Even under the optimistic assumption that poverty continues to decline at the same rate it did from 2013 to 2014, it would take until 2040 for the poverty rate to be cut in half to 7.7 percent. Getting child poverty to the same level would take until 2049. These are just two of the findings in a CHN report released today that looks at the Census Bureau’s new poverty and income data. Read our press release and the full report, Economic Growth Leaves the Poorest Americans Behind. Then share some of our infographics and sample tweets below.

A few of the other highlights from the report:

• The Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure, released along with the official measures on September 16-17, shows that federal programs including Social Security, low-income tax credits, and nutrition and housing assistance lift millions of people out of poverty.

• The economy alone is not doing enough to reduce poverty. A greater investment in programs with demonstrated anti-poverty effectiveness is needed to step up the pace so that millions of Americans can be spared poverty’s hardships and can contribute to greater prosperity.

• Congress needs to act to end spending cuts known as sequestration scheduled to hit many programs this fall. Allowing a new round of cuts or a government shutdown will undermine efforts to reduce poverty.

• Members of Congress have a choice to make. They can continue to cut, forcing more of our neighbors into poverty and pushing our country backwards. Or they can stop the sequestration cuts so we can begin to expand programs that prevent and eliminate poverty. And they can do so without cutting safety net programs like SNAP, low income tax credits like the EITC and CTC, and Medicaid.

Only a few days before funding runs out for many vital programs, the majority in Congress has no plan to stop cuts that will make poverty worse and cost jobs. We need their commitment to invest so that millions of Americans can avoid poverty. Join us in sharing this message!

Sample Tweets:

• New @CoalitiononHN report: At current rate it would take ¼ century to cut #poverty in ½ http://ow.ly/Su4PU #StopTheCuts

• New @USCensusBureau data show Congress has choice to make – #StopTheCuts or force more of our neighbors into poverty http://ow.ly/Su4PU

• We must expand – not cut – programs that prevent and eliminate #poverty http://ow.ly/Su4PU (INSERT GRAPHIC) #TalkPoverty #StopTheCuts

• In 2014, govt progs lifted millions out of poverty – so why won’t Congress #StopTheCuts? http://ow.ly/Su4PU (INSERT GRAPHIC)

You can also click here to retweet CHN’s post on Twitter or click here to share CHN’s Facebook post.

Here are just a few of the infographics you can share (thanks to our friends at the National Priorities Project for creating our infographics!). For more infographics and tweets, click here.