U.S. poverty Increased A record during 2010

The number of Americans living below the poverty line last year rose to 46.2 million people, as the economy struggled to recover from recession, the government said.

In a report that highlights the economic challenges facing President Barack Obama and Congress, the Census Bureau said the national poverty rate rose last year for the third consecutive year.

Poverty rose 0.8% in 2010, at a rate of 15.1% compared to 2009, when 43.6 million Americans were living in poverty.

The report said the number of poor Americans in 2010 was the largest in the 52 years that have been published poverty estimates, while the rate was the highest since 1993.

The median household income also fell 2.3% to an annual figure of U.S. $ 49,445, while the number of Americans without health coverage approached 50 million people.

The economic decline probably reflected the figures has been extended by 2011 to slow down economic growth, keeping the unemployment rate stuck above 9% and raising fears of a relapse into recession.

The report on the progress of poverty coincides with Obama's momentum to promote job creation package for U.S. $ 450,000 million and deliberations in Congress designed to cut at least $ 1.2 trillion U.S. budget deficit over the next 10 years .

Facing a loss of popular support, the president is trying to convince Republicans in Congress to support their employment package.

Analysts say that issues related to poverty have relatively little foothold among politicians in Washington, but hope that the new figures will encourage the "supercomisión" bipartisan deficit to avoid cuts that hurt the poor.

The United States has long been one of the highest poverty rates in the developed world. Among the 24 countries surveyed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, only Chile, Israel and Mexico have higher rates of poverty.