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

Publications

Sep 22 2017

September 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.

Sep 21 2017

Kicking Consequences Down the Road: What Happens in 2027?

The Senate is racing toward a vote next week on Cassidy-Graham—a bill that impacts the health care of millions of people and one-sixth of the economy—without a full Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score, an unprecedented move that defies regular order. A complete score would likely show that the bill would kick millions of people off of their health insurance and raise premiums for working Americans.

Sep 20 2017

Governors Speak Out Against Cassidy-Graham

Governors across the country oppose Senate Republicans’ latest efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Citing concerns ranging from gutting Medicaid, lack of transparency, stripping health care away from millions, passing costs onto states, and severe funding cuts, Governors have serious concerns about the potential impact of Graham-Cassidy on their states and constituents.

Sep 19 2017

Working Americans Face Premium Hike Under Cassidy-Graham

Republicans’ last-ditch effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Cassidy-Graham bill, repeals ACA tax credits that help working Americans afford health insurance. This year, nearly 9 million Americans are receiving an average monthly tax credit of $371, amounting to nearly $4,500 in annual savings. Alaskans stand to lose even more, at $11,700 per year. In eliminating the guarantee of these tax credits, Cassidy-Graham dramatically increases premiums for 84 percent of people on the individual market and threatens to place health coverage out of reach for millions of Americans.

Sep 19 2017

FOMC Meets with Hurricane Impacts in Background

As the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve’s policy setting arm, meets this week to discuss whether to change the federal funds rate, one new issue it will be considering is the impact of hurricanes Harvey and Irma on near-term economic growth.

Sep 18 2017

Universal Access to Public Pre-K Is Key

Without adequate public funding for quality early learning and care programs, costs of quality private programs remain out of reach for many working families or relegate their kids to lower quality care. JEC research shows that in families earning less than $100,000, children are 27 percent less likely to be enrolled in high-quality early learning. Universal access to public pre-K is key to meeting the needs of working families and setting all kids on the path to success.

Sep 18 2017

The American Workforce Deserves a Better Deal on Jobs

Democrats’ A Better Deal plan will open new opportunities for millions of Americans to get back into the labor force and connect with good-paying jobs. While the low headline unemployment rate in 2017 suggests that the U.S. economy is operating at full employment—the maximum rate thought not to spark inflation—a closer analysis of the labor market data reveals that millions of Americans have fallen to the wayside.

Sep 15 2017

Cassidy-Graham: Same Failed Republican Ideas

Since the U.S. Senate, the American people, and stakeholders across the health care industry rejected Republicans’ efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), bipartisan discussions are showing promise towards solutions to stabilize the health insurance marketplaces and lower health care costs for all Americans. We are now moving forward towards a compromise proposal under regular order. Yet, the Cassidy-Graham-Heller-Johnson bill undermines this bipartisan progress and threatens to send us backwards by simply repeating the failed ideas of the former TrumpCare bills.

Sep 14 2017

High-Quality Early Learning and Care Drives Lifelong Success

Ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed is the bedrock of the American Dream. A high-quality education that starts early and continues into adulthood enables students to develop the skills necessary to thrive in the modern economy. Unfortunately, many children today are starting off behind and entering kindergarten classrooms with little or no formal education. For these children, catching up to their peers can be a lifelong struggle.

Sep 12 2017

Rebounding Incomes and Poverty Declines Followed Historic Deterioration

Analysts left and right agree: killing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, will cost the U.S. economy a quarter to a half trillion dollars over the next decade and stick taxpayers with a bill for creating a significant and draconian deportation force. See how DACA repeal will impact your state’s economy.