Many rural communities continue to struggle with the aftermath of the Great Recession. Total employment in nonmetro areas is still below its prerecession level. Last week, the Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a report examining the challenges and opportunities that rural America faces. After a year and a half of Trump administration actions that have hurt rural Americans, the report proposes a policy agenda that would lead to rural economic progress.
Jun 21 2018
Separating Families Has Lasting Consequences
When provided the opportunity, refugees become key contributors to the nation’s economic vitality. International research has shown that refugees enter the workforce, boost native-born workers’ wages, and increase job opportunities. Instead of welcoming these new American families into the social and economic fabric of our nation, the Trump administration is tearing them apart.
Jun 21 2018
JEC Dems Call for Investments in Rural America
Yesterday, Joint Economic Committee Democrats, under the leadership of Ranking Member Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), unveiled a new report that takes an extensive look at “Investing in Rural America,” and proposes policies to revitalize these communities that have not yet recovered from the Great Recession. Here is a look at some of the report’s coverage:
Jun 20 2018
Investing in Rural America
Rural Americans make up 14 percent of those living in the United States, while 72 percent of the nation’s total land areas are considered rural. These 46 million residents play an essential role in the overall economy, starting new businesses, and supplying many of our agricultural products.
Jun 19 2018
Investing in Rural America Chart Book
The tables and graphics in this chart book are detailed state-by-state analysis of data and topics found in JEC Dems “Investing in Rural America” report. These graphics provide quick figures on urban, rural, and statewide numbers, highlighting the complexity of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Jun 19 2018
June Economic Snapshot of the States
Although the U.S. economy overall continues its expansion following the Great Recession and associated financial crisis, the recovery can look very different from state to state. The lion’s share of economic gains are not only concentrated at the top of the income and wealth distribution, but also in a small share of regions. While some parts of the country have surged ahead, millions of Americans in urban and rural communities are still waiting for their wages to start rising again and struggling to make ends meet.
Jun 19 2018
Republicans Fail Rural America
Over the last 18 months, the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans have turned their backs on rural Americans. While the poverty rate in rural areas is more than 3 percentage points higher than in metropolitan areas, Republicans have avoided addressing the economic challenges facing rural communities. Rather than put forth real solutions, Republicans worked to strip health care coverage for rural families, endanger farm household incomes, and take away nutrition assistance for the neediest of families.
American workers continue to wait for the raises they were promised as part of the Republican tax law. The average hourly wage for production and nonsupervisory workers was lower in May 2018 than it was in May 2017, after adjusting for inflation. Wage growth for most workers remains weak and now that inflation is starting to pick up, wages are barely keeping pace with the growing cost of living. This comes on top of decades of stagnating wages for most workers.
Jun 14 2018
GOP Tax Scam Undermines Local Investments
It was inevitable that there would be unintended consequences from the GOP tax law. Debate and input were limited and the plan changed rapidly, barely giving nonpartisan experts any time to think through its impact. Now that the law has taken effect we are starting to see more and more of those unintended harms. Just this week, the Wall Street Journal reported how bank holdings of municipal bonds dropped for the first time since the recession, due to the new tax law leading to less demand.
Jun 12 2018
The Economic State of Women in the United States
This fact sheet provides a snapshot of the current economic state of women in the United States. It includes measures of economic well-being, such as income and poverty rates, as well as data on educational attainment, labor force participation, and health insurance rates. Together, these measures help paint a portrait of women’s economic health in 2018.