Among the key findings of the report, median household income dropped 3.6% to $50,303 in 2008. That was the sharpest drop since at least 1967 and sent income to its lowest point since 1997.

The portion of Americans living in poverty rose to 13.2% in 2008 from 12.5% in 2007. That's the highest poverty rate since 1997. Poverty rates closely track declines in income, said David Johnson, chief of the Census Bureau's economic statistics branch.

And women who worked full-time earned 77% of what men made in 2008, statistically unchanged from a year earlier. However, the median income of women declined 1.9% in 2008, slightly more than the 1% decline in incomes for men working full time.

Lisa Maatz, AAUW's top policy adviser, responded by saying, "The government's new report on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage shows that the wage gap between men and women working full time remains stubbornly in place. In 2007, the average woman made almost 78 cents for each dollar earned by her male counterpart. According to newly released 2008 figures, that number now stands at just over 77 cents for each dollar earned by a man. Given the tough economic times, some might say that women should be satisfied that the gap didn't widen. However, given that the wage gap has been stagnant over the past decade - in good times and bad - AAUW sees this as a time for action.”

Maatz points out that it is critical that we make real progress on closing the wage gap. Wage discrimination hurts whole families, not just women. This is not a time for employers to fall back on the stereotypes of men as the primary breadwinners, and tough economic times are not sufficient excuse to ignore civil rights laws.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about a fifth of families with children are headed by single working moms, and nearly half of all families with children depend on two paychecks. Clearly a majority of working families have a stake in equal pay for equal work. These are real women, working everyday to make ends meet. They are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for simple justice.

AAUW remains committed to passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182/H.R. 12), a much-needed update to the Equal Pay Act of 1963. The Paycheck Fairness Act will help create a climate in which pay discrimination is not tolerated. The House has already passed the measure, but the Senate needs to take up the mantle. Maatz says, “It's time we strengthened the Equal Pay Act so that it can finally live up to its name."

In addition, the new Census report paints a mixed picture of how Americans have fared with health insurance coverage during the recession. The percentage of people without health coverage was unchanged last year at 15.4%, although the number increased to 46.3 million from 45.7 million in 2007. How people got health insurance, however, shifted significantly during the year as the burden fell increasingly on government.

The number of Americans covered by private health insurance declined by 1 million in 2008. But that loss was more than offset by a 4.4 million increase in the number of people getting health insurance from government programs such as Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor.

AAUW believes that health care is a basic right, and that women in the United States are in particular need of health reform legislation. Specifically, AAUW believes that any health reform legislation must include the following three tenets: an end to the practice of gender rating; coverage of reproductive health services; and access to and coverage of preventive services and care.

Overall, the Census report showed the recession has taken a big bite out of the financial health of American households, softened somewhat by the safety net of government programs. The income and poverty numbers are the first to reflect the effect of the recession, which began in December 2007 and has erased 6.9 million jobs.

For more information about AAUW locally, contact President Lisa Wilson at 353-2513 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Program vice president Sue Bellor at 769-6146 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . AAUW, with its nationwide network of more than 100,000 members, more than 1,000 branches conducting programs in communities across the country, and 500 college and university partners, has been a leading advocate for equity and education for women and girls since 1881.