Trone: New Report Shows American Rescue Plan Reduced Poverty by 66% in Maryland

Press Release

WASHINGTON -- Today, Congressman David Trone (MD-06) announced that a new report from the Joint Economic Committee found that the American Rescue Plan (ARP) prevented over 729,000 Marylanders from falling into poverty and reduced poverty by 66.3% in Maryland. Trone is a member of the Joint Economic Committee.

The report also detailed how the ARP and other bipartisan emergency measures exacted during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented more than 50 million Americans from slipping into poverty this year. You can read the entire report here.

"When families and businesses were struggling at the height of the pandemic, President Biden and I acted quickly to pass the American Rescue Plan to support those who needed it most," said Congressman David Trone. "Through direct payments, the Child Tax Credit, expanded unemployment insurance, and emergency SNAP benefits, the American Rescue Plan helped alleviate poverty for more than 700,000 Marylanders, including some of Maryland's most vulnerable communities. No Marylander should have to worry about keeping a roof over their head or putting food on the table, and these bipartisan measures did just that."

The ARP was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in March of 2021. All 50 states experienced significant reductions in the projected poverty rate, with a minimum reduction of 49% (North Dakota) and a maximum reduction of 75% (Louisiana). Combined with other programs, stimulus checks, expanded SNAP benefits, and extended unemployment insurance were found to be the most effective at reducing 2021 projected poverty rates.

These measures were especially effective at reducing the poverty rate for historically marginalized Americans. Black and Hispanic individuals saw poverty reductions of 74% and 68%, respectively. Children also greatly benefited from the ARP and bipartisan emergency measures, with a decrease of 81% in projected poverty for 2021.

Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Appropriations, Veterans' Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees in the 117th Congress and previously served on the Education and Labor and Foreign Affairs Committees. In Congress, Trone is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the mental health and addiction crises, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.

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