Many forms of help are tied to the federal poverty line, which is calculated using a formula that has largely not been updated since the 1960s.
The poverty line is calculated in an outdated wayThe current federal poverty line for the 48 contiguous states and Washington, DC, is $15,060 a year for one person, $20,440 for a family of two, and $31,200 for a family of four.
Courtesy of Melissa HeddenMuch of the resistance to changing the federal poverty line could stem from the government's desire not to inflate the number of people in poverty overnight.
AdvertisementRep. Kevin Mullin, a Democrat from California, has introduced legislation — called the Poverty Line Act— that would modernize the federal poverty line, taking into account actual costs of goods and how prices differ across regions.
Do you make above the poverty line but not enough to meet your daily needs?
Persons:
—, Jason Hopkins, Hopkins, he's, He's, doesn't, ALICE —, Nyx, Beth Jarosz, Kyle Ross, ALICE, Mollie Orshansky, Jarosz, Stephanie Hoopes, United For ALICE, they've, Melinda Binkley, Ryan Arbuckle, Louis, Oleg Parubin, Parubin, Melissa Hedden, Melissa, Ross, Biden, Kevin Mullin, Mullin, Michael Tubbs, Tubbs
Organizations:
Service, Business, America, Center for American Progress, Bureau of Labor Statistics, of Health, Human Services, Assistance, Women, Children, United For, SNAP, Bills, Senate
Locations:
Illinois, Washington, DC, Stillwater , Minnesota, St, Manhattan, Airbnbs, North Carolina, California, Stockon , California, Illinois —