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Joint Economic Committee Democrats Chairman - Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

Publications

Apr 21 2010

Rising Oil Prices: A Potential Threat to Economic Recovery and Energy-Efficiency Policies

Increasing oil prices could threaten the country’s economic recovery and limit progress on energy-efficiency policies, according to a new report issued by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) today on the eve of Earth Day’s 40th anniversary.

The report, titled “Rising Oil Prices:  A Potential Threat to Economic Recovery and Energy-Efficiency Policies,” shows that the United States, which has made little progress towards reducing its dependence on oil for transportation, remains vulnerable to oil price spikes.   The share of U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) going to oil expenditures has more than doubled from 1.8 percent in 1993 to 3.8 percent today and is close to the 4 percent level – a level often associated with recessions.  The reliance on oil to meet the country’s transportation needs also harms the environment: the transportation sector has been the largest producer of carbon dioxide since 1999, producing almost one-third of total CO2 emissions in the United States.

Apr 20 2010

The Earnings Penalty for Part-Time Work: An Obstacle to Equal Pay

An Equal Pay Day report released by the Joint Economic Committee shows that the pay gap between part-time and full-time workers is a key factor driving the continued pay gap between men and women.

The report titled, “The Earnings Penalty for Part-Time Work: An Obstacle to Equal Pay,” shows that part-time workers earn significantly less than their full-time counterparts and that women make up close to two-thirds of part-time workers.

 

Apr 19 2010

Understanding the Economy: State-by-State Snapshots (Mar. Data)

April 2010 (based on March Data)

The Joint Economic Committee released a report entitled “Understanding the Economy: State-by-State Snapshots,” which provides easy access to the major economic indicators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the areas of jobs, unemployment, personal earnings and housing.

Key economic statistics for each state include:

•    Jobs created or lost since the start of the recession;
•    Jobs saved or created by the Recovery Act;
•    Unemployment rates;
•    Per capita earnings; and,
•    The condition of the housing sector.

To view your state's snapshot report, click on the below links:

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 The Joint Economic Committee, established under the Employment Act of 1946, was created by Congress to review economic conditions and to analyze the effectiveness of economic policy.