In newly released data it appears that poor families and children are being left behind as the benefits of a steadily growing economy fail to trickle down to their level.
Congress is currently preparing to issue additional tax cuts and cut funding for programs that serve low-income children and families, just as these numbers come to light.
Marian Wright Edelman, CEO and founder of Children's Defense Fund (CDF), says the persistent and growing high level of child poverty, reflects conscious and misguided choices.
She wonders how the Bush Administration and Congress can give enormous tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans who have benefited most from the economic recovery while threatening to cut the budgets for Medicaid, Food Stamps and other programs that assist poor children who continue to be left behind.
According to the CDF the number of children living in poverty in the United States now exceeds 13 million.
New health insurance data also released today serves to underscore the importance of maintaining these programs.
Apparently private health insurance coverage for children has declined since 2000, but because of the continued effectiveness of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program in filling coverage gaps, health insurance for children nationally has remained stable and even slightly improved.
But apparently there are still 9.1 million uninsured children in the U.S.