The State of Poverty: 2006 Congressional Midterm Report Card

A yardstick against which to measure the effectiveness of members of Congress on issues of poverty and economic fairness has been newly developed by the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. The Shriver Center’s 2006 Congressional Midterm Report will help constituents evaluate their congressional delegation on how it responds to the needs of low-income Americans.

With the 2006 Congressional Midterm Report, antipoverty advocates across the United States can evaluate how every member of Congress represents low-income Americans. The Report includes

• descriptions of 12 newly introduced bills affecting low-income Americans;
• position statements from nationally recognized Shriver Center advocates; and
• voting records of every member of the 109th Congress on key issues for low-income Americans.

The Report, nearly one year after Katrina and the nationwide discussion about poverty and abandoned communities, has the effect of goading Congress to create antipoverty strategies and invest in services for the poor.

The Report implicitly directs attention to the questions: Who should be held accountable for the economic conditions in the state of poverty within every state? Who should be responsible for identifying the investments to improve the lives of low-wage workers, advance families toward economic security, and create communities of opportunity?

The Report stems from the Shriver Center’s view that the private sector alone cannot narrow the widening gap between rich and poor. The Shriver Center urges leadership from national policymakers who must recognize that they represent not only the geographic states of America but also American citizens living in the state of poverty..

Download the 2006 Midterm Congressional Report from http://www.povertylaw.org//advocacy/publications/scorecard.pdf.>

The Shriver Center cautions that the 2006 Midterm Congressional Report should be used only to evaluate sitting legislators, not to influence how organizations or individuals should vote in any upcoming elections.

For more information on the Shriver Center’s Midterm Congressional Report, contact Rikeesha Cannon, media relations director.