Skip to main content

Joint Economic Committee Democrats

Press Center

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.

Jan 30 2018

JEC Dems Report: Republicans Plan Bait and Switch on Infrastructure

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.

Jan 26 2018

JEC Dems Report: The Growing Economic Impact of U.S. Freight Railroads

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.

Jan 19 2018

Wired - FCC WON'T REDEFINE 'BROADBAND;' MOVE COULD HAVE WORSENED DIGITAL DIVIDE

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."

Jan 11 2018

Education Week - Training Young People for Middle-Skill Jobs: New Guidelines Proposed

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.

Jan 11 2018

JEC Dems Report: Expanding Opportunities Through Middle-Skills Education

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.

Jan 05 2018

Heinrich Statement on December Jobs Report

“Despite inheriting a strong and resilient economy, the President and Republicans in Congress decided to do absolutely nothing to improve the lives of working Americans in 2017. Real wages only grew by 0.2 percent last year from the election through November. Almost one in five children currently live in poverty, and yet Republicans have failed to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Nearly 800,000 young people who contribute to our economy have their immigration status hanging in the balance because Republicans refuse to bring the DREAM Act to a vote.

Jan 02 2018

AP - Some states struggle to make preschool for all

The universal preschool movement hit peak momentum under the Obama administration but has been virtually unaddressed by President Donald Trump. Instead, Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump has dabbled with policies aimed at tackling child care costs. A report by Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee in Congress this year indicated that less than half of the nation’s 3- and 4-year-olds were in a pre-K program, ranging from 75 percent in Washington, D.C., to just 30 percent in Idaho. The programs vary in quality and structure, with some offering just a few hours a week of learning sessions and others that are more similar to a full school day.