(AURN News) — President Joe Biden seized on newly released Census reports on Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage to paint a picture of economic progress under his administration, while simultaneously calling for more aggressive measures to support the middle class and reduce poverty. The report shows that the poverty rate fell 0.4% in 2023 and that median household incomes increased from $77,540 in 2022 to $80,610 in 2023.

The White House statement, released in response to the Census Bureau's findings, emphasized positive trends in income growth and health insurance coverage. According to the president, middle-class incomes have risen by more than $3,000 over the past year, with overall gains since he and Vice President Kamala Harris took office outpacing inflation.

However, the president's statement was not without criticism of his political opponents. “Let’s be clear: we must do more to lower poverty by restoring the expanded Child Tax Credit that cut child poverty nearly in half in 2021 and passing our plan to build millions of homes and make rent more affordable—policies Congressional Republicans have repeatedly blocked,” he said.

Biden also touted record-high health insurance coverage rates, attributing the improvement to his administration's efforts to bolster the Affordable Care Act and reduce healthcare costs. These achievements, he argued, demonstrate tangible progress in the administration's goal of strengthening the middle class.

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