Building an Economy for All

A Progressive Prescription for US-China Trade (test 10/4)

U.S.-China relations will shape the 21st century, and no issue will be more consequential than trade.

Op-ed: Airport service workers demand better support in the workplace. It’s time we listen

Karla Walter published an op-ed in Crain’s New York Business arguing for why airport service workers under the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey deserve better workplace standards.

Project 2025 Would Allow Financial Disaster To Bolster Wall Street’s Bottom Line

New CAP analysis gauges the potential effects of a present-day financial disaster on workers and the economy if a far-right plan to put short-term gains for Wall Street above long-term prosperity for American families is successful.

Any Budget Deal Should Preserve Parity

As Congress renegotiates the budget levels for fiscal year 2025, it should match every additional dollar of defense investment with an equal amount of nondefense spending.

LGBTQI+ Americans Deserve—and Need—Inclusive Paid Leave

LGBTQI+ Americans are particularly harmed by the lack of national paid leave program—and have much to gain from comprehensive, inclusive paid leave.

The 2017 Tax Bill’s Pass-Through Deduction Largely Favors the Wealthy and Encourages Gaming of the Tax Code

Congress should reject attempts to extend the 2017 tax bill’s costly pass-through deduction.

The Inflation Reduction Act Still Reduces the Deficit

Higher clean energy tax credit costs mean they are working better than expected.

Project 2025 Would Eliminate Head Start, Severely Restricting Access to Child Care in Rural America

If enacted, the elimination of Head Start would undermine economic growth and exacerbate inequalities among families with young children.

Project 2025 Would Increase Costs, Block Debt Cancellation for Student Loan Borrowers

The radical Project 2025 policy agenda for student loan repayment would multiply costs for borrowers, increase defaults, and end existing programs that allow borrowers to earn cancellation.

Making State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements in Higher Education Work for Students

Distance education agreements should align with the needs of students, states, and institutions—in that order.

Project 2025 Would Undo the NLRB’s Progress on Protecting Workers’ Right To Organize

Workers are winning a greater percentage of NLRB-overseen union elections than at any point in the past 15 years as Biden administration appointees help protect workers' right to organize—but a conservative policy plan offers a blueprint for eroding the NLRB's ability to protect organizing workers.

Increasing Competition and Fairness in Food and Agricultural Markets

Please join the Center for American Progress for an event that will highlight important actions the U.S. departments of Justice and Agriculture have taken to make the country's agricultural markets both more fair and more competitive.

The Direct File Pilot Shows That a Public Tax Filing Option Saves Money, Improves Customer Service

States should move to adopt integrated free filing.

Opinion: Baby boomers are retiring. Helping fill those work vacancies is government’s job

Veronica Goodman explains what a reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) would look like and why it’s needed right now in an op-ed published in MarketWatch.

Should the Social Security Retirement Age Be Raised? No.

Kyle Ross argues against raising the minimum retirement age for Social Security in an op-ed published by The Ripon Forum.

Transparency and Accountability in Insurance: Next Steps on Climate Risk Data Collection

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners and Federal Insurance Office are collecting data to learn how climate change affects insurance markets, and they should consider these recommended next steps to maximize the effectiveness of this effort.

CAP Changemakers: Equality for All

This conversation with Cait Smith and Winnie Stachelberg highlights CAP’s role in developing the Equality Act and current strides to make the country and world more equitable for LGBTQI+ communities.

Taking Action on AI Today and in the Future

Please join Governing for Impact and the Center for American Progress in an event discussing how agencies can deploy existing statutory authorities to take further action on AI.

A Senate Republican Defense Proposal Would Balloon Military Funding by Roughly $6 Trillion

Sen. Wicker’s plan would nearly double defense funding, draining away resources from other U.S. priorities.

Recommendations for Reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

As WIOA turns 10, policymakers should reauthorize it to remake and prepare the U.S. federal workforce development system for the next decade.

Project 2025 Would Increase Costs for Commuters, Defund Transit Maintenance, and Undermine Economic Growth

How a radical plan to eliminate federal transit funding could devastate local transit systems, hurt families, and undermine economic growth.

IPEF Starts To Demonstrate Results

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity remains an important geostrategic and geo-economic initiative in the Asia-Pacific region.

What Would It Take To Stabilize the Debt-to-GDP Ratio?

Because most of the Bush-era tax cuts were permanently extended, the United States is projected to have the debt ratio rise indefinitely. Closing this fiscal gap would require decreasing primary deficits by 2.1 percentage points of GDP, on average.

Permanently Extending the Trump Tax Cuts Would Increase Upward Pressure on the Debt Ratio by More Than 50 Percent

If Congress renews the Trump tax package, the fiscal gap will grow from 2.1 percent of GDP to 3.3 percent of GDP, making debt ratio stabilization 54 percent harder.

