Kennedy Questions Lutnick on Census Poverty Calculation in Commerce Hearing
The broadcast covers a February 2026 Senate hearing where Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on how the Census Bureau calculates the official poverty rate. Kennedy highlighted that the traditional measure counts only cash income and excludes non-cash benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, housing subsidies, and refundable tax credits. He argued this leads to an overstated 11% poverty rate and used a hypothetical single-mother example totaling over $64,000 in annual support. Lutnick agreed the issue warranted review. The segment also touched briefly on broadband funding priorities. The video title sensationalizes the exchange as a 'destruction.'
Source: Graham Sterling