Out of Poverty Caucus Co-Chair Barbara Lee Hosts Hearing To Address Poverty Crisis
For immediate Release
Contact: Nicole Y. Williams
(202) 225- 2661
Washington, D.C. – Tomorrow, Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus (COPC) Co-Chair and Founder Congresswoman Barbara Lee along with fellow COPC Co-Chairs Reps. John Conyers, Jim McDermott, Joe Baca and G.K. Butterfield will host a hearing entitled An Emergency Response to the Crisis of Poverty in America: Understanding the Crisis and Refocusing the Fight. This hearing will shine a light on the depth and breadth of the devastating crisis of poverty caused by the financial collapse and what is now being called the Great Recession. Presenters will include the Census Bureau, Center for American Progress, Half in Ten, United Way and the Children’s Defense Fund.
An estimated 43.5 million Americans lived in poverty in 2009, which means that 3.7 million Americans fell into poverty last year. Communities of color continue to be disproportionately impacted by higher rates of poverty. Whites saw their poverty rates rise from 8.6 to 9.4 percent, while the rate for African Americans rate rose from 24.7 to 25.8 and Latinos saw the largest percentage increase from 23.2 to 25.3 percent. Additionally, more than one in five children (20.7 percent) in America lives in poverty. Racial and ethnic disparities continue to grow at an alarming rate – 35.7 percent of African-American children and 33.1 percent of Latino children live in poverty.
“As a nation we must recommit to the fight against poverty and pursue a strong, sustained, and comprehensive response to help end hunger, homelessness and poverty in America,” said Congresswoman Lee. “During this hearing we will not only discuss this issue of poverty but identify and discuss concrete solutions to eradicate it on all levels.”
WHO: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Congressman John Conyers (D-MI)
Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Congressman Joe Baca (D-CA)
Congressman G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)
WHAT: An Emergency Response to the Crisis of Poverty in America: Understanding the Crisis and Refocusing the Fight
WHEN: Thursday, September 30, 2010
10:30AM – 12:30PM
WHERE: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building
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