Representatives Davis, Connolly, and Lee Introduce Bill to Cut Child Poverty in Half in 10 Years

 

Washington, D.C.- On May 19, 2015, Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced the Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2015 to develop evidence-based policies to cut child poverty by half in 10 years.

 

Far more children in the U.S. grow up and remain trapped in poverty compared to other industrialized countries. In America, approximately 20 percent of our children - or 14.7 million - live below the poverty line, with roughly half of these children living in extreme poverty.  The injustice of high child poverty rates in our nation is magnified by the tremendous suffering poverty inflicts on our youth, families, communities, and nation and by the reality that poverty exacts a greater toll on children of color.  Children who grow up in poverty experience greater health and emotional problems as well as poorer academic and economic success compared to their more affluent peers.  Impoverished communities endure high rates of unemployment, health problems, crime, and economic hardship than more affluent communities.

 

Our country must establish a unified national goal to dramatically reduce child poverty.  At multiple points in our history, national goals led to amazing successes for our country - landing on the moon, reducing nuclear warheads, and strengthening the economic security of our elderly, to name a few.  The Child Poverty Reduction Act sets a national goal to cut childhood poverty by 50 percent in 10 years and uses science to implement a roadmap for success.  The bill charges the non-partisan, evidence-based National Academy of Sciences to work with a Federal Interagency Working Group to develop a national plan that outlines specific policies across levels of government to achieve substantial reductions in child poverty.

 

Davis said, "We live in the wealthiest nation in the world, the wealthiest nation in the history of the world.  It is inexcusable and unacceptable for so many of our children to be condemned to grow up in America under these conditions.  This bill says it is time to stop talking about child poverty and start down the road to alleviating this plague."

 

 "As the former Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I experienced firsthand the vast power that can be unleashed when a local government combines clear goals, measurable metrics, and a dedicated workforce. Our legislation applies the same principles at the Federal level," Congressman Connolly said.  "Such an approach could reduce America's outrageously high child poverty rate over the next decade through implementation of a national plan with clear strategic goals, metrics, and evidence-based policies."

 

"Any child living in poverty is one child too many. Yet, nearly one in five American children and one in three African and Latino children live in poverty," said Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), chair of the Democratic Whip's Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality and Opportunity. "This legislation establishes the vital infrastructure to use proven, scientific and evidence-based programs to cut child poverty in half over the next ten years. We can and must to more to build pathways out of poverty for children and their families."

 

The Child Poverty Reduction Act is supported by the following organizations:  Child Welfare League of America; First Focus Campaign for Children; National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth; National Network for Youth; Save the Children; and Save the Children Action Network.

 

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