WASHINGTON, DC — House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Charles Boustany (R-LA) released the following statement on today’s Census Bureau report showing that the poverty rate was unchanged in 2014, with 46.7 million people living in poverty.

“This report shows that poverty remains a very real and pressing issue across the United States. It is not relegated to one ethnicity, age group, or geographic region. More than ever, this illustrates that our welfare system does too little to help those who fall into poverty back on their feet, and in many cases traps individuals in poverty and keeps them there. Congress needs to take action to encourage individuals to find work, build skills, and put themselves back on the road to self-sufficiency, which will help to grow our economy and build a diverse workforce with the skills to succeed in the 21st century.”

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