Facts: “Almost 46 percent of children living in female headed single parent families were in poverty in contrast to only 9.5 percent of children in married couple families…” (Source: Where’s the Outrage? Robert Doar) Context: The poverty rate for children raised in the U.S. by single parents (46%) is higher than the overall poverty rate in Rwanda (44.9%).  The… Read more

Now (October 2014) “Our economy is making incredible progress.” For example, 5.9 percent unemployment is “a number many economists didn’t think we’d see for years.”  Sources: White House press release and email from CEA Chairman Jason Furman, October 3, 2014. Then (January 2009) The Obama Administration predicted that, with Democrats’ stimulus plan, the U.S.… Read more

Washington, DC – Today, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement on the September jobs report. "While the economy is creating jobs, the fact remains we are stuck in a Carter-like economy in which millions of Americans have simply given up.  For those lucky enough to be working, wages are flat and middle-class families are struggling to… Read more

Democrat Stimulus Architect Admits “the Economy’s Problems,” not “Economic Greatness” Then: The January 2009 Romer-Bernstein Report predicts 5 percent unemployment by now. Sources: January 2009 Romer/Bernstein Report ("Administration Prediction With Stimulus Plan”), and Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics… Read more

Washington, DC – Last night, the U.S. Senate approved bipartisan child welfare legislation aimed at reducing child sex trafficking, increasing adoptions and improving child support collections.  The legislation was approved by the House on July 23, 2014. Specifically, the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 4980) would encourage states to combat sex… Read more

Six Out of Ten Say the American Dream Is Out of Reach. After five years of the Obama "recovery," 59 percent believe the American Dream is out of reach and 63 percent believe most children won't be better off than their parents. Source: CNNMoney, The American Dream Is Out of Reach (June… Read more

Washington, DC – On Tuesday, September 16, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4137, the “Preserving Welfare for Needs Not Weed Act.”  The bill, introduced by Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert (R-WA) and 11 other members of Congress, ensures that taxpayer-funded welfare benefits are not used at stores selling marijuana, such as in the states… Read more

​Minority Families Have Suffered the Most during the Obama "Recovery." During the heart of the Obama "recovery," the median income of minority families dropped by 9 percent, and their median net worth fell by 17 percent. In contrast, incomes and net worth for white families were essentially stable. Source: National Journal, The… Read more

Over Half of Americans Can't Afford Their House. In order to cover their rent or mortgage over the last three years, 52 percent of Americans have had to make at least one major sacrifice, such as getting a second job, deferring saving for retirement, cutting back on health care, or running up credit card debt. Source:… Read more

Today, the Census Bureau released information on poverty in 2013, which showed how the overall poverty rate fell from 15 percent in 2012 to 14.5 percent in 2013, as the number of poor individuals fell from 46.5 million in 2012 to 45.3 million in 2013.  But buried within this short-run good news were several troubling long-run trends, including the fact that the poverty rate for… Read more