BEYOND THE NUMBERS
In Case You Missed It...
This week at CBPP, we focused on the federal budget and taxes, health, food assistance, state budgets and taxes, Social Security, and the economy.
- On the federal budget and taxes, Richard Kogan explained that discretionary spending will be near historic lows in 2020 and 2021 under the new bipartisan budget agreement. Chuck Marr recommended that Senate appropriators match or exceed a House-approved boost to IRS enforcement funding for next year.
- On health, Jessica Schubel described how a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA) threatens tens of millions of Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries. Schubel also explained why the Trump Administration’s rejection of Utah’s request to partially expand Medicaid was the right decision but made for the wrong reasons. Judith Solomon urged Utah to fully expand Medicaid. On Medicaid’s 54th anniversary, Matt Broaddus looked at how the program helps people in every state. Sarah Lueck warned that tax breaks for alternatives to health insurance would drive more coverage gaps. We posted a bipartisan letter to Congress about the ACA’s excise tax on high-cost health plans. We updated our tracker of the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine the ACA.
- On food assistance, Steven Carlson described how more adequate SNAP benefits would help millions of participants better afford food. Carlson, Brynne Keith-Jennings, and Joseph Llobrera summarized the importance of adequate SNAP benefits. Dottie Rosenbaum updated her report on how SNAP’s broad-based categorical eligibility policy supports working families and those saving for the future.
- On state budgets and taxes, Samantha Waxman encouraged states to take steps now to ensure a full and accurate 2020 census count. We explained how states can take those steps. Cortney Sanders outlined how states’ senior tax breaks reinforce unequal wealth and income by race.
- On Social Security, we updated our chart book and backgrounder on Social Security Disability Insurance.
- On the economy, we updated our backgrounder on how many weeks of unemployment compensation are available and our chart book tracking the post-Great Recession economy.
Chart of the Week – 10 Percent Increase in SNAP Purchasing Power Improves Child Outcomes
A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’S work and experts this week. Here are some of the highlights:
Congress’s $320 billion budget deal, explained
Vox
August 1, 2019
Incredibly, GOP senators are demanding billions more in tax cuts for the rich<
Los Angeles Times
July 30, 2019
US rejection disappoints states eyeing Utah Medicaid plan
Associated Press
July 29, 2019
The Cruel Farce of Cutting Food Stamps
New York Times
July 29, 2019
U.S. income inequality doesn’t have to be the worst in the industrialized world
Washington Post
July 28, 2019
Don’t miss any of our posts, papers, or charts – follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
