The U.S. poverty rate fell last year, the first significant decline since President George W. Bush took office in early 2001. The last significant decline in the poverty rate came in 2000, during the Clinton administration. The Census Bureau reported Tuesday that 36.5 million Americans-12.3 percent of the population-were living in poverty last year. That figure was down from 12.6 percent in 2005. The median household income increased slightly last year, but the number of Americans without health insurance also increased, to 47 million. The poverty level is the official measure used to decide eligibility for federal health, housing, nutrition, and child-care benefits. The poverty report comes five years into an uneven economic recovery and well into a presidential campaign 14 months before the election. Poverty has not been a big issue in the campaign so far. The poverty figures are good economic news at a time when financial markets have been hit by a slumping housing market. However, the numbers released Tuesday represent economic conditions from a year ago.
