On the recordJanuary 8, 2014
Congresswoman Lee of Oakland, thank you so much for raising the consciousness of a Nation again. I rise to join my colleagues tonight in support of raising consciousness about how important the programs have been over the years to reduce poverty in our country since the half-century-old effort of the war on poverty started by Lyndon Johnson, a Democrat, who wanted to replace despair with opportunity. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to place into the Record an executive summary of the Council of Economic Advisors, dated January 2014, that summarizes the great progress that has been made: poverty in our country declining by more than a third since 1967 because of important programs that Democrats created--Social Security, Medicare, the earned income tax credit, and unemployment compensation, which is being tested as we speak here today. The speaker from Ohio, where unemployment has just gone up, should bring up that bill to extend unemployment benefits that impacts millions of Americans across our country. People who understand the value of work, they don't want any subsidy, they want a job--they want a job. The most important work we can do is to create jobs, but when they can't get a job, then to give them their earned benefits.…
