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Joint Economic Committee Democrats

Publications

Nov 17 2023

Investing in Puerto Rico’s Clean Energy Future

Puerto Rico is once again beginning a path to economic growth despite multiple challenges over the past two decades. There is now an opportunity to maintain and bolster that growth through large-scale investment in critical infrastructure. The U.S. Congress has appropriated $12 billion in relief funding to rebuild Puerto Rico’s energy system, including modernizing the energy grid, in response to the destruction that multiple natural disasters had caused. These funds offer an opportunity for investment in a modern grid that facilitates renewable energy transmission and distribution, as well as in renewable generation infrastructure. A more resilient energy system that uses cleaner, domestically produced sources will protect communities’ health and wellbeing, and provide a strong foundation on which Puerto Rico can further build a future of strong and more equitable economic growth.

Nov 17 2023

State by State Fact Sheets: October Employment Data

Each month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releases national and state-level data on U.S. employment, which provide useful information about the state of the labor market and progress toward building a better America. To highlight key trends in the monthly data, the Joint Economic Committee compiles state-by-state fact sheets for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The most recent state-level data, which cover the month of October, were released on November 17, 2023. The latest national data were released on November 3, 2023.

Nov 09 2023

State and District Fact Sheets on Economic Progress Under Democrats

Congressional Democrats and President Biden passed historic economic legislation that continues to lower costs, support jobs, and grow the economy across the country. The JEC Democratic staff has produced state and congressional district fact sheets on how Democrats are lowering the cost of prescription drugs and health insurance, spurring job growth across the country, and boosting investment in vital infrastructure and clean energy.

Nov 08 2023

El Fortalecimiento de las Economías en la Región Fronteriza del Suroeste

Las comunidades a lo largo de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México regularmente muestran su fortaleza y tenacidad, y merecen inversiones federales y empresariales que sean comparables con las inversiones hechas en otras regiones del país. La Comisión Regional de la Frontera Suroeste (SBRC, por sus siglas en inglés) es un potente instrumento para facilitar las inversiones federales y empresariales que puedan impulsar el crecimiento del empleo y el bienestar económico en la región.

Nov 08 2023

Strengthening Economies in the Southwest Border Region

Communities along the U.S.-Mexico border regularly demonstrate their strength and resilience, and they deserve federal and business investment that is equitable to other regions across the nation. The Southwest Border Regional Commission (SBRC) is a strong mechanism to facilitate federal and business investment that can spur job growth and economic prosperity in the region.

Nov 02 2023

Cutting IRS Funding Makes It Easier for the Wealthy to Cheat on Their Taxes and Increases the Budget Deficit

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with funding to help the agency modernize tax collection and go after wealthy tax cheats. Already, the IRS has improved taxpayer customer service and increased tax enforcement against wealthy individuals and corporations, recouping $160 million in 2023 alone. Recent research shows that focusing tax enforcement on the wealthiest individuals yields substantial revenue, with as much as $12 in returns for every $1 dollar spent on audits of the wealthiest taxpayers. Additionally, the Congressional Budget Office has routinely found that cutting the IRS budget would actually increase the deficit in the long run.