Expressing the Sense of Congress that the United States has a Moral Responsibility to Meet the Needs of those Persons, Groups and Communities that are Impoverished, Disadvantaged or Otherwise in Poverty

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE PERSONS, GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IMPOVERISHED, DISADVANTAGED OR OTHERWISE IN POVERTY -- (Extensions of Remarks - January 28, 2008)

SPEECH OF
HON. AL GREEN
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2008

* Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I express my strong support for H. Con. Res. 198, a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the United States has a moral responsibility to meet the needs of those who are disadvantaged or impoverished and that our country should set a national goal of cutting poverty in half over the next 10 years by promoting good jobs at livable wages.

* In this land of hope and opportunity, all working families should also be able to rely on the product of their labor to feed, clothe, house and provide health care for their families. Unfortunately, all too many working Americans are unable to do so. Today, 35 million Americans will go to sleep hungry. Thirty-seven million Americans still live in poverty and 47 million Americans are without health insurance. In my home state of Texas, 16,000 brave men and women who have served nobly in our Nation's military go homeless every night.

* These statistics are unbecoming of the wealthiest Nation in the history of our planet. As a Nation, we must undertake all efforts necessary to end the scourge of poverty. One of the best ways to move forward in this effort is to promote good jobs and to ensure that all jobs pay livable wages.

* Congress made great progress last year by passing a long-overdue increase in the minimum wage and providing that it will increase to $7.25 per hour next year. A full-time job should be a bridge out of poverty, an opportunity to make a living through work. Unfortunately, for many Americans, especially those with families, it is not.

* In our great country, it is unacceptable that poverty continues to devastate the lives of tens of millions of our fellow Americans. For this reason, I strongly support this resolution and believe that Congress must continue working to make the principles expressed in the resolution a reality. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important resolution and I commend my good friend and colleague, Ms. Barbara Lee of California, for introducing the resolution.

Source