Political Quotes

“First I want to thank Mr. Horsford and Mr. Jeffries for leading this important effort for the CBC this evening--so that we can discuss a particularly important issue for me, my district, and this nation, and that is: ``Lifting Americans out of Poverty.'' As many of my constituents and colleagues already know, the great recession cost this country roughly 13 trillion dollars in household wealth, and pushed millions of Americans into poverty. The poverty rate is at levels not seen in twenty years, and the most recent numbers show that more than 46 million Americans are currently living below the poverty line. The most distressing fact is that the youngest Americans represent a disproportionate share of the poor in the U.S. Though children make up less than a quarter of the population, they constitute more than one-third of Americans in poverty. And, studies by the American Psychological Association have found correlations between poverty in children and higher rates of illness, abuse, neglect, developmental and educational delays, participation in risky behaviors such as smoking or sexual activities, and problems with self-esteem and depression. And worse, growing up in poverty has a lasting negative impact on lifetime earning potential. As a joint Princeton University--Brookings Institute study reported, the U.S. has decreasing income mobility, and increasing income inequality.…”