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Joint Economic Committee Democrats

Publications

Sep 20 2018

Rebuilding Puerto Rico's Grid

Hurricanes Irma and Maria shattered Puerto Rico a year ago, leaving behind widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis. In addition to the devastating human toll, the storms devastated the already crumbling infrastructure on the island, particularly the aged electrical power grid. Reliable electric power is foundational to a well-functioning society and to long-term economic growth. In most parts of the United States, it is easy to take for granted the security that comes from dependable electricity. In Puerto Rico, however, Americans are still struggling to access reliable electricity a year after Hurricane Maria wiped out power across the island—the longest blackout in U.S. history.

Sep 17 2018

Tax Cuts 2.0 Overwhelmingly Benefits the Wealthy

Republicans unveiled a second round of tax cuts for the wealthy last week. The new law, similar to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, heavily skews its benefits to the wealthiest Americans. The top 20 percent of households would see almost two-thirds of the benefits. And the top 5 percent of wealthiest households in the country would see more than 40 percent of the benefits. On top of this, it will add substantially to the debt, costing nearly $600 billion from 2019 to 2028 and about $3 trillion from 2029 to 2038, even with dynamic scoring. Furthermore, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, it would also shrink the economy in the long run.

Sep 12 2018

New Data Reaffirm That Federal Investments Keep Millions Out of Poverty

New Census Bureau data released today show federal programs are keeping millions of Americans out of poverty. Social Security, refundable tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) continue to be the largest anti-poverty programs. Other programs, such as energy and housing assistance, also play key roles in supporting families to meet their basic needs.

Sep 11 2018

Supporting Children is Key to a Strong Economy

For too many families who are struggling financially, the American Dream seems out of reach. When families cannot make ends meet, children grow up without the resources they need to thrive later in life. Federal investments addressing child poverty set future generations up for success and fuel a strong, vibrant economy.

Sep 10 2018

The Teacher Wage Gap is Growing

Teachers play a vital role in shaping children’s ability to succeed in the 21st century economy. But over the last few decades, teacher pay has eroded relative to comparable workers. The gap between what public school teachers earn and what similar professionals earn has grown just about every year over the last decade. In 1994, public school teachers earned just about 2 percent less than comparable workers. Today, that gap has grown to 18.7 percent. Raising teacher pay so that our nation’s teachers can earn a decent living is critical to recruiting and retaining the high-quality, effective teaching workforce American children deserve.