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This week at CBPP, we focused on state budgets and taxes, the economy, federal taxes, poverty and inequality, housing, health, and food assistance.
- On state budgets and taxes, Wesley Tharpe outlined how COVID-19’s resurgence and the fragile economy could worsen the state budget crisis. Joshuah Marshall detailed how tribal nations are more vulnerable to COVID-19's impacts and need additional fiscal aid. Michael Leachman noted that states are using federal fiscal aid but need substantially more. Samantha Waxman urged states to follow Colorado and California by extending the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to more immigrants.
- On the economy, Chad Stone explained why robust unemployment insurance and other relief is needed to mitigate racial and ethnic unemployment disparities. Stone and Sharon Parrott reported that many unemployed workers will exhaust jobless benefits this year if more weeks of benefits aren’t in the next relief package. Jared Bernstein testified before the Joint Economic Committee about steps policymakers can take to reduce uncertainty and restore confidence during the COVID-19-induced recession. We updated our backgrounder on how many weeks of unemployment compensation are available.
- On federal taxes, Chuck Marr, Stephanie Hingtgen, Kris Cox, Arloc Sherman, and Katie Windham detailed how expanding the Child Tax Credit and EITC would benefit more than 10 million rural residents and strongly help rural areas. We updated our backgrounder on where federal tax revenues come from.
- On poverty and inequality, Arloc Sherman pointed out that children are facing very high hardship rates.
- On housing, Ann Oliva called for a boost in homelessness funding in the next relief package.
- On health, Matt Broaddus explained that 5 million essential and front-line workers get health coverage through Medicaid. We updated our chart book on the far-reaching benefits of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion.
- On food assistance, we updated our fact sheet on how states are using their new flexibility in SNAP to respond to COVID-19 challenges.
Chart of the Week — Black and Hispanic Unemployment Rates Consistently Higher Than White Rate
A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts this past week. Here are some of the highlights:
Why Black Workers Will Hurt the Most if Congress Doesn’t Extend Jobless Benefits
New York Times
August 7, 2020
America Could Have 'Great Depression' Levels of Homelessness by Year’s End
Vice News
August 7, 2020
Obama’s Medicaid expansion keeps gaining ground under Trump
Associated Press
August 6, 2020
How Trump's plan to unilaterally boost unemployment aid would face snags
Politico
August 6, 2020
The controversial $600 unemployment aid debate, explained
Washington Post
August 6, 2020
Pandemic Exacerbates Existing Economic Inequalities In Montana
Montana Public Radio
August 5, 2020
The $600 unemployment boost just expired. Families are already hurting
CNBC
August 4, 2020
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