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This week at CBPP, we focused on the federal budget, state budgets and taxes, the economy, health, food assistance, and Social Security.
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On the federal budget, Chuck Marr urged the Treasury Department and IRS to automatically provide stimulus payments to people receiving Supplemental Security Income and veterans’ benefits. We also updated our backgrounder on the federal budget process.
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On state budgets and taxes, we posted fact sheets detailing how states and localities will divide the fiscal relief in the Coronavirus Relief Fund and how much states will receive through the Education Stabilization Fund in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Recovery (CARES) Act. We also posted a fact sheet as part of our new “State Budget Watch” series tracking estimated state revenue shortfalls as states start grappling with a hit to tax collections. Joshuah Marshall explained that tribal nations need more federal coronavirus relief.
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On the economy, we updated our economic chart book. We also updated our backgrounders on unemployment insurance and how many weeks of unemployment compensation are available. And we updated our coronavirus response roundup.
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On health, Aviva Aron-Dine urged Congress to reject attempts to weaken Medicaid protections enacted in the bipartisan Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Jesse Cross-Call noted that despite COVID-19, some states are still blocking Medicaid expansion and seeking other restrictions.
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On food assistance, Ed Bolen explained that unemployed workers can get SNAP throughout the current health emergency. We posted a fact sheet showing that most states are easing SNAP participation rules, and many have opted to provide added benefits. We updated our report calling on the Department of Agriculture and states to act quickly to deliver food assistance allowed by the Families First Act.
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On Social Security, Chuck Marr noted that Social Security beneficiaries shouldn’t have to file a tax return to get their stimulus rebate.
Chart of the Week — CARES Act Boosts Jobless Benefits in 2020
A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts this past week. Here are some of the highlights:
How Tea Party Budget Battles Left the National Emergency Medical Stockpile Unprepared for Coronavirus
ProPublica
April 3, 2020
10 million Americans filed for unemployment in the past two weeks. We need another massive stimulus bill. Now.
Business Insider
April 2, 2020
Filing for unemployment benefits? Read this first
CNN
April 2, 2020
Needy Will Face Hurdles to Getting Coronavirus Stimulus
New York Times
April 1, 2020
Social Security recipients who don’t usually file tax returns will automatically get $1,200 payments, Treasury says in reversal
Washington Post
April 1, 2020
Extended Tax Deadlines Make Balancing State Budgets Tricky
Bloomberg Tax
April 1, 2020
Leveraging SNAP to alleviate poverty — a proven policy approach needed now
The Hill
March 29, 2020
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