BEYOND THE NUMBERS
In Case You Missed It...
This week at CBPP, we focused on the economy, state budgets and taxes, federal taxes, health, and food assistance.
- On the economy, CBPP President Sharon Parrott released a statement outlining how the Senate’s American Rescue Plan would dramatically reduce hardship and begin to set the stage for a stronger recovery. Chad Stone and Matt Saenz reported that the labor market is weaker than headline numbers suggest. We updated our chart book tracking the post-Great Recession economy, our backgrounder on how many weeks of unemployment compensation are available, and our fact sheet tracking the COVID-19 recession’s effects on food, housing, and employment hardships.
- On state budgets and taxes, Samantha Waxman and Juliette Legendre demonstrated how states can adopt or expand Earned Income Tax Credits to build equitable, inclusive communities and economies. Victoria Jackson and Nicholas Johnson reported that schools need more help to reopen safely. Michael Leachman discussed how some state policymakers are pushing extreme tax cuts amid widespread hardship.
- On federal taxes, Chuck Marr, Kris Cox, Stephanie Hingtgen, Katie Windham, and Arloc Sherman updated their report showing that the House COVID relief bill includes critical expansions of the Child Tax Credit and EITC. Danilo Trisi and Ife Floyd explained that the benefits of expanding the Child Tax Credit outweigh any small employment effects.
- On health, Jennifer Wagner examined streamlining Medicaid renewals through the ex parte process.
- On food assistance, we updated our fact sheet explaining how states are using much-needed temporary flexibility in SNAP to respond to COVID-19’s challenges.
Chart of the Week — Official Unemployment Rate Understates Pandemic Job Loss
A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts this past week. Here are some of the highlights:
The expanded $3,000 child tax credit would help 10 million kids living in poverty. Democrats aim to make it a permanent increase
CNBC
March 4, 2021
Unemployment benefits will expire in 10 days if Congress doesn't pass a stimulus bill. Here's what else could expire this month.
Business Insider
March 4, 2021
Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan includes a child tax credit boost popular with Democrats but a 'nightmare' to Republicans
USA Today
March 3, 2021
Senate expected to begin stimulus debate today
Yahoo Finance
March 3, 2021
Millions couldn’t afford diapers before the pandemic. Now, diaper banks can’t keep up.
Washington Post
March 1, 2021
As rent comes due, millions of Americans are already thousands behind
Marketplace
March 1, 2021
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