In this country, 37 million people live below the official poverty line – $19,971 for a family of four. Another perspective to grasp the scale of poverty in America: Ninety million people – nearly one out of three of all Americans – have incomes below 200 percent of federal poverty thresholds. Millions of Americans are just one layoff, one health crisis, or one family emergency away from poverty’s door.

Angela Glover Blackwell founder and CEO of PolicyLink addressed the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions this week about strategies for moving people out of poverty.  If fully implemented, the strategies, developed by the Center for American Progress’ (CAP) Task Force on Poverty, which she co-chairs, have the potential to cut poverty in half over the next 10 years.

Blackwell’s committee testimony was drawn from the task force’s 12 recommendations, which are grouped under four principles:

Principle 1: Promote decent work

1. Raise and index the minimum wage to half the average hourly wage.
2. Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and child tax credit.
3. Promote unionization by enacting the Employee Free Choice Act.
4. Guarantee child care assistance to low-income families, and promote early education.

Principle 2: Provide opportunity for all

5. Create two million new “Opportunity” housing vouchers, and promote equitable development in and around central cities.
6. Connect disadvantaged and disconnected youth with school and work.
7. Simplify and expand Pell Grants and make higher education accessible to residents of each state.
8. Help former prisoners find stable employment and reintegrate into their communities.

Principle 3: Ensure economic security

9. Ensure equity for low-wage workers in the unemployment insurance system.
10. Modernize means-tested benefits programs to develop a coordinated system that helps workers and families.

Principle 4: Help people build wealth

11. Reduce the high costs of being poor and increase access to financial services.
12. Expand and simplify the Saver’s Credit to encourage saving for education, homeownership, and retirement.

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