In Case You Missed It...

This week at CBPP, we focused on the federal budget, housing, state budgets and taxes, the economy, and food assistance.

• On the federal budget, Brendan Duke, Richard Kogan, and Sonali Master explained why federal policymakers should raise revenue to address deficits in both the federal budget and federal investment that threaten the economic well-being of our nation.
• On housing, Anna Bailey highlighted the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s efforts to reshape the Continuum of Care program that will take away funding from proven solutions to homelessness and reallocate resources for less effective methods that punish people who cannot afford a safe place to stay.
• On state budgets and taxes, Clara Wilson warned that several ballot measures across the country would restrict state and local policymakers’ options to address revenue challenges and limit voters’ ability to enact policies through citizen initiatives, in the wake of growing fiscal pressures following deep cuts to health care and food assistance in the harmful 2025 Republican reconciliation law.
• On the economy, Gbenga Ajilore highlighted several key economic indicators that weakened in 2026 due to Trump Administration policies that are limiting economic growth, increasing inflation, and weakening the labor market.
• On food assistance, we updated our SNAP tracker with the latest data finding that 5.5 million people, including 2 million children, have already lost access to SNAP food assistance between July 2025 and July 2026. Dottie Rosenbaum and Joseph Llobrera explained that Congress should delay the cost shift to states as the nationwide decline in SNAP participation has already outpaced estimates made by the Congressional Budget Office following the 2025 reconciliation law’s cuts to the program.

Chart of the Week — SNAP Participation Far Below CBO Projection for 2026

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The Center was active on social media this week. Here’s a highlight:

• Katie Bergh posted a thread to X and Bluesky on the need for Congress to delay the SNAP cost shift to states as about 5.5 million people, including an estimated 2 million children, have already lost food assistance.
• Brendan Duke posted a thread to X and Bluesky on why policymakers must raise revenues to address deficits in both the federal budget and federal investment.

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

Free meal programs vanish and school lunch debt climbs after SNAP cuts
The Washington Post
October 22, 2026

El desempleo afroamericano aumentó: ¿es señal de alerta para la economía de EE.UU.?
La Opinión
October 22, 2026

The Social Security Administration wants more babies signed up for 'Trump accounts.' But there's still a catch.
MarketWatch
October 21, 2026

SNAP Enrollment Has Tanked Since Republicans' Budget Law 
The Washington Sun
October 21, 2026

Black unemployment recently spiked. Is that a warning for the economy?
USA Today
October 21, 2026

Food Pantry Patrons Face ‘Too Much Month at the End of Their Money’
New York Times
October 18, 2026

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