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Joint Economic Committee Democrats

Publications

Feb 02 2018

President Trump Job Tracker January 2018

Joint Economic Committee Democratic staff are comparing job growth each month to the average in the late 1990s (a boom time in the economy), but also to the best individual month each series has ever seen.

Feb 02 2018

Consumer Corner: Republicans Give Cold Shoulder to Retirement Security

In 2017, nearly 80 percent of Americans reported that they were concerned about their ability to save for retirement, a concern shared on both sides of the aisle. And yet, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are hastily unraveling programs and pro-consumer regulations that strengthen our retirement system and expand access to the 55 million Americans lacking retirement plans through their employers. In an upcoming report, we will further examine the ongoing retirement crisis and its consequences, but first, a look at the most recent story lines in retirement security.

Jan 30 2018

Republicans Plan Bait and Switch on Infrastructure

The Trump administration wants better infrastructure, but doesn’t want to pay for it. Instead, the administration’s long-awaited plan is expected to shift responsibility for infrastructure onto the private sector and cash-strapped state and local governments.

Jan 29 2018

The Gender Wage Gap Affects Women of all Races, but is Larger for Women of Color

Today is the 9th anniversary of the signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which gave women enhanced workplace protections in fighting pay discrimination. There remains work to be done in closing the gender pay gap—women working full-time, year-round earn 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man. The gap is substantially larger for black and Hispanic women, who earn 63 and 54 cents for every dollar earned by a white male, respectively. There are many challenges facing women that contribute to this gap, including a lack of family-friendly labor policies, career penalties for women that have children, a bias towards lower pay in women-dominated industries and occupations, and gender- and race-based discrimination in pay, hiring, and promotions.

Jan 25 2018

Growing Economic Impact of U.S. Freight Railroads

The volume of commerce crossing our borders has more than tripled in the last 25 years and United States 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 is an important part of the conversation.

Jan 23 2018

January Economic Snapshot of the States

Although the U.S. economy overall continues its expansion following the Great Recession and associated financial crisis, the recovery can look very different from state to state. The lion’s share of economic gains are not only concentrated at the top of the income and wealth distribution, but also in a small share of regions. While some parts of the country have surged ahead, millions of Americans in urban and rural communities are still waiting for their wages to start rising again and struggling to make ends meet.

Jan 23 2018

DACA Recipients Are Vital to Industries Across the Economy

Since the inception of the program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients have become vital employees in industries across the economy—88,900 work in food, leisure and related industries, 54,000 work in retail trade, 41,300 in construction, 40,700 in education, health, and social services, and thousands work in other industries spanning the economy. Revoking their protection and putting them at risk of deportation not only hurts them and their families, it also hurts the businesses and communities that have come to rely on them.

Jan 18 2018

Consumer Corner: Consumers Lose in CFPB Leadership Shakeup

As millions of American consumers try to start the New Year on the right foot, the Trump administration is working hard to undermine the financial wellness of our nation’s consumers. The administration’s recent changes to the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau (CFPB), which is charged with protecting consumers against the predatory and abusive practices that helped to bring about the Great Recession, will only make it more difficult for consumers to safely take out a mortgage, pay off student loans, buy a new car, and much more.

Jan 16 2018

Majority of Medicaid Recipients are Working, Disabled, Caregivers, of in School

The vast majority—92 percent—of non-elderly, non-SSI Medicaid recipients are either working, ill or disabled, taking care of a home or family member, or going to school. The administration’s recent announcement that they will allow states to implement work requirements for Medicaid is attempting to solve a problem that does not exist. It would likely, however, result in many recipients losing their coverage because of difficulty complying with reporting requirements or other technicalities in the law.