Articles

Thank you to my colleague Congresswoman Barbara Lee for her leadership on ensuring we never forget the millions of Americans living in poverty.

Fifty years ago today, President Johnson declared America’s “War on Poverty”. As was the case 50 years ago, today, too many are still living on the outskirts of hope.

Today, we are once again coming to ask America to be true to the huge promissory note that it signed years ago.

While the programs created in the last 50 years have kept millions of Americans from sinking deeper into poverty, we must do more today, not less to as my Republican colleagues have suggested.

As President Johnson said 50 years ago, and as recommended by the CBC’s 10-20-30 plan today, this requires us to target resources to programs in poverty-stricken communities;

It requires us to maintain unemployment insurance for the millions of Americans who are among the long-term unemployed;

Further, we must reject $40 Billion in cuts to nutrition assistance that helps feed hungry families;

And we must remove obstacles for students who are trying to access and complete higher education, such as the new definition of adverse credit keeping thousands of college students out of school.

We must take a closer, more critical look at policies that contribute to the growing income gap between the very wealthy and the rest of us.

We must continue the fight championed by President Johnson that would ensure all Americans can support themselves and their families, and have the opportunity to contribute to our economy and to our society.

This is how we build upon the progress that has been made over the past five decades, instead of taking action to reverse it. 

I would also like to note that Dr. Martin Luther King’s final message was that ending poverty was a civil rights battle. Today, that message still rings true.

As Dr. King said, it is much easier to integrate a bus than it is to eradicate slums. It is much easier to guarantee the right to vote than it is to guarantee an annual income. It is much easier to integrate a public park than it is to create jobs. If a man doesn't have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty, and the possibility for the pursuit of happiness. He merely exists.

The fight to end poverty is at the core of who we are as a nation and I believe, is at the core of who most individuals in this nation want to be. 

The Congressional Black Caucus shall not rest until the war on poverty is won. I thank you all for joining us today and for your continued support of our efforts to end poverty in America.