Rising Poverty Rates in the US: Challenges to Biden's Social Safety Net

The US Census Bureau has reported an increase in the poverty rate in 2022, marking the first rise in years. The child poverty rate more than doubled from the previous year, largely due to the loss of the expanded Child Tax Credit. Experts warn that without adequate social safety net programs, the trend could worsen. The end of pandemic-era benefits, such as child tax credits and expanded unemployment benefits, likely contributed to the increase. Social scientists predict that the number of American families living below the poverty line could continue to grow if the lessons learned from the pandemic are not taken into account.