The poverty rate declined to 12.7 percent in 2016, down from 13.5 percent in 2015 and from 14.8 percent in 2014, according to new U.S. Census data released Tuesday. That 2.1 percentage point drop is the largest two-year decline since 1969. Since 2014, the number of people in poverty has…
Archives: Voices
What to look for in the new Census Bureau data
Editor’s note: On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the U.S. Census Bureau will release its annual estimates of poverty, household income and health insurance coverage for 2016. What follows is a description both of trends CHN will be examining from the 2016 data, and questions CHN will be raising about the future…
Security and Stability: The Importance of Paid Leave
In 1992, Lauren and her husband Steve, of Mercerville, New Jersey, welcomed their daughter Stephanie to the family. They didn’t know it at the time, but they would become the textbook argument for paid family and medical leave, both in their home state and across the country. “Like most expectant…
Fact of the Week: 15.6 million American households were food insecure in 2016
An estimated 15.6 million American households were food insecure at least some time during the year in 2016, meaning they were not always able to provide enough food for all household members. This is the finding of the USDA’s annual report on food security in the U.S., released earlier today. The…
After Harvey: A self-inflicted fiscal disaster in Washington?
Editor’s note: The following op-ed by CHN Executive Director Deborah Weinstein was originally published by The Hill on September 4. Urge Congress to fix disasters, not inflict them, by emailing your representative and senators today. For all the background you need on Congress’ list of do’s and don’ts for September, click here….
Trump’s Decision on the Dreamers Coming Tuesday
While 800,000 young people and their families waited fearfully to see if the Trump Administration would turn their world upside down, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Friday that the President’s decision about the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program would be announced on Tuesday, Sept. 5. President…
‘It’s sad that we have to have this happen for us to come together’
The numbers are staggering: a death toll of 39, rising almost by the hour. Nearly 50,000 homes in Houston alone flooded and uninhabitable. 30 percent of Harris County submerged – an area that is equivalent in size to Chicago and New York City combined. 294,000 people without power, from Corpus…
22-day vigil to defend DACA
The dedicated activists stand steps away from the White House, with signs calling on Congress and the Trump administration to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) programs. When passersby stop and sign their petition, the volunteers cheer and celebrate. They know they…
Spending bills’ one-two punch to working families
When members of Congress return to D.C. after Labor Day, they’ll have a lot to do in a short time. At the top of Congress’s “must do” list is passing spending legislation to keep the government open after the new fiscal year starts on October 1. With only 12 days…
Using the new poverty, income and health insurance data: a practical guide
On September 12 and 14, the Census Bureau will release its annual poverty, income and health insurance survey data. That’s why on Thursday, September 7th, 3:00 – 4:30 pm ET, CHN will host a handy webinar to show you how to use the local, state, and national findings. You’ll get…
Children, Fear, and Dreams
Yesterday was the five-year anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). Nearly 800,000 people who came to the U.S. as children have gained temporary legal status through DACA, if they met certain criteria, such as having lived continuously in the U.S. since June of 2007. DACA has…
Rethinking Workforce Training for Low-Income Moms
Editor’s note: This post was written by Carol Burnett, the founder and executive director of the Mississippi Low-Income Child Care Initiative, a nonprofit that has been a champion for affordable child care for low-income working parents since 1998. This post was originally published on the National Women’s Law Center blog…