ortkiese



 

 SENATOR GRACE ORTKIESE  NEW YORK 

DEMOCRAT

About Me: My name is Grace Ortkiese, I am forty years old, a Democrat, and i was born and raised in New York State. This is my 8th year as the senator of the great state of New York and I plan to continue my term as thoughtfully and carefully as possible. From the start, i have been concerned with the issue of poverty in this nation. Born and raised in New York City, I grew up observing the poverty and slums of intercity life and became passionate about improving the lives of those impoverished people. Since then, I have dedicated my career and place in the Senate primarily to addressing the issue of poverty, specifically the undermined role of women in the economy and their high poverty rate.

 My Overview on Poverty: Poverty in this country has long been an issue. From the Great Depression in the 30s to Clinton's Welfare Reform in the 90s to today's national issue of poverty, the gargantuan issue has plagued an average of 2.3 //million // Americans a year. And the scariest part of it all is that it's not getting better. The previously overly republican administrations have looked over poverty as a petty issue, nothing to be worried about. But I'm here to defend those who cannot defend themselves. To make a change in the lives of the 3% of families living in hunger, the 17.8% of children and teens who are impoverished and the 11.3% of adults and elderly that live in poverty everyday.

Poverty is not a small issue that can be dealt with by individuals. It is not an issue that arises from individual problems. Obviously, if 1/5-1/4 of American citizens are impoverished and just barely making it, this is an issue that needs to be addressed by some power greater than a single, helpless individual. The issue of poverty //needs //to be addressed by the government.

Overview of Specific Issue: While national poverty is an issue on several levels, I am aware that I cannot address them all and have to work from the bottom up. I want to focus on the female role in the economy, as 28.7% of impoverished people in this country are women. Not only is this a huge problem, but i feel that it demonstrates the inequality and sexism still present in today's society. Addressing the issue of the huge percentage of impoverished women in this country would not only help half of the nation, but would improve the economy for the entire United States. Do not take me wrong, i am not trying to undermine the negative effects of male poverty or turn my head away from the issue of poverty as a whole in this nation, but i feel that we must take baby steps at this point and start with the group that needs our help the most.

Purpose: To initiate mending of the economy as a whole and to improve families quality of life via lowering the amount of impoverished females in the United States.

<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> The Facts: As my hope for the bill is that it will improve the nation's poverty rate/economy as a whole, the facts about the entire economy need to be exhibited:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Historically, economic decline has occurred when a large portion of the economy cannot participate in it (i.e. Great Depression, current economic crisis, etc.)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Poverty rates by race, sex, age:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">17.8% children/teens
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">11.3% people between ages 18-64
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">24.7% African Americans
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">21.9% Hispanic Americans
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">28.7% single, house holding females
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">13% single, house holding males
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">5.1% married couples
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">9.9% all families
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">These groups are unable to participate in the economy effectively as they are below the national poverty level--> economy cannot work as effectively
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So how will improving female poverty rate help poverty as a whole?
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">3 out of 10 single, house holding females in this country are impoverished--> 3 out of 10 single, house holding females in this country are unable to participate in the economy
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">History repeats itself-- if a large portion of the country cannot participate, economy cannot keep running
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Improving employment rate thereby lowering poverty rate of females will help economy as a whole by pushing a large group back into it
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">How does this unsolved problem demonstrate the inequalities still present in America's society today?
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Almost 30% of single females are impoverished while only 13% of single males live in poverty
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Males are the stereotypical bread winners and are expected to work harder jobs and provide for their families
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">If a female is completely dependent on her husband and then leaves him (or is left) she is extremely vulnerable to poverty
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">if a female has expected to be supported all her life and then is suddenly catapulted into supporting herself and her family, poverty is much more likely as she in unprepared to support herself and perhaps does not have a job
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Expectancy of a woman to stay home and keep the household without educating herself and preparing for work/self-support plagues the female poverty rate, the well being of families and children, and ultimately the entire economy





<span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The Boost-her Bill: **The Senate**
 * 1st Session**


 * S.**

A bill for lowering the poverty rate of single, householding females


 * IN THE MCGEHEE CONGRESS**
 * April, 2009**

Sponsored by Senator Ortkiese of New York Co-sponsored by Senator Good of Connecticut and Senator Way of Minnesota A Bill

