Washington, D.C--Congressman Eliot Engel is proud to announce that he received an “A+” rating for his voting record on fighting poverty from the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. The rating was based on 17 pieces of legislation that were voted on in the House of Representatives in 2008.

“I am honored to receive the highest possible grade for fighting against poverty. It is difficult to comprehend how America in the 21st Century is still home to millions of people mired in poverty. Mahatma Gandhi called poverty ‘the worst form of violence.’ The government is expected to keep our people safe and by fighting poverty we take a giant step forward in that endeavor,” said Rep. Engel.

Among the legislation that Congress was graded on were:

* The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 - to lessen the plight of homeowners and renters who are struggling to remain in their homes;
* The Paycheck Fairness Act – to close the male-female wage gap by strengthening the Equal Pay Act (EPA) of 1963;
* The Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights to protect consumers from being overwhelmed with credit card debt
* The College Opportunity and Affordability Act – to make college affordable for more low-income students
* The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act to better coordinate services to the homeless

Rep. Engel added, “I am confident that the 111th Congress will continue the fight against poverty and pass laws that will help more and more people emerge from the depths of poverty and be able to provide better opportunities for their children’s success.”