Federal Comment Periods
Proposed Changes to Official Poverty Measure
On May 7th, 2019 the Trump Administration released a request for comment in the Federal Register that seeks to change the way the federal government calculates the Official Poverty Measure (OPM). Specifically, the Administration is seeking to adjust how the Consumer Price Index and inflation are incorporated into the measure. This change, while subtle, has the potential to redefine poverty and make millions of people ineligible for programs like CSBG, WAP, LIHEAP, SNAP, Medicaid, and more. This potential change has been reported on extensively in the press and has been covered by various policy organizations. View the resources below to learn more about the proposed change:
- “Trump’s Plan to Lower Poverty by Redefining It, Explained”- TalkPoverty
- “Trump Administration Floating Changes to Poverty Measure That Would Reduce or Eliminate Assistance to Millions of Lower-Income Americans”- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- “Chained CPI for Poverty Line: Trump’s Proposal Explained” – Vox
The public comment period is open through June 21st 2019 at 11:59 pm ET.
Resources to Assist with Drafting Comments
- Regulations.gov Portal– This is where you submit your comment
- Tips for Submitting Effective Comments on regulations.gov
- How Is Poverty Measured? – University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty
- An Introduction to Poverty Measurement – Congressional Research Service
- The Supplemental Poverty Measure – Congressional Research Service
- Differences Between the Traditional CPI and the Chained CPI – Congressional Budget Office
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Chained CPI – Bureau of Labor Statistics
- About the Chained CPI (Video) – Bureau of Labor Statistics
- CAP’s Statement on the Proposed Change
- Comments Submitted by NCAF
