Barbara Lee Comments on the Tragic Increase in Child Poverty in America

Statement

"This report confirms what we all have seen in our communities -- the irresponsible fiscal policies of the prior administration plunged working families into poverty. There are now almost 15 million children living in poverty in America, an increase of 18 percent since 2000, effectively erasing all of the gains made in cutting child poverty in the late 1990s.

"It is a moral outrage that in the most prosperous country, so many of our children are suffering -- and we know that the impact is far worse in communities of color. The morally and economically bankrupt economic policies of the prior administration resulted in a staggering increase in poverty, extreme pressure on the working middle class, and an even wider gap between the rich and poor. The efforts of the Tea Party and House Republicans to dismantle government and shred the safety net will continue to push more working families into poverty.

"We cannot afford more of the policies that sacrificed the most vulnerable while handing out massive tax breaks the super rich, big corporations, and big oil. We need to work to strengthen the programs which support those who are currently living in poverty and focus on creating jobs as a pathway out of poverty."

Source