communities cannot afford to allow poverty to take hold of so many hard working individuals and families. Therefore, I recognize all of those living in poverty in the United States, and, in the spirit of this season, I promise to continue to promote programs to reduce poverty and support those in need. ____________________