In Case You Missed It… 

| By CBPP

This week at CBPP, much of our analysis focused on poverty, income, and health coverage data the Census Bureau released for 2024. But first, here’s a recap of our other work, on food assistance and Social Security:

On food assistance, Katie Bergh and Dottie Rosenbaum stressed that many low-income people will soon begin to lose food assistance under the Republican megabill. Zoë Neuberger explained that Congress must fully fund WIC in appropriations legislation, and pair that funding with an enforceable mechanism to ensure the Trump Administration does not claw back funding. Emmie DiCicco underscored while millions already face cuts to their grocery benefits under SNAP, the Trump Administration further expanded program restrictions.

On Social Security, Kathleen Romig and Devin O'Connor emphasized the need for Congress to address the turmoil at the Social Security Administration caused by the Trump Administration.

And here are our analyses of the Census data:

In a statement, CBPP President Sharon Parrott emphasized that the Republican megabill will erode much of the progress on health coverage and push poverty and inequality higher. We also excerpted this statement.

Our live resource, updated throughout the week, focused on topics including health. Gideon Lukens noted that 2024 uninsured rates remained at 8 percent according to Current Population Survey (CPS) data, and increased to 8.2 percent according to American Community Survey (ACS) data, reflecting policy-driven coverage trends. Lukens also explained why ACS data can be more precise on this measure. Elizabeth Zhang found that Affordable Care Act marketplace policies softened coverage losses from the unwinding of the Medicaid continuous coverage provision, that the uninsured rate rose in 18 states and D.C. in 2024, and that coverage inequities increased by race and ethnicity and by income.
On poverty and income inequality, Danilo Trisi stressed that programs that lifted millions out of poverty in 2024 have been cut or proposed for cuts. He also noted that racial and ethnic differences in child poverty rates have widened after 2021’s Child Tax Credit expansion and other pandemic relief measures narrowed them. Trisi and Stephanie Hingtgen pointed out that making a $2,200 Child Tax Credit fully refundable would have lifted 1.4 million more children above the poverty line in 2024. Trisi noted that although poverty fell in 2024 according to several measures, poverty rates under the Supplemental Poverty Measure were much higher in 2024 than in 2021 when the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit expansion and other pandemic relief drove down poverty substantially.  He also underscored that the megabill will redistribute income upward, when after-tax income gaps are large already.

Chart of the Week — Programs That Lifted Millions Out of Poverty in 2024 Have Been Cut or Proposed for Cuts

The Center was active on social media this week. Here are some of our posts: 

Gbenga Ajilore posted a YouTube short breaking down recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data and what they mean for possible interest rate cuts.

Ajilore posted a thread to X and Bluesky on his piece for the Washington Center for Equitable Growth’s series on the rise of right-wing populism, providing an affirmative vision for investment in the rural United States.

The Center posted a thread to X and Bluesky on the recent USDA memo, which confirmed that deep SNAP cuts from the harmful Republican megabill will take effect starting this fall.

Joanna LeFebvre posted a thread to X and Bluesky breaking down Delaware’s thoughtful approach to property tax reform that protects critical public services while more equitably distributing responsibility among homeowners and businesses.

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

A Health Care Cost Bomb Is Coming—Unless Congress Acts
The New Republic
September 11, 2025

Poverty dropped in most states last year, but trend could reverse as cuts loom
Stateline
September 11, 2025

The Cruel Catch-22 of Cash Aid
Mother Jones
September 11, 2025

Why the Spike in Black Unemployment Is an Alarming Sign of What’s to Come
Talking Points Memo
September 10, 2025

In the Fallout From Trump’s Health Funding Cuts, States Face Tough Budget Decisions
KFF Health News
September 9, 2025

Measuring the ROI of the CPI
Marketplace
September 9, 2025

Inflation quashed household income gains in 2024, census finds
Washington Post
September 9, 2025

New SNAP rules could result in 2.4 million people losing benefits each month
NPR
September 8, 2025

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