--- title: Pope Francis US Visit: He Discussed Economics At Congress description: Pope Francis discussed economics in his historic address to a joint meeting of Congress Thursday. canonical: https://time.com/4049124/pope-francis-discusses-economics-in-congress-speech/ author: Alexandra Mondalek article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-09-24T19:48:45.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:01:30.181Z article:section: Politics og:title: Pope Francis Discusses Economics in Congress Speech og:description: A look at the Pope-onomics. og:url: https://time.com/4049124/pope-francis-discusses-economics-in-congress-speech/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb207f2508015bbc0/69886535f887dca171e92892/pope-francis-congress3.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Pope Francis og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Pope Francis Discusses Economics in Congress Speech twitter:description: A look at the Pope-onomics. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb207f2508015bbc0/69886535f887dca171e92892/pope-francis-congress3.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Pope Francis Discusses Economics in Congress Speech by [Alexandra Mondalek](https://time.com/author/alexandra-mondalek/) ## Alexandra Mondalek Sep 24, 2015 7:48 PM UTC  Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, making history as the first pontiff to do so, Sept. 24, 2015, Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, making history as the first pontiff to do so, Sept. 24, 2015,Carolyn Kaster—AP by [Alexandra Mondalek](https://time.com/author/alexandra-mondalek/) ## Alexandra Mondalek Sep 24, 2015 7:48 PM UTC As part of his six-day tour across the U.S., Pope Francis addressed a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday morning, in a rare English [address](http://time.com/4048176/pope-francis-us-visit-congress-transcript/) to thousands who stood outside the Capitol. The spiritual leader, known for being more liberal than his predecessors (and perhaps relative to members of Congress as well), encouraged congressional leaders to put their political differences aside and focus on some of the most recent, divisive issues including income inequality, immigration policies, and climate change. Here’s the root of the “Pope-onomics” plan from the pontiff himself: --- > “” --- Although Francis [disavows the liberal tag](http://time.com/4044971/pope-francis-i-am-not-a-liberal/), he tends to larger economic issues—for example, balancing the ever-towing scales of income inequality in the U.S. and providing care for the world’s poor. Ever the modernist, the pope’s reference to poverty was aptly timed – more than 60% of Americans now experience [poverty](http://time.com/money/3966403/six-in-ten-americans-will-experience-poverty/) at some point in their life. **Read More:** [_Transcript: Read the Speech Pope Francis Gave to Congress_](http://time.com/4048176/pope-francis-us-visit-congress-transcript/) The pope also implored everyone from Millennials to retirees to put all of their energy toward building a better American economy through social consciousness in a way that would make Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders blush. Running opposite to recent comments made by several GOP presidential candidates, Francis indirectly urged the U.S. to spend on people and the environment, that the key to America’s future prosperity is supporting, financially and otherwise, those in need as well as spending to protect natural resources. While the U.S. government [spent](https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/legislative%5Freports/fcce-report-to-congress.pdf) more than $21 billion on climate change initiatives in 2014 (down about a billion from the year prior) Pope Francis says it’s up to “America’s outstanding academic and research institutions” to influence political decision-making when it comes to areas of technology and the environment. After the address, the pope decided he would eat his lunch with D.C.’s ‘most vulnerable’—not Speaker John Boehner (who wept during his speech), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi or Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, but D.C.’s charities and homeless instead. Message delivered, Francis. ### The Most Surprising Photos of Pope Francis  The wind lifts Pope Francis' mantle as he delivers his speech in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, on Sept. 26, 2015. Tony Gentile—AP  Pope Francis looks at the Statue of Liberty from the window of a helicopter on his way to the John F. Kennedy International Airport, in New