Policy Papers
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Promoting Local Solutions for School Safety
KEY TAKEAWAYS Decisions about school safety are best handled at the local level. Federal programs currently allow local leaders to use funding for school safety efforts like resource officers, drug and violence prevention, crisis training, and mental health services. Lawmakers have introduced bills to create school safety grants, expand uses of education funding for counselors and physical security, and improve mental health programs. Congress and President Trump are taking action on federal... Continue Reading
March 9, 2018
February 2018 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 4.1 percent Jobs Created: 313,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent for February, unchanged from the previous four months. For February, the jobs report shows an increase of 313,000 nonfarm jobs. Construction contributed 61,000 of these new jobs, and manufacturing accounted for 31,000 of them. The unemployment rate for African-Americans fell 0.8 percent over the month, to 6.9 percent. The U.S. has created... Continue Reading
March 6, 2018
A Boost for Small Businesses
KEY TAKEAWAYS Dodd-Frank required more than 10 federal agencies to write more than 400 new rules, imposing 27,000 mandates on financial institutions of every size. Dodd-Frank’s rules imposed at least $36 billion in new costs, much of which fall on smaller banks and credit unions that pose little risk to the economy. S. 2155 will allow smaller banks and credit unions to invest more in families and businesses in their communities by freeing them from needless compliance costs. The Senate... Continue Reading
March 6, 2018
Tax Relief by the Numbers: March Update
February 27, 2018
Supreme Court Arguments: Mandatory Union Dues
Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Janus v. AFSCME, which involves a challenge to mandatory public-sector union dues. Mark Janus of Illinois was required to pay $44.58 per month to support AFSCME, which he said forced him to support political views with which he disagrees. The Trump administration has filed an amicus brief arguing that mandatory public-sector union dues violate the First Amendment. Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Janus v. American... Continue Reading
February 27, 2018
Expanding Affordable Alternatives to Obamacare
The Trump administration has taken several steps to increase access to more affordable health insurance options. A new proposed rule extends the maximum length of coverage for short-term limited-duration health plans, which do not have to comply with many of Obamacare’s costly rules, from 90 days to 364 days. Another proposed rule makes changes to association health plans to allow more small businesses and the self-employed to join together to buy insurance. Since President... Continue Reading
February 27, 2018
Why Title II Is Not the Answer for Internet Freedom
In December 2017, the FCC overturned rules that allowed it to regulate internet service providers as if they were utilities. The FCC turned to the utility-style rules only after its previous attempts to impose net neutrality regulations failed. The unpredictable nature of the FCC’s internet regulations strongly suggests that legislation is the only way to secure a permanent solution for a free and open internet. In December 2017, the Federal Communications Commission voted to overturn a... Continue Reading
February 13, 2018
Four Pillars: The Trump Administration Immigration Plan
Key Takeaways On March 5, work authorizations may begin to expire for the 690,000 recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. The Trump administration last month released a framework for legislation to provide legal status and a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 1.8 million people eligible for DACA. The framework would also strengthen border security, eliminate the diversity visa program, and limit family-sponsored immigration to spouses and minor children of citizens... Continue Reading
February 12, 2018
President's 2019 Budget: By the Numbers
Key Takeaways The budget proposal fully funds U.S. defense needs with $716 billion, as articulated in the increased defense spending caps in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The budget proposal predicts strong economic growth from tax cuts and other pro-growth policies: annual real growth of 3 percent or more from 2018 through 2024. Spending in fiscal year 2019 would total $4.4 trillion. The president’s fiscal year 2019 budget proposal was released today. It includes proposals for... Continue Reading
February 6, 2018
Promoting State Flexibility in Medicaid
Key Takeaways In a significant departure from the previous administration, CMS is now giving states more flexibility to experiment with policies that help promote independence for certain Medicaid beneficiaries. CMS has already approved waivers that include work requirements in two states – nine more have requested similar waivers, which are pending. In addition to work requirements, states are pursuing other innovative policies, including premium contributions, time limits on... Continue Reading
