PRINTER'S NO. 953
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
68
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY KENYATTA, MARCH 18, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MARCH 18, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing poverty as a public health crisis in this
Commonwealth that leads to a myriad of individual and
societal harms.
WHEREAS, Over 1.5 million Pennsylvanians suffer from poverty,
while an additional 3.5 million live near the poverty line; and
WHEREAS, Of those suffering from poverty, approximately
743,000 individuals live in a state of "deep poverty," defined
as being at 50% of the poverty line; and
WHEREAS, Poverty disproportionately impacts minority
communities in this Commonwealth, with 24.8% of the black
community and 28.7% of the Latino community living below the
poverty line; and
WHEREAS, Poverty affects the most vulnerable people in this
Commonwealth more than any other; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with disabilities are more likely to be
poor than the population at large, with more than one in five
disabled Pennsylvanians living in poverty; and
WHEREAS, Children are more likely to live in poverty than any
other group, with 16.7% of children in this Commonwealth living
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in poverty overall and a staggering one in three black and
Latino children living in poverty; and
WHEREAS, Poor children are more likely to struggle in school
than their more affluent peers and are 7 times as likely to drop
out of school; and
WHEREAS, Economic data shows that child poverty costs an
estimated $500 billion to the nation's economy every year,
reduces productivity by 1.3%, results in heightened crime rates
and increases overall health expenditures; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 35% of poor children in Philadelphia
have experienced emotional or physical neglect while 32% suffer
from physical or sexual abuse; and
WHEREAS, Individuals living below the poverty line live an
average of 6.5 years less than those living above the poverty
line; and
WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, data shows that individuals living
in the poorest parts of the city have life expectancies that are
20 years shorter than individuals living in the wealthier parts
of the city; and
WHEREAS, Poor adults are significantly more likely to suffer
from life-threatening illnesses, with individuals living in
poverty being twice as likely to have diabetes; and
WHEREAS, Roughly 38% of Philadelphia residents living in
poverty report experiencing high levels of stress, which
correlates with increased rates of asthma, high blood pressure,
obesity and mental health related illnesses; and
WHEREAS, The level and impact of poverty on citizens of this
Commonwealth merits increased attention from the State
government and collaborative solutions; and
WHEREAS, On January 10, 2018, Governor Tom Wolf issued an
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emergency proclamation to combat the opioid crisis, which has
resulted in increased funding, the opening of new treatment
centers and heightened collaboration between State agencies, all
aimed at solving the opioid epidemic in our State; and
WHEREAS, Lessons learned and strategies employed in combating
the opioid epidemic can be applied to other Statewide crises
such as poverty; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize poverty
as a public health crisis in this Commonwealth that leads to a
myriad of individual and societal harms; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives, in recognizing
this public health crises, acknowledge that increased
collaboration among various facets of government at the State,
county and local level, such as the collaboration that has been
implemented to fight the opioid crises, is necessary to
adequately combat poverty.
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