York City, on Sept. 26, 2015. L'Osservatore Romano/AP  A Pope Francis mannequin rides around in a car in Times Square as New York City waits for the arrival of the Pope to the city, on Sept. 24, 2015. Timothy A. Clary—AFP/Getty Images  Kaydn Dorsey, 4, and Lionel Perkins, 4, draw on a coloring sheet bearing the image of Pope Francis as they wait for him to arrive on a visit to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington in Washington, on Sept. 24, 2015. David Goldman—Reuters  Nuns with the Hospitaler Sisters of Mercy in Pleasantville, N.J., pose for a selfie with a cutout of Pope Francis, at the World Meeting of Families conference, in Philadelphia, on Sept. 22, 2015. Matt Rourke—AP  Pope Francis blows out the candles of a birthday cake to celebrate his 78th birthday during a general audience at the Vatican on Dec. 17, 2014. Osservatore Romano/AFP/Getty Images  Paying the bill at Rome's Domus Internationalis Paulus VI hotel, where Pope Francis stayed as a cardinal before entering the conclave and being elected pope. Osservatore Romano/AP  Welcoming Pope emeritus Benedict XVI as he returns to the Vatican from the pontifical summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. Osservatore Romano/AP  Holding a disabled child after celebrating Easter Mass. Alessandro di Meo—ANSA/Zuma Press  Pope Francis masks in a factory in Brazil, where the Pontiff took his first overseas trip. Christophe Simon—AFP/Getty Images  Leading the Worldwide Eucharistic adoration at the Vatican. Alessandra Benedetti—Corbis  A gust of wind blows the pope's mantle. Alessandra Tarantino—AP  Attending the opening of the Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome. Stefano Rellandini—Reuters  Leaving a welcoming ceremony at Guanabara Palace in Rio de Janeiro. Ricardo Moraes—Reuters  Greeting the weekly General Audience. Stefano Rellandini—Reuters  Pointing to the statue of Our Lady of Aparecida from the balcony of the Aparecida basilica in Brazil. Domenico Stinellis—AP  A Catholic faithful in Brazil bears a sticker of Pope Francis on his forehead. Ueslei Marcelino—Reuters  Images of Pope Francis projected onto screens at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Paulo Whitaker— Reuters  Departing Rio de Janeiro. Ricardo Moraes—Reuters  A stray dog walks across the stage near the altar where Pope Francis celebrates the World Youth Day's closing Mass on the Copacabana beachfront. Victor R. Caivano—AP  Listening to confessions of young people in a park in Rio de Janeiro. L'Osservatore Romano—EPA  Posing with youths in Saint Peter's Basilica. L'Osservatore Romano—EPA  Greeting the faithful on a rainy day during the General Audience. Fabio Frustaci—Eidon Press/Zuma Press  Arriving to lead his General Audience in a firefighter's helmet. Stefano Rellandini—Reuters  A quiet moment after meeting with Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo at the Vatican. Max Rossi—Reuters  Marking the 110th anniversary UNITALSI, a Catholic organization dedicated to helping the sick. Francesco Zizola—NOOR for TIME  A private Audience with Russian President Vladimir Putin. L'Osservatore Romano/AP  Keeping warm during a General Audience. Alessandra Tarantino—AP  Comforting a disfigured man at the end of his General Audience. Claudio Peri—EPA  Blessing a sick man with deformed facial features. Evandro Inetti—Zuma Press  Visiting the parish of the Sant'Alfonso Maria de Liguori during the Epiphany day. L'Osservatore Romano—AFP/Getty Images  Reacting to devotees at a weekly General Audience. Alessandro Bianchi—Reuters  A seagull attacks a dove released during a prayer conducted by Pope Francis. Alessandro Bianchi—Reuters  A scarf is tossed at Pope Francis by a faithful. Tony Gentile—Reuters  Italian artist Mauro Pallotta's superhero rendering of Pope Francis in a street near St. Peter's Basilica. Alessandra Benedetti—Corbis  Blowing a kiss to pilgrims gathered at Saint Peter's Square. Vincenzo Pinto—AFP/Getty Images  Meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in the private library of the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. Vatican Pool/Contrasto/Redux  With Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at the Vatican. Alessandra Benedetti—Vatican Pool/Corbis  A wind gust lifts Pope Francis's mantle as he arrives at the traditional Washing of the Feet during Holy Thursday. Alberto Pizzoli—AFP/Getty Images  Kissing a man's at the traditional Washing of the Feet. Alberto Pizzoli—AFP/Getty Images  Visitors take photos of Pope Francis as he speaks from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. 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