A bill for lowering the poverty rate of single, householding females //<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Be it enacted by the Members of the McG Congress //<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> //<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">of the United States of America in Congress assembled, //<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> This Act may be cited as the “The Boost-her Bill” <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Teenagers and youth: 17.8% children/teens,11.3% between the ages of 18 and 64 <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">African Americans: 24.7% African Americans <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Hispanic Americans: 21.9% Hispanic Americans <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Single house holding females: 28.7% <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Single males: 13% <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Married couples: 5.1% <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">All families: 9.9% <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Poverty in any form hurts **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">global economy **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> o If large percentage of country cannot contribute to economy, economy in U.S. will begin to fail <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">à U.S. cannot contribute in global economy so global economy fails <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Highest poverty rate in one demographic group exhibits issues in economy o Demonstrates sexism and economic favoring to men o Almost 30% of single, house holding females are unable to participate in economy <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">à <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> harmful, unjust o A system must be created in which jobs are created specifically for single, householding women to lower the high poverty rate in that demographic group <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">§ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Over 19 million women in the United States live in poverty at all times <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">A state is eligible to receive the block grant if: (1) At least 20% of all households headed by single females are below the national poverty line in that state
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">SECTION 1. The Boost-her Bill **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">SECTION 2. **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Poverty has long been an issue in the United States (Great Depression, War on Poverty, Welfare Reform)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Homelessness: 2.3 million Americans become homeless every year
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Hunger: 3% Americans households living in hunger/starvation
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Poverty in any form (different social groups, races, sexes) hurts **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">U.S. economy **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Unemployment rates have continued to rise since the early 2000s
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Poverty by group:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">SECTION 3: **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> To initiate mending of the economy as a whole and to improve families quality of life via lowering the poverty rate of single, householding females in the United States.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">SECTION 4. **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">

A state is eligible to reapply for the block grant if: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(1) States with at least 20% of all single, householding females below the national poverty line are to receive a sum of $5 million per three years with the ultimate goal of reducing the rate of female poverty in each state (2) If a state’s single, householding female rate of poverty increases to 60%, that state’s funding shall increase to $6.7 million (3) Equal Economic Opportunity Committees (EEOC) shall be set up by each individual state with the primary job of creating new and effective jobs designed to aid and be available to single, householding females (4) Equal Economic Opportunity Committees: a. Each state committee must contain at least one representative from each of the following: i. A local executive official ii. A local female aid provider iii. A local child services official iv. A local business community representative b. Each state committee must contain two representatives from each of the following: i. Single, householding females ii. Youth between the ages of 11-18 (able to advocate and articulate for themselves) iii. Members of a local, community based housing/aid program c. May include other members, as Equal Economic Opportunity Committees see necessary (5) States that are still in need of aid after the three year grant has passed can apply for a renewal via reporting an analysis of its improvement created by the EEOC to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to be approved (6) States that apply for a renewal but have not seen proper improvement (decided by the HHS in terms of decrease of poverty rate, jobs kept by citizens in those states, etc.) will not be eligible for a renewal and will therefore not receive another three year term of federal block grant money for the next consecutive term (7) States that have not qualified for another consecutive term can apply for the next, after that state’s EEOC creates a written report outlining what they will do specifically with the block grant awarded to them next term (which will be closely monitored by the HHS once the grant is given) (8) Federal spending shall go directly to state Equal Economic Opportunity Committees, which have the ability to choose how the money should be spent in terms of job creation. The grant is awarded so that each EEOC can effectively use federal dollars to create new jobs for single, householding females (9) Other goals of each state’s EEOC shall include creating other forms of aid to single, householding females (i.e. available childcare, economic education, etc.) Amendments: - __reduce crime rate and drug flow in high poverty areas with more police officials patrolling the areas - Add one representative to state committees from an teen/early pregnancy center, as the cause of poverty in women is often an unplanned pregnancy__
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(1) **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">After reviewing the progress of the poverty rate in that state over the three-year coverage of the grant, the Equal Economic Opportunity Committee of that state reports improvement to the Department of Health and Human Services. If improvement is evident after three years have passed and the Department decides that the state is effectively utilizing its grant money, but 20% of single, householding females in that state still remain, the state is considered eligible for a renewal of the grant.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">SECTION 5. **<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">