Poverty and Inequality

Floor Speech

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Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to address the ongoing challenges that too many families in America face coping with poverty and income inequality. I thank my dear friend, Congressman DeSaulnier, for hosing this Special Order hour, and for his tireless work on these issues.

In the richest country in the world, poverty is a policy choice. In early 2023, the poverty rate in California rose to 13.2 percent, and the child poverty rate to 13.8 percent.

You cannot disentangle poverty and inequality from systemic racism. Latinos remained disproportionately poor. Latinos comprise about half of poor Californians, but only around 40 percent of all Californians. Additionally, about 13.6 percent of African Americans and 11.5 percent of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders lived in poverty in California at the beginning of 2023 compared to 10.2 percent of white residents. That is why I reintroduced legislation calling for the establishment of the first U.S. Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. This Commission will examine the effects of slavery, institutional racism, and discrimination against people of color, and how our history impacts laws and policies today.

But while poverty has a disproportionate impact on people of color, poverty afflicts millions of people in America of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. That is why I have worked with the Poor People's Campaign to introduce a resolution calling for a Third Reconstruction to fully address poverty from the bottom up. A Third Reconstruction would prioritize the needs and demands of the 140 million people in America who are poor or one emergency away from economic desperation, with policies focused on healthcare, welfare, water, public education, and housing.

Across the country, rents and home prices continue to rise much faster than income, exacerbating housing instability during an affordable housing supply crisis. A staggering 78 percent of extremely low income renters in California are severely cost burdened. meaning they spend more than half of their income on housing and utilities. This is unacceptable when we have the power and tools to eliminate poverty entirely.

Access to safe and affordable housing, regardless of income, is a human right. I am proud to sponsor the DEPOSIT Act, which would provide security deposit assistance to low-income renters.

As Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Poverty Task Force. I won't stop fighting until we pass comprehensive legislation to eradicate poverty, economic inequality, and racial injustice. There is a strong correlation between U.S. poverty reduction initiatives and declining poverty rates. We must work to ensure that the Child Tax Credit is restored to American Rescue Plan levels, which cut child poverty in half.

We must ensure the House remains focused on combating poverty in all forms and creating economic opportunity for all Americans. Together, we can work to reduce disparities and secure justice for those struggling to put food on the table.

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