Hoyer, Lee Statement on Speaker Paul Ryan’s New Task Force on Poverty

WASHINGTON, DC – Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA), chair of the Democratic Whip Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity, released a statement today after Speaker Paul Ryan announced the formation of a Republican task force on poverty: 

“Speaker Ryan’s announcement of a new task force on poverty is a welcome step to address this urgent crisis impacting more than 46 million Americans – but it’s a step that must be backed up by action.

“Ending poverty has long been a top priority for Congressional Democrats, which is why we launched the Democratic Whip Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity in 2013. We’re proud to have more than 100 Democratic Members on this task force, which since its inception has been actively promoting new ideas to help alleviate poverty in our communities.  

“Now that Congressional Republicans are showing interest in addressing poverty and expanding opportunity for more of our people, we hope they will work with us to enact proven anti-poverty policies that build ladders of opportunity into the middle class.”