In Case You Missed It…

This is our final edition of In Case You Missed It for 2025. CBPP wishes you restful and happy holidays!

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

• On health, CBPP President Sharon Parrott issued a statement on congressional Republicans’ failure to extend premium tax credit enhancements to help millions of people afford marketplace coverage. Nicole Rapfogel explained that the House Republican health care bill fails to address marketplace affordability.
• On the federal budget and federal taxes, Brendan Duke detailed how the Trump Administration and congressional Republicans are worsening affordability challenges and summarized the paper in a related blog post. Samantha Jacoby, Chuck Marr, and Kris Cox described how the Republican megabill’s tax provisions are skewed to the rich, fail to deliver for individuals and families with low and middle incomes, and are fiscally irresponsible. Jacob Leibenluft, Devin O’Connor, and Sam Berger explained that the Trump Administration’s abuse of its authority over federal personnel to impose mass layoffs shows the need for congressional action. We updated our backgrounders on non-defense discretionary programs; deficits, debt, and interest; the federal estate tax; and the Earned Income Tax Credit.
• On housing, Sonya Acosta stressed that Congress should use a final 2026 funding bill to ensure sufficient and timely funding for critical housing and homelessness programs to keep people in their homes. Mari Castaldi and Nikhe Braimah emphasized that because the Trump Administration is advancing policies that make significant cuts to housing assistance, states and localities must continue to invest in affordable housing and homelessness solutions.

Chart of the Week – 5 Ways the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans Are Making Affordability Challenges Worse

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

• Nicole Rapfogel posted a thread to Bluesky on the House Republican health bill that fails to prevent imminent premium spikes.
• Will Fischer posted a thread to X on proposed HUD funding cuts that could leave hundreds of thousands struggling to afford rent.
• Gbenga Ajilore posted a YouTube short on the latest November Consumer Price Index estimate.

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

Black employment milestone evaporates
Axios
December 19, 2025

Chicagoans brace for rising Obamacare costs or no coverage with Congress poised to end subsidies
WBEZ Chicago
December 18, 2025

The real reason for the white-collar bloodbath
Business Insider
December 17, 2025

About 130,000 Alabamians at risk of losing health care without ACA tax credits
Alabama Reflector
December 16, 2025

What Oklahomans need to know about the federal fight over health care subsidies
KGOU
December 16, 2025

Social Security Disability, a Protection for Some Workers, Is at a Crossroads
New York Times
December 13, 2025

They Power the U.S. Economy, But Will Struggle to Afford Health Care
Capital & Main
December 12, 2025

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