February 6, 2018
Employment-Based Immigration
Key Takeaways Employment-based green cards are available to people with extraordinary abilities, advanced-degree holders, multinational executives, certain professionals, and skilled workers. In 2016, the U.S. granted around 140,000 employment-based green cards, which was approximately 12 percent of total green cards issued that year. About five times as many people were awarded temporary employment-based visas that expire after a period of time. Some recent reform proposals have centered on... Continue Reading
February 2, 2018
January 2018 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 4.1 percent Jobs Created: 200,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent for January, unchanged from last month. Today’s jobs report shows an increase of 200,000 nonfarm jobs in January. Employment for November was revised down from 252,000 to 216,000, and December was revised up from 148,000 jobs to 160,000 jobs. The U.S. has created 2,725,000 new jobs since President Trump was elected in November... Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Tax Relief by the Numbers
January 30, 2018
State of the Union Preview: First-Year Accomplishments
TAXES CUT: Republicans provided tax relief to American families by enacting the first major tax reform in 31 years. Americans are already seeing the benefits of tax relief, including at least 3 million employees who have gotten direct benefits. At least 264 companies have announced pay hikes, bonuses, or other compensation because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These include AT&T, Walmart, Comcast, Disney, Apple, JPMorgan Chase, and Starbucks. Ninety percent of American workers will see... Continue Reading
January 26, 2018
Solid Economic Growth in 4th Quarter
Key Takeaways Growth in the fourth quarter of 2017 was 2.6 percent. This follows growth of 3.2 percent in the third quarter of 2017 and 3.1 percent in the second quarter of 2017. After the first back to back quarters of more than 3 percent growth, this slight decline is not worrisome. Tax relief was not yet priced into the economy during nearly all of the fourth quarter. Growth over 2017 as a whole was 2.3 percent. The nation’s economy grew at an inflation-adjusted annual rate of 2.6 percent... Continue Reading
January 23, 2018
The Diversity Visa Program
Key Takeaways The diversity visa program provides, through a random drawing, 50,000 green cards annually to people from countries with low rates of emigration to the U.S. Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe are the most heavily represented regions in the program. Around a million green cards have been awarded since the first lottery in 1994. The diversity visa program provides green cards for up to 50,000 immigrants each year from countries with low rates of emigration to the United States. The... Continue Reading
January 23, 2018
International Tax Reform Spurs Investment in America
Key Takeaways Announcements by Apple, Comcast, Fiat Chrysler, and others about plans to increase investment in America provide strong early evidence tax reform is spurring growth and creating jobs in America. By lowering the corporate tax rate to 21 percent – below the average for developed countries – American companies can better compete around the world. Moving to a territorial tax system also attracts capital to the U.S. rather than locking it out so it stays overseas. Apple announced... Continue Reading
January 17, 2018
How Chain Migration Works
Key Takeaways The majority of immigrants to the U.S. get their green cards because they have a family member who is a U.S. citizen or holds a green card. There is no annual cap on green cards issued to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens: spouses; minor children; and parents of adult citizens. A finite number of visas are available annually for adult children and siblings of U.S. citizens and spouses and children of green card holders. The Immigration and Nationality Act, passed in 1952 and... Continue Reading
January 9, 2018
Tax Relief Pays American Workers
Key Takeaways At least 123 companies have announced plans to pay bonuses or raise wages in response to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This includes bonuses of $1,000 or more, raising wages to at least $15 per hour, and increasing contributions to pension plans. This is evidence that a substantial part of the corporate income tax is borne by workers, many of whom are now benefiting directly from the reduced rates. Almost immediately after Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, American workers... Continue Reading
January 5, 2018
December 2017 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 4.1 percent Jobs Created: 148,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent for December, unchanged from last month. Today’s jobs report shows an increase of 148,000 nonfarm jobs in December. Employment for October was revised down from 244,000 to 211,000, and November was revised up from 228,000 jobs to 252,000 jobs. The U.S. has created 2,374,000 new jobs since President Trump was... Continue Reading