Revitalizing U.S. Trade Remedy Tools for an Era of Industrial Policy in an Interconnected World

To implement an effective industrial policy, the United States needs to update its trade enforcement toolkit to meet the challenges of the modern world and utilize its existing trade authorities differently.

The Lawsuit Against a New SEC Rule Could Harm Investor Protections

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit’s decision on the legal petition against the SEC’s private fund advisers rule could open the door to broad attacks on the regulatory framework that Congress authorized the SEC to develop and enforce for capital markets.

Sectoral Bargaining Can Support High Union Membership

Sectoral bargaining should be part of a broad set of reforms to rebuild unions in the United States.

The Biden Administration’s Targeted, Strategic Tariffs Are Effective Industrial Policy at Work

Standing up for American workers while fighting the climate crisis is smart and pragmatic policy.

The State of Safe Leave

U.S. states are increasingly providing safe leave for workers who need time off to deal with the impacts of sexual and domestic violence.

Wisconsin Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Program

The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa received funds to expand broadband access and internet connectivity into its reservation and community. The funds will provide for around 700 connection points around the reservation.

Rebuild Blatnik Bridge Connecting Wisconsin and Minnesota

Utilizing funds provided by the Biden administration, the cities of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, are rebuilding a bridge that would otherwise need to be shut down in 2030.

Lack of Paid Leave Hurts Americans’ Health

Without paid leave, Americans delay or forego needed health care, harming their health.

Designing a New Paradigm in Global Trade

How a successful Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum could function while delivering maximum benefits to workers and the environment.

Unions Give Workers a Voice Over How AI Affects Their Jobs

Collective bargaining is a powerful tool workers can use to ensure artificial intelligence and algorithmic technology improve their jobs instead of make working conditions worse, and workers have won several recent contracts that give them power over how AI will affect their working lives.

A Closer Look at How Unions Change Workers’ Lives for the Better

Aurelia Glass explains why the nation's broken labor laws must be addressed amid the increasing popularity and diversification of workers’ unions in America.

A Conversation With Dr. Lael Brainard

Please join the Center for American Progress for a conversation with National Economic Adviser Lael Brainard on the Biden administration’s investment agenda and China’s overcapacity.

Permanently Extending the Trump Tax Cuts Would Cost $4 Trillion Over the Next Decade

Permanently extending the Trump tax cuts would cost $400 billion per year and give the largest tax cut to extremely rich households.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Failed To Deliver Promised Benefits

Benefits of the business tax changes in Trump’s 2017 tax bill were costly and did not trickle down to workers and families.

Wealth of Younger Americans Is Historically High

Due to a historic economic recovery, inflation-adjusted wealth for younger Americans has grown 49 percent since right before the pandemic—a positive trend following decades of stagnation.

Our aging and low-income workforce needs a broader tax break

In The Hill, Beth Almeida and Brendan Duke write about why the United States needs an expanded earned income tax credit.

The Surprising Political Difficulty of Promoting Infrastructure Safety

Kevin DeGood writes in Governing about whether Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse could have been avoided.

Fact Sheet: Using Federal Preschool Grant To Build State Early Learning Systems

The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five program is a valuable tool for increasing families’ seamless access to early care and education programs.

Point: IRS Direct Simplifies Tax Filing, Saves Money

In "DC Journal," Jean Ross writes about the benefits of IRS Direct File.

Commentary: Vetoing paid leave bill hurts Virginia families, economy

Molly Weston Williamson writes in the Richmond Times-Dispatch about the recent veto to Virginia's paid family and medical leave act.

8 Ways the Biden Administration Is Improving the Lives of Service Workers

The Biden administration is raising pay, building power, and improving living standards for service workers across the economy—including fast-food cooks, call center workers, teachers, home care workers, and federal employees.

The CFPB Is Cleaning Up Junk Fees

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has taken a series of actions to cut excessive and hidden junk fees in the financial marketplace, which will save consumers billions of dollars.

CBO’s Long-Term Projections of the Primary Deficit Fell Each Year of the Biden Administration

The Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) long-term projections of the primary deficit and debt decreased sharply during the Biden administration.

K-12 Work-Based Learning Opportunities: A 50-State Scan of 2023 Legislative Action

Policymakers must work alongside educators and industry leaders to develop high-quality, equitable work-based learning models that bring these opportunities to more students.

It’s time for local policymakers to cement the Biden administration’s workforce gains

Karla Walter writes in Route Fifty about the need for policymakers to build on the Biden administration’s historic federal infrastructure investments, arguing that one of the best ways to cement these workforce gains is for local jurisdictions to strengthen their job quality standards.

Companies will soon have to disclose how they’re managing climate-related risk. That’s good news for stock investors.

Alexandra Thornton writes in MarketWatch about why a new climate disclosure rule from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is good news for stock investors.

Guest Column: Massachusetts Should Embrace Decongestion Pricing

Kevin DeGood argues for decongestion pricing in a new era of transportation in a column in Streetsblog Massachusetts.

Hearing on SEC Overreach: Examining the Need for Reform

Alexandra Thornton testified before the the U.S. House Financial Services Committee Subcommittee on Capital Markets to discuss institutional reforms of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Summit on Education: Reset. Reframe. Reform.

Unions Continue To Build Wealth for All Americans

New data show unions increase wealth across education levels and close racial wealth gaps.

North Carolina Wolfspeed Materials Efficient Silicon Carbide Facility

Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide Materials is building a new facility in North Carolina to expand production and become the largest plant using silicon carbide to make semiconductor chips.

Fixing the Brent Spence Bridge

This grant provides funding to repair the Brent Spence Bridge between Kentucky and Ohio and to build a new companion bridge.

Arizona Semiconductor Technician Quick Start Program

This program provides students at Maricopa Community Colleges with the opportunity to become trained as semiconductor technicians.

Cirba Solutions Battery Recycling Plant

A $74 million investment from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help Cirba Solutions open and operate a new battery recycling facility.

First Solar Thin Film Research and Development Center

First Solar is spending $450 million to establish a research and development center focused on the production of thin film photovoltaic modules.

Entrepreneurship, Startups, and Business Formation Are Booming Across the U.S.

Applications for new businesses, the number of startups, and the total number of businesses have skyrocketed across U.S. states and counties since 2021.

Governors Are Calling for Investments in Early Care and Education

Echoing 2023, governors from both political parties prioritized child care and pre-kindergarten in their 2024 State of the State addresses.

Fact Sheet: Building an Economy That Delivers for Women

This fact sheet offers a brief summary of CAP’s “Playbook for the Advancement of Women in the Economy,” which provides federal and state policymakers with the tools they need to center women in their economic plans and grow the economy.

Playbook for the Advancement of Women in the Economy

This collection of policy recommendations reveals how policymakers can grow the economy by centering the changes that women need in their economic platforms.

Fact Sheet: Using Modular Building To Increase Affordable Housing Stock

Modular building could reduce construction costs, making building new homes more affordable.

4 Principles for Addressing Climate Risks in the Insurance Industry

The U.S. insurance markets, consumers, and the financial system are already feeling the effects of climate change, and state and federal policymakers must act.

What California Can Teach America About How To Increase Housing Production

Recent legislation in California has reduced the legal barriers to producing new housing units—everything from accessory dwelling units to large, multifamily buildings—when local governments fail to zone their communities for adequate housing.

Updating SSI Would Improve the Economic Resilience of Low-Income Women

New analysis from the Center for American Progress shows that households relying on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) face higher financial risks than non-SSI households with similar incomes.

Communities That Lost Manufacturing Jobs Are Main Beneficiaries of Biden Administration’s New Industrial Policy

New analysis finds that private investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act are being announced in the communities that have been hit hardest by disinvestment in American manufacturing.

Texas v. Garland: Another Attack On Women And Democracy From A Radical Judiciary

Molly Weston Williamson writes in Talking Points Memo about a Texas judge's injunction blocking the enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

What To Read Before the 2024 State of the Union

Democracy, the economy, and our freedoms: These are the topics expected to be spotlighted by President Joe Biden during his third State of the Union address.

5 Key Economic Indicators Ahead of the State of the Union

In 2023, the U.S. economy once again proved its strength and resilience, creating a strong foundation for the year ahead.

What Will Be in the Final SEC Climate Disclosure Rule?

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s March 2022 climate disclosure proposal provides a roadmap for its upcoming final rule requiring public companies to disclose climate-related information that will help investors make sound investment decisions.

5 Reasons Why Careening From Near Shutdown to Near Shutdown Is Bad for America

While avoiding a federal government shutdown is important, the chaos of constant shutdown threats; uncertainties about funding; and patchwork continuing resolutions are still detrimental for the government’s ability to provide services and the health of American democracy.

5 Immediate Effects of a Partial Shutdown of the Federal Government on March 2

Here are five ways that a partial shutdown of the federal government could immediately affect you if Congress does not make its March 1 deadline.

Construction of Tennessee EV Battery Facility Highlights Promises and Challenges of Biden Administration Policies

Tennessee’s BlueOval City electric vehicle battery facility shows how public investments can lead to good union jobs, but anecdotal evidence suggests that workers are not connecting these jobs to important economic policies.

Disabled Workers Saw Record Employment Gains in 2023, But Gaps Remain

New data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in 2023, disabled people made record-breaking employment gains in a tight labor market; policymakers, however, must do more to close persistent gaps.

6 Key Findings To Inform New Federal Policies To Relieve Student Loan Debt

Longitudinal survey data show that student loan borrowers of all degree levels experience various forms of financial hardship, which new student loan debt relief policies should work to alleviate.

Opinion: The U.S. economy needs older workers. Congress can help.

Beth Almeida and Veronica Goodman write in MarketWatch about the importance