Media Advisory for Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus Press Call on Unemployment, the Ryan Budget, and Increasing Poverty Rates

Co-chair of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus Barbara Lee (D-CA), other Members of Congress, and experts in the fight against poverty will hold a press call to discuss growing rates of poverty in America on Wednesday, May 2 at 3 p.m. EST.

Reporter CALL-IN #: (218) 632-0550 + Access code: 273629#

Dean Baker from CEPR will discuss the ongoing weakness in the economy and how cuts to unemployment benefits will negatively impact the recovery. Melissa Boteach from the Center for American Progress will discuss how the Ryan Budget undermines the safety net just as millions of Americans are falling into poverty. Suzan Bateson from the Alameda County Community Food Bank will discuss how cutting programs like WIC and SNAP hurts children and hurts our economy.

Dean Baker

Dean Baker is the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, DC. He is frequently cited in economics reporting in major media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, CNBC, and National Public Radio. He writes a weekly column for the Guardian Unlimited (UK), the Huffington Post, TruthOut, and his blog, Beat the Press, features commentary on economic reporting. His analyses have appeared in many major publications, including the Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Post, the London Financial Times, and the New York Daily News. He received his Ph.D in economics from the University of Michigan.

Melissa Boteach

As director of Half in Ten at American Progress, Melissa Boteach coordinates “Half in Ten: The Campaign to Cut Poverty in Half in Ten Years,” a project designed to build the political and public will to reduce poverty by creating good jobs, strengthening families, and promoting economic security.

Suzan W. Bateson

Under the leadership of Suzan W. Bateson, the Alameda County Community Food Bank has elevated its annual operating budget from $3.7 million to $10 million, doubled its roster of employees and increased its food distribution by 92% – to 20.9 million pounds annually – to counter the explosive growth of hunger in Alameda County. She was the first Food Bank leader in California to ban the distribution of carbonated beverages (2005), promising her board of directors that she would augment the million-pound loss in distribution with farm-fresh produce. During Bateson’s ten-year tenure, the Food Bank Bateson is the chairperson of the fund and finance committee for the Oakland Food Policy Council, which strives to establish an equitable and sustainable food system in the East Bay’s largest city.

Resources:

Britain 'does' austerity so the US doesn't have to
Dean Baker
CEPR

CEPR's Poverty & Inequality Issue Page

5 ways the Republican Budget Plan would harm our most vulnerable citizens
Melissa Boteach
American Progress

House Republican cuts to kids by the numbers
Melissa Boteach
American Progress

Interactive Map: state by state impact of SNAP cuts on jobs and meals
Center for American Progress

Alleviating Poverty in the United States:  The Critical Role of SNAP Benefits
Laura Tiehen, Dean Jolliffe, and Craig Gundersen
USDA Economic Research Service

Hunger: The Faces & Facts (2010): A Study of Emergency Food Recipients in Alameda County
Alameda County Community Food Bank