Policy Papers
March 2021 Biden Border Crisis Report
Southwest Border Encounters March 2021: 172,331 Change from 2020: +137,871 Breakdown of Southwest Land Border Encounters, March 2021 Single Adults: 99,659 (up 275% vs. March 2020) Unaccompanied Alien Children/Single Minors: 18,890 (up 486% vs. March 2020) Family Unit Aliens: 53,623 (up 1,057% vs. March 2020) U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 172,331 encounters in March, up 71% from February and up 400% from March of 2020. The number of unaccompanied children rose... Continue Reading
April 2, 2021
March 2021 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 6.0 percent Jobs Created: 916,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported the unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percentage point to 6.0% in March. Nonfarm jobs increased by 916,000 in March. In January and February, job creation was stronger than first reported. The department revised the change in nonfarm jobs for those months up by a combined 156,000 jobs. The U-6 unemployment rate, a broader measure that includes part-time and discouraged workers,... Continue Reading
April 1, 2021
Obamacare Expansion Through "COVID Relief"
KEY TAKEAWAYS Democrats’ partisan $2 trillion “COVID emergency” law included significant expansions of the Affordable Care Act. It raises subsidies for people who are currently eligible and adds payoffs for higher-income people Obamacare originally deemed too wealthy. Democrats are likely to try to make these temporary policy changes permanent, moving them a step closer to their goal of a single, government-run health care system for all Americans. The so-called... Continue Reading
March 26, 2021
The Pro Act: Bad for Workers, Bad for Businesses
KEY TAKEAWAYS The Democrats’ “Protecting the Right to Organize” Act would sabotage the economic recovery just as businesses are trying to make it past the pandemic and Americans are trying to return to work. The bill’s policies would curb workers’ choices, threaten jobs, and increase costs on employers. These include overriding state right-to-work laws, limiting Americans’ freedom to work as independent contractors, and allowing boycotts at businesses not... Continue Reading
March 24, 2021
Understanding the Monthly Jobs Report
KEY TAKEAWAYS The U.S. Department of Labor’s monthly jobs report provides information on unemployment, job gains, earnings, labor force participation, and other characteristics of America’s workers. DOL bases the report on two surveys: one of business and government agency payrolls, and one of households. Each month, the Department of Labor releases an update on the country’s employment situation, or “jobs report.” The report draws on data from a survey of about... Continue Reading
March 23, 2021
Growing the Welfare State in the Name of COVID Relief
KEY TAKEAWAYS What American workers need is an open economy, a bridge of support as the economy rebounds, and a federal benefit structure that does not serve as a disincentive to return to work. Democrats’ $1.9 trillion spending law is a massive expansion of the federal welfare state, with direct government support decoupled from need and disconnected from the dignity of work. This radical expansion of the federal government’s income support is made worse by a looming benefit cliff... Continue Reading
March 23, 2021
What is Infrastructure?
KEY TAKEAWAYS Infrastructure is fundamental to America’s economy and our ability to move people and goods freely and efficiently. The federal government has historically invested in transportation and water infrastructure. Democrats should work with Republicans to address our nation’s most immediate infrastructure needs before expanding the scope to include unrelated pet projects and policies. Infrastructure is a building block of America’s economy and our ability to move... Continue Reading
March 22, 2021
Defending the Filibuster
KEY TAKEAWAYS After years of supporting and defending the filibuster during the Trump administration, Senate Democrats have begun alleging that the filibuster is a racist product of the segregation era. The filibuster’s history goes back far earlier than this, and just like every other legislative tactic, it has been used for both good and bad purposes. At a time of sharp, even dangerous partisanship, ending the filibuster would ratchet tensions even higher and raise the stakes still... Continue Reading
March 19, 2021
One If by Land, Two If by 0 and 1
KEY TAKEAWAYS There are numerous methods and types of cyberattacks; understanding the most common types of attacks can help policymakers craft appropriate responses. While some of the responses to these cyberattacks are in the hands of ordinary citizens, many require action from the federal government to properly respond to the scale, sophistication, and objectives of the attacks. Responding to ransomware and strengthening supply chain security are likely to be key areas of focus for lawmakers... Continue Reading
March 19, 2021
S.1: Chaos in the Election Law
KEY TAKEAWAYS S.1 would nationalize key components of election law and require implementation on short deadlines, introducing uncertainty and chaos into the administration of elections. It would require states to allow felons to vote in federal elections, provide ballot drop boxes, implement ballot harvesting, cease enforcing voter identification laws, and implement no-excuse mail-in ballots, potentially delaying outcomes for months. The bill would politicize the Federal Election Commission by... Continue Reading
March 12, 2021
Iran: More Than a Nuclear Threat
KEY TAKEAWAYS President Biden has been seeking to negotiate with Iran on its nuclear program, and he appears willing to trade away U.S. sanctions to get a deal. In addition to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the country is a state sponsor of terror, it presents a military threat, and its influence extends beyond its own borders. Any deal for sanctions relief should produce a comprehensive and enduring agreement, should include more than just nuclear activities, and should be negotiated with the... Continue Reading
March 11, 2021
February 2021 Biden Border Crisis Report
Southwest Border Apprehensions February 2021: 100,441 Change from 2020: +63,754 Breakdown of Apprehensions on the Southwest Land Border February 2021 Single Adults: 71,598 (up 175% vs. February 2020) Unaccompanied Alien Children/Single Minors: 9,457 (up 171% vs. February 2020) Family Unit Aliens: 19,246 (up 170% vs. February 2020) U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 100,441 apprehensions in February, up 28% from January and up 174% from February of 2020. The number of unaccompanied... Continue Reading
March 10, 2021
H.R.1319 – American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 – Final Text
KEY TAKEAWAYS The Senate passed the Democrats’ nearly $2 trillion reconciliation bill on a party-line vote of 50-49 on March 6. The House passed the final version of the bill on March 10 by a vote of 220-211, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting against it. This paper summarizes the notable provisions of H.R.1319 as amended in the Senate and passed by both chambers. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was considered under the budget reconciliation process. The partisan... Continue Reading
March 5, 2021
February 2021 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 6.2 percent Jobs Created: 379,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported the unemployment rate ticked down 0.1 percentage point to 6.2% in February. Nonfarm jobs increased by 379,000 in February. The leisure and hospitality industry contributed most of these job gains. In December and January, job creation was stronger on net than first reported. The department revised the change in nonfarm jobs for those months up by a net 38,000 jobs. ... Continue Reading
March 3, 2021
FY21 Reconciliation Amendment Tracker
March 3, 2021
Reopening Schools Safely
KEY TAKEAWAYS Congress has provided $67.5 billion to help schools respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and bring students back into classrooms safely. Most of it remains unspent. Students have fallen behind academically after abrupt school closures last year; McKinsey estimates students could lose nine months of learning by the end of the school year. Democrats have said their $1.9 trillion reconciliation bill is “emergency” COVID-19 funding, but only 5% of the new money for K-12... Continue Reading
March 3, 2021
Democrats' Partisan Wish List
KEY TAKEAWAYS After five bipartisan COVID-19 relief packages, Democrats are now ramming through a nearly $2 trillion liberal policy wish list and calling it COVID relief. The Democrats’ legislation would spend hundreds of billions of dollars on untargeted ‘relief’ and advance policies that have nothing to do with COVID recovery. According to the Congressional Budget Office, much of the money labeled as ‘emergency relief’ would not be spent for several... Continue Reading
February 25, 2021
Democrats' Flawed 'Relief' Plan
KEY TAKEAWAYS Congress has provided unprecedented support in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy is bouncing back strongly, with GDP projected to return to its pre-pandemic level by the middle of this year. Instead of focusing on overcoming the virus and supporting people who have been harmed the most by it, the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion legislation spends hundreds of billions of dollars on untargeted ‘relief’ and advances policies that have nothing to do with COVID... Continue Reading
February 5, 2021
January 2021 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 6.3 percent Jobs Created: 49,000 Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported the unemployment rate decreased 0.4 percentage point to 6.3% in January. Nonfarm jobs increased by 49,000 in January after declining in December. In November and December, job creation was lower than first reported. The department revised the change in nonfarm jobs for those months down by a combined 159,000 jobs. The U-6 unemployment rate, a broader... Continue Reading
February 3, 2021
COVID-19 Relief Funding
KEY TAKEAWAYS Since March, Congress has passed five COVID-19 relief bills; each passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan votes. Congress has already provided $4 trillion for COVID-19 relief. Before authorizing additional funding, we must ensure these existing resources are being used effectively to combat the pandemic. Since March, Congress has taken unprecedented steps to help Americans respond to the coronavirus pandemic. congress has passed five bipartisan covid-19 relief... Continue Reading