Debt Limit Bill Averts Major Disaster, Doesn’t Solve Long-Term Issues

Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan budget agreement by a vote of 314 to 117. Fortunately, the deal excludes many of the draconian budget cuts and policy changes proposed by extremists in the House Republican caucus earlier this month. But it does include several provisions that would deeply harm people struggling to make ends meet. And the measure does nothing to correct the nation’s revenue shortfall.

CLASP recognized Mental Health Awareness Month in May by examining the intersection of mental health with other issues important to people with low incomes. We looked at the critical role of paid leave in supporting maternal mental health. And we wrote about a new program in Los Angeles that will deliver mental health peer support in youth workforce development programs.

CLASP analysis reveals that in states with statewide and municipal laws, a much higher percentage of workers have access to paid sick leave. Our new brief examines access to paid sick leave at the national and state level by income, gender, and hours worked.