Poverty is the lack of the basic needs of life, including food, shelter, clothing, and clean water. Poverty is a worrying problem that many people are unaware of. It's widespread and more common than you might think. It affects many people around the world and requires intervention. The U.S. Census estimates that 13.4% of Americans, or about 42 million people, lived below the poverty line in 2017. This percentage has increased over the years. I want to make sure that those who are not financially stable have the opportunity to earn little income to support themselves. I propose that Congress take action to reduce poverty and strengthen economic security. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay When it comes to poverty, it is people with little or no income who are affected. USA Today states: “Personal responsibility and structural pressures can lead to poverty, and experts often debate what affects poverty most. But certain factors beyond the individual's control – including being a woman, Black, Hispanic, a child or a person with a disability – are an indicator that a person is more likely to live in poverty. (Jump). These groups are more likely to grow up in substandard homes, poor neighborhoods or insufficient school systems. The poverty rate for women is 14.5 percent. Women face challenges in the work sector, such as being paid significantly less than men, putting them at greater risk of poverty and financial hardship. According to USA Today, “women earned 81.3% of the median salary of men in the second quarter of 2018” (Jump). This salary gap between men and women persists even with equal qualifications and functions. Women are more likely to work in low-paying jobs because of the care work they provide, for which they are not paid. On the other hand, single mothers find themselves pushed into poverty due to the cost they have to bear to have a child. Low-income women are more likely to have unwanted pregnancies, which will likely push them into poverty because they are unable to support themselves or their children. Children cannot earn money on their own, so they depend on the elderly to provide for them. get out of poverty. USA Today states: “Compared to working-age adults or older adults, children are much more likely to live in poverty: 18.4 percent of Americans under 18 live in poverty, compared to 12.6 % of 18 to 64 year olds and 9.3%. elderly people” (Skip). These statistics are increasing because parents are unable to provide for their children and leave them free to earn little income on their own. People with disabilities are also likely to face poverty. This causality can go both ways. As USA Today states, “those who have disabilities have a higher risk of becoming poor, and those who are poor have a higher risk of becoming disabled” (Sauter). People with disabilities are unable to work and find themselves on the streets without income. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed to provide financial security to people suffering from illness. Despite the law, discrimination in hiring people with disabilities persists. In general, they have more difficulty finding a job and earning "wages".