In Case You Missed It...

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

• On poverty and inequality, Sharon Parrott, Chuck Marr, Arloc Sherman, and Judith Solomon released a major report outlining recommendations for an equitable recovery package that invests in children, supports workers, and expands health coverage. Parrott also testified before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs illustrating how the American Rescue Plan Act will provide needed help to tens of millions of people and reduce hardship. We updated our fact sheet tracking the COVID-19 recession’s effects on food, housing, and employment hardships.
• On the federal budget, David Reich and Katie Windham explained why boosts in non-defense appropriations are needed due to a decade of cuts and unmet needs.
• On health, Hannah Katch, Anna Bailey, and Judith Solomon unpacked the health provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act that strengthen Medicaid and better equip states to combat the pandemic. Farah Erzouki and Jennifer Wagner outlined what states can do to keep eligible Medicaid recipients covered after the public health emergency. Bailey, Katch, Solomon, and Kyle Hayes authored a policy brief explaining why Medicaid is key to building a comprehensive system of substance use care for low-income people.
• On state budgets and taxes, Michael Leachman encouraged more state lawmakers to consider how racism shapes tax policy. Nicholas Johnson explained how recent state tax cut proposals show the need for the Rescue Plan’s tax cut restriction.
• On the economy, we updated our chart book tracking the post-Great Recession economy and our backgrounder on how many weeks of unemployment compensation are available.

Chart of the Week — Economic Security Programs Increasingly Effective at Reducing Child Poverty, But Disparities Persist

Chart

A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts this past week. Here are some of the highlights:

For every extra dollar invested in the IRS, the government could be getting $6 back
Washington Post
March 25, 2021

401(k) plans favor rich people. Here's how to change that.
CBS News
March 25, 2021

21 states want the ‘freedom’ to use pandemic aid for tax cuts. They can’t.
Washington Post
March 24, 2021

Lots of Health Insurance Help in Covid Relief Law — But Do Your Homework First
Kaiser Health News
March 24, 2021

What’s the tax gap, and how do we close it?
Marketplace
March 23, 2021

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