Paul Ryan & House Republicans’ Attack on Low Income American Families Undermines the Safety Net

February 29, 2016
Press Release

WASHINGTON, DC (February 29, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today sent a letter to her Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives, urging them to join her in protecting America's safety net programs from attacks by House Republicans. In addition to the letter, she also distributed the attached report, detailing the positive results that anti-poverty programs have for millions of America's working families and discrediting the GOP's attempts to dismantle them.

"Despite the constant attacks by the Republican Party, our safety net programs work at lifting millions of Americans out of poverty. According to the Brookings Institution, the poverty rate has declined 26.4 percentage points between 1960 and 2010. Now more than ever, it is critical that we protect the integrity of these programs," wrote Rosa DeLauro. "We cannot let the Republican message that these programs do not work overshadow the figures and stories of Americans whose lives are greatly impacted by these programs."

Speaker Ryan recently announced a new Task Force on Poverty, Opportunity, and Upward Mobility(link is external), a task force made up exclusively of Republicans that is charged with reducing poverty in the U.S. However, members of the task force have voting records that cut funding for the very safety net programs aimed at reducing poverty.

Members of the task force have advocated for budgets that cut programs such as:

  • SNAP, which according to the U.S. Census Supplemental Poverty Measure, lifted 4.7 million people out of poverty in 2014
  • The Child Tax Credit (CTC), which according to the U.S. Census Supplemental Poverty Measure, lifted 3.1 million people out of poverty in 2014
  • Housing Assistance, which according to the U.S. Census Supplemental Poverty Measure, lifted 2.8 million people out of poverty in 2014

Last week, when Ryan named members of the task force, DeLauro remarked, "Creating a task force that will not result in a meaningful discussion is an injustice to the millions of Americans living in poverty. The American people need leadership, not showmanship."

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