Congress set to send states more aid, By Naftali Bendavid, August 5, 2010, Wall Street Journal: “Congress took a decisive step Wednesday toward finalizing a $26 billion bill offering aid to states, a surprise win for Democrats keen to demonstrate they’re taking action on an economy showing signs of weakness. The bill, designed to prevent teacher layoffs and help states with their Medicaid payments, comes after months of foot dragging by Congress. Lawmakers have proven reluctant to spend money on everything from stimulus projects to additional unemployment insurance, amid increasing voter concern about the size of the U.S. budget deficit. But Wednesday’s action, which won the support of two Republicans, suggests members of Congress are sufficiently concerned about the mixed signals from the economy that they’re willing to approve narrow spending bills, particularly those with political resonance ahead of this year’s midterm elections…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty