Child care costs in Colorado today are among the nation’s highest. A 2017 Democratic staff report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee found that typical infant care costs in the state — $14,950 a year — eat up nearly 19.5 percent of Colorado’s median family income — the third-most in the country, behind only California and New York.
Feb 02 2018
The Cullman Tribune – Opioids in Alabama
According to information from the U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee, Alabama saw a more than six-fold increase in opioid overdose deaths between 1999 and 2015 (the most recent year for which complete records are available), rising from fewer than one death per 100,000 population to just over six per 100,000. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Alabama leads the nation in opioid prescriptions and opioid over-prescription.
Also, as a report by the Democratic staff of the Joint Economic Committee argued, relying on private investment is risky and can cost more than direct taxpayer funding, since investors expect a healthy return. In the past, some public-private partnerships have been poorly negotiated and shut out competition that would have resulted in better pricing and improved public services, the report said.
Feb 02 2018
Heinrich Statement on January Jobs Report
In a speech marked by divisiveness and broken promises, President Trump addressed the country this week and touted a rosy picture of the economic state of our country. What the president failed to note is that many families are still struggling to get on their feet post recovery.
Ahead of the president’s State of the Union address where he is expected to focus on infrastructure, Joint Economic Committee Democrats today released a report on the administration’s plan that is anticipated to shift responsibility for infrastructure onto the private sector and cash-strapped state and local governments. Democrats agree that a major investment in upgrading and maintaining our country’s infrastructure is needed, but it is unrealistic to expect states and cities to foot the bill.
Jan 29 2018
Transportation Today - Congressional report details growing economic impact of U.S. freight rail system
Democratic lawmakers on the Joint Economic Committee made the case for investment in border infrastructure to support the nation’s rail system at 30 rail ports of entry in a new report that cited the growing economic impact of U.S. freight railroads. The volume of commerce crossing into the United States is expected to increase 41 percent by 2040, growth that will put stress on rail points of entry, according to the report that comes as Congress gears up to discuss border policies in the coming months.
Joint Economic Committee Democrats today released a report on the growing economic impact of United States freight railroads. The volume of commerce crossing our borders has more than tripled in the last 25 years and U.S. freight shipments are expected to increase by 41 percent by 2040, placing a growing demand on America’s freight rail system and the 30 rail ports of entry (POEs) along our borders. As Congress considers border policies and solutions in the coming months, investment in border infrastructure to ensure our rail POEs can operate at full capacity should be an important part of the conversation.
Democratic commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Mignon L. Clyburn welcomed the decision not to change the definition of broadband, but rejected the conclusion that that broadband is being "reasonably and timely deployed." "This is especially tragic when according to the Senate Joint Economic Committee, there are twelve million kids that are caught in the Homework Gap because they lack Internet service at home," Rosenworcel said in a statement. "We should be reaching for faster speeds and universal access. Anything less than that, shortchanges our children and our future."
The study, issued by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, explores a part of the jobs-and-education landscape that's risen sharply on the public's radar in the last few years: the vast array of jobs that require more than a high school diploma and less than a bachelor's degree. Those "middle-skill" jobs account for 48 percent of U.S. employment, according to researchers.
Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a report today that highlights the need to invest in proven middle-skills pathways. Much of the emphasis on postsecondary education focuses on four-year bachelor’s degree programs, but middle-skills pathways can provide the training and education required to prepare people for promising careers.
