This report summarizes some of the testimony presented during Congressional hearings in October 1983 to examine the reasons for increased poverty in this country since 1979. Terms used in measuring poverty are defined, and data relating to the amount of poverty that currently exists, who the poor are, and how long they remain in poverty are presented. Witnesses at the hearings indicated that the people most likely to be poor were children, blacks, people of Spanish origin, and women--especially women who are heads of single-parent households. Furthermore, testimony revealed that the aged are more insulated from poverty than other groups because they are less vulnerable to swings in the business cycle, and their social insurance benefits are indexed to cost of living increases. Reasons cited for the increase in poverty included declining economic growth, rising unemployment, and lower benefit transfer levels. Eight major options for changes in welfare programs were enumerated by the director of the Congressional Budget Office, but witnesses expressed doubt about the Reagan administration's ability to carry out these goals and bring poverty rates back down to the levels of the mid-1970's, and also called the fairness of the administration's budget cuts into question. (CJM)