Some 1.3 million Americans slid into poverty in 2003 as the ranks of the poor rose 4 percent to 35.9 million, with children and blacks worse off than most, the government said on August 26, 2004 in a report that fueled Democratic criticism of President George W. Bush. (Reuters)

The number of Americans living in poverty or without health insurance grew last year, a government survey showed, adding dynamite to the battle for the White House.

The ranks of the financially stricken in the world's most powerful economy climbed 1.3 million to 35.9 million people in 2003, pushing up the poverty rate to 12.5 percent from 12.1 percent, the Census Bureau said.

It is the third year in a row that it has increased and the highest poverty rate since 1998, when 12.7 percent of Americans lived in poverty. The poverty threshold is 18,810 dollars annually for a family of four or 9,393 dollars for a single person.

With opinion polls showing the economy as the most important issue to Americans, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry seized on the figures to lash out at President George W. Bush's economic record.

"Today confirms the failure of President Bush's policies for all Americans," the Massachusetts senator said in a statement. "While George Bush tries to convince America's families that we're turning the corner, slogans and empty rhetoric can't hide the real story."

The census survey showed an even bleaker picture among children, with more than one in six of those under the age of 18 living in poverty. The number of children living in poverty rose to 12.9 million from 12.1 million, pushing up their poverty rate to 17.6 percent from 16.7 percent.

Among minorities, only Asians experienced a poverty rate increase, from 10 percent in 2002 to 11.8 percent in 2003.

While the poverty rate rose, the median, or mid-range, household income remained at 43,318 dollars between 2002-2003, following two consecutive years of decline.

Meanwhile, the number of people without health insurance climbed 1.4 million to 45.0 million in 2003, lifting the no-coverage rate to 15.6 percent from 15.2 percent.

(Agencies)

threshold : a minimum value for a quantity（最低限度）

lash out: attack in speech or writing（抨擊）

rhetoric: high flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation（花言巧語）