<P> The `` Orshansky Poverty Thresholds '' form the basis for the current measure of poverty in the U.S. Mollie Orshansky was an economist working for the Social Security Administration ( SSA ) . Her work appeared at an opportune moment . Orshansky 's article was published later in the same year that Johnson declared war on poverty . Since her measure was absolute ( i.e. , did not depend on other events ) , it made it possible to objectively answer whether the U.S. government was `` winning '' this war . The newly formed United States Office of Economic Opportunity adopted the lower of the Orshansky poverty thresholds for statistical , planning , and budgetary purposes in May 1965 . </P>
<P> The `` Orshansky Poverty Thresholds '' form the basis for the current measure of poverty in the U.S. Mollie Orshansky was an economist working for the Social Security Administration ( SSA ) . Her work appeared at an opportune moment . Orshansky 's article was published later in the same year that Johnson declared war on poverty . Since her measure was absolute ( i.e. , did not depend on other events ) , it made it possible to objectively answer whether the U.S. government was `` winning '' this war . The newly formed United States Office of Economic Opportunity adopted the lower of the Orshansky poverty thresholds for statistical , planning , and budgetary purposes in May 1965 . </P>
when was the usa 's official poverty definition created
when was the usa 's official poverty definition created
May 1965
May 1965