Washington, DC – Income Security and Family Support Ranking Member John Linder (R- GA)  released the following statement in reaction to today’s income and poverty report confirming the number of Americans living in poverty increased by 3.8 million between 2008 and 2009, as the recession deepened and millions lost their jobs.  This rise was despite the fact that record numbers of Americans collected government anti-poverty and other benefits in 2009, a trend which continued into 2010. 

“What poor Americans, like all other Americans, need are jobs, not more government benefits. Yet more government benefits are all this Administration has been able to deliver, while adding literally trillions of dollars to the national debt.  It’s well past time that, instead of providing more government stimulus, we focus on removing impediments to private sector job creation.  That starts with preventing the massive tax hike looming for all Americans.  Promoting private sector job creation is the only long-run solution to today’s unacceptably high level of poverty, which has trapped far too many Americans.”   

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