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WASHINGTON, March 19, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Focus on the Family CitizenLink article summarizes new information gleaned from 2000 U.S. Census data that reveals a child fares much better when living in a home with both a mother and father present. The data revealed that, among other things, children living in households with both parents were much less likely to suffer from poverty.  “The householders in married-couple families had higher proportions in the labor force, they owned their own home, and they were not living in poverty – all good signs for the children living in these families,” Census Bureau Survey Statistician Terry Lugaila said.  “One of the wonderful things about the institution of marriage is that it’s an institution that aligns the interests of mums and dads and the best interests of their children,” Roland Warren told CitizenLink. Warren is spokesman for the National Fatherhood Initiative. “We just need to redouble our efforts on a national level to focus in on keeping couples married; in particular making sure that kids who are born are born to married couples obviously.”  Warren also emphasized that having a family also has a very positive influence on the health of men. If married, “Men, on average, do better economically, they live longer, they’re healthier, they tend to focus inward on their families as opposed to outwardly, towards some other things that could lead to financial ruin,” he said.

The census results further reinforce the initiatives being encouraged by U.S. President George W. Bush. President Bush has earmarked $100 million from a welfare bonus program for promoting healthy marriages and reducing the divorce rate.  Read the CitizenLink coverage at:  https://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0031236.cfm   The full US Census data can be viewed in PDF format at:  https://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/censr-14.pdf