Jun 30 2023
Modernizing the Schedule A Occupation List Can Help the United States Address Key Employment Shortages
The Schedule A shortage occupation list was created in the 1960s to help the United States attract and hire international talent to address labor shortages in a range of high-demand occupations and industries. However, because the Schedule A list has not been updated since 2005, it no longer includes the occupations where the United States faces major labor shortages.
Jun 26 2023
Economic Update - June 26, 2023
LGBTQI+ advocates and leaders have moved us towards a more inclusive society and economy. Unfortunately, continued right-wing attacks on LGBTQI+ rights and safety jeopardize this progress as they seek to further institutionalize discrimination in the labor market, schools, and elsewhere. While the Biden administration has engaged in major efforts to protect this community, Congress must do more to help ensure LGBTQI+ equality.
Jun 20 2023
Economic Update - June 20, 2023
Jun 16 2023
State by State Fact Sheets: May 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 April, were released on June 16, 2023. The latest national data were released on June 2, 2023.
Immigrant workers play an essential role in the American economy, helping to fill current labor shortages and further the country’s economic progress. At 17.4% of the workforce, immigrants strengthen the economy by working in high-demand industries and participating in the labor force at high rates. Immigrant workers’ contributions are further bolstered when they have access to union representation, which provides stable employment, higher earnings, better benefits, and safer workplaces to both immigrant and native-born workers alike. The United States can improve the lives of all workers by removing barriers that prevent both immigrant and non-immigrant workers from gaining union representation.
Jun 12 2023
Economic Update - June 12, 2023
Jun 09 2023
Climate Change Makes Air Quality Worse Across the Country, With Devastating Effects on our Health
Climate change is making air quality worse around the country and across the globe, which is directly making people sicker. Within the United States, one clear and visible cause of poor air quality are the more frequent, destructive, and longer-lasting wildfires that fill the air with harmful smoke, including particulate matter.
Since the 1980s, but especially in recent decades, western states have felt the increasing negative impacts of wildfires, as they burn for longer and with more frequency. The smoke that blanketed the eastern United States this week underscores that the impacts of climate change and the fires it exacerbates will be felt nationwide.
Since the 1980s, but especially in recent decades, western states have felt the increasing negative impacts of wildfires, as they burn for longer and with more frequency. The smoke that blanketed the eastern United States this week underscores that the impacts of climate change and the fires it exacerbates will be felt nationwide.
Carbon pollution not only impacts the climate but the health of communities. Ensuring we have clean air will improve lives and pay dividends for the U.S. economy. On May 11, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new carbon pollution standards for coal and natural gas-fired power plants, which will deliver up to $85 billion in climate and public health benefits over the next two decades. These standards will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants from new and existing power plants, helping the United States achieve its climate goals while ensuring that people can breathe clean air. Importantly, the EPA estimates that these updated rules will have little impact on families’ electricity bills.
