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Joint Economic Committee Democrats

Issue Briefs

Feb 05 2024

The Child Tax Credit Expansion in the Bipartisan Tax Bill Will Help Kids Across New Mexico

The expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) included in the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act would help lift nearly half a million kids out of poverty nationally next year and will benefit close to 140,000 kids in New Mexico alone in the first year, according to estimates from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The expanded credit will be especially impactful in rural areas, where it will help 51,000 kids living in rural parts of New Mexico, or nearly 1 in 3 of all rural kids living the state.

Jan 31 2024

The Child Tax Credit Expansion in the Bipartisan Tax Bill Will Help Kids in Every State and Congressional District

The expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) included in the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act would help lift nearly half a million kids out of poverty next year and will benefit close to 16 million kids in the first year according to estimates from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The law would allow the amount of the credit which “phases-in” at lower income levels to be based on the number of children a family has, not just family income, and would expand the refundable portion of the credit. While this expansion does not go as far as the historic overhaul included in the American Rescue Plan, it represents an important step forward in the fight against child poverty and will give millions of families more economic breathing room.

Jan 30 2024

Afrontar la escasez de trabajadores de salud rural mejorará la salud de la población y creará oportunidades de empleo

Estados Unidos enfrenta una escasez nacional de trabajadores de la salud. Esta crisis es peor y más generalizada en las comunidades rurales. Según cálculos del personal demócrata del Comité Económico Conjunto (JEC, por sus siglas en inglés), el 91% de todos los condados rurales y el 96% de los condados rurales en Nuevo México enfrentan una escasez de médicos de cabecera . Esta escasez perjudica tanto la salud como el bienestar económico de las comunidades rurales, y además, las comunidades tribales son entre las que enfrentan las mayores escaseces y los impactos más significativos.
Abordar la escasez de trabajadores de salud rural y crear avenidas que conduzcan a profesiones medicas en estas regiones es fundamental para proteger y mejorar la salud y la estabilidad económica de las comunidades rurales. La Ley Avenidas y Carreras de Salud, introducida por el Presidente del JEC, el senador Martin Heinrich, autorizaría nuevamente y expandiría un modelo de capacitación ya probado, que puede ayudar a satisfacer las necesidades de la fuerza laboral médica de las áreas rurales. Los estadounidenses merecen acceso a una atención médica de calidad, independientemente de dónde residan, y abordar la escasez de trabajadores de salud rural marcará un paso significativo hacia ese objetivo.

Jan 30 2024

Addressing Rural Health Worker Shortages Will Improve Population Health And Create Job Opportunities

The United States is facing a nationwide health care worker shortage. In rural communities, this crisis is worse and more widespread. According to calculations by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) Democratic staff, 91% of all rural counties and 96% of rural counties in New Mexico face a shortage of primary care physicians . These shortages harm both the health and economic well-being of rural communities, with Tribal communities facing some of the largest shortages and the most significant impacts.

Addressing the rural health worker shortage and creating pathways that lead to health care careers in these areas are critical to protecting and improving the health and economic stability of rural communities. The Pathways and Health Careers Act, introduced by JEC Chairman Martin Heinrich, would reauthorize and expand a proven training model that can help meet the medical workforce needs of rural areas. Americans deserve access to quality health care regardless of where they reside, and addressing the rural health worker shortage will mark a significant step towards that goal.

Jan 25 2024

Cómo la Energía Renovable Puede Fortalecer la Red Eléctrica y Atender a los Riesgos de la Infraestructura

La red eléctrica en los Estados Unidos es una red compleja que provee energía a millones de hogares y empresas, colocándola al centro de la economía del país. Casi todos los aspectos del comercio y la industria dependen de fuentes de energía económicas y accesibles. Sin embargo, la red es vulnerable a los riesgos del cambio climático y de seguridad nacional, incluyendo ataques cibernéticos, con apagones costando a la economía de EE. UU. aproximadamente $150 mil millones cada año. Las fuentes de energía renovable, como la eólica y la solar, ya han reforzado partes de la red y han demostrado flexibilidad y confiabilidad en condiciones climáticas extremas. El Congreso de los Estados Unidos y la administración de Biden han realizado inversiones sin precedentes para desplegar energía renovable, fortalecer la transmisión y abordar las preocupaciones de seguridad y privacidad relacionadas con la red.

Jan 24 2024

The Clean Energy Transition Motivates Innovation and Recycling in Critical Mineral Supply Chains

The rapid buildout of the clean energy economy is fueling a significant increase in demand for responsibly sourced critical minerals. Minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel are “critical” to modern computer chips, consumer electronics, electric vehicle (EV) batteries, and to our national security. Recent federal investments like the Inflation Reduction Act are the first steps towards ensuring that the United States has a stable supply of critical minerals that can meet rising demand and address supply chain risks. Congress and the Biden administration can support the U.S. and global supply chains through increased investments in innovation and recycling, domestic mining law reform, and international cooperation.

Jan 19 2024

How Renewable Energy Can Make the Power Grid More Reliable and Address Risks to Electricity Infrastructure

The electrical grid in the United States is a complex network that provides energy to millions of homes and businesses, putting it at the center of the nation’s economy. Nearly all aspects of commerce and industry depend on affordable and available sources of energy. However, the grid is vulnerable to climate change-related and national security risks, including cyber-attacks, with outages costing the U.S. economy approximately $150 billion each year. Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, have already bolstered parts of the grid and have demonstrated flexibility and reliability in extreme weather. Congress and the Biden administration have made unprecedented investments to deploy renewable energy, strengthen transmission, and address security and privacy concerns related to the grid.