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H.R. 6941: Measuring American Poverty Act of 2008

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H.R. 6941: Measuring American Poverty Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-09-18 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

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Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-09-18 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Measuring American Poverty Act of 2008

Plain summary

Measuring American Poverty Act of 2008 - Amends part A of title XI of the Social Security Act to direct the Bureau of the Census, in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to calculate modern poverty thresholds and modern poverty rates for each calendar year. Declares that the modern poverty threshold for a reference family consisting of two adults and their two related children shall be an amount equal to the average of 120% of the 33rd percentile of the distribution of annual expenditures by such families on food, clothing, and shelter during each of the three most recent years for which data is available from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, a superior federal government source of data, or some combination of such sources. Prescribes requirements for determining modern poverty rates. Directs the Bureau of the Census, in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), to contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to develop and publish methods of: (1) calculating a decent living standard threshold; and (2) measuring the extent to which the income of families in the United States is sufficient to meet it. Directs the Bureau of the Census, in collaboration with BLS, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to contract with NAS to develop and publish a method of: (1) measuring the extent of medical care risk in the United States; and (2) calculating the number and percentage of individuals in the United States who lack adequate health insurance, leaving them at risk of being unable to afford needed treatment.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Measuring American Poverty Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr6941 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110