In Case You Missed It…

This week at CBPP, we focused on housing, health, state budgets and taxes, the federal budget, and the economy.

• On housing, Will Fischer lauded House passage of reform legislation that would improve federal rental assistance programs while retaining the core characteristics that make them effective. Doug Rice explained that the 2017 budget gives lawmakers a new chance to reduce homelessness by expanding rental assistance.
• On health, Paul Van de Water showed that the cost of repealing three health-related taxes would grow rapidly and urged lawmakers to seriously consider the President’s proposed improvements to one of them.  Edwin Park countered claims that recent Congressional Budget Office figures show health reform is losing momentum.  Jennifer Wagner and Alicia Huguelet explained how states can coordinate renewals of families’ eligibility for Medicaid and SNAP (formerly food stamps).
• On state budgets and taxes, Michael Mazerov and Michael Leachman detailed how states can boost job growth by producing more home-grown businesses and supporting young in-state firms.  Mazerov also highlighted CBPP’s animation illustrating the roughly 3 million jobs that startups created in an average year between 1980 and 2010.  Nick Albares noted what’s at stake for states in the legal dispute over President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.
• On the federal budget, we excerpted Chad Stone’s House testimony on federal spending and the debt limit, which urged Congress to focus on revenues as well as spending in addressing long-term budget challenges.
• On the economy, Jared Bernstein testified on economic growth and opportunity before the House Ways and Means Committee.  Chad Stone previewed the January jobs report.

Chart of the Week: Most Job Creation Starts at Home

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A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts recently. Here are some highlights:

Tweak to 'Cadillac Tax' Hated by Business Wins Obama No Friends
Bloomberg
February 4, 2016

The Unemployment System Isn’t Ready For The Next Recession
Five Thirty Eight
February 3, 2016

Could an Obama-Ryan Tax Plan Fix America’s Labor-Force Woes?
Wall Street Journal
February 2, 2016

For More Than A Million Food Stamp Recipients, The Clock Is Now Ticking
NPR
February 1, 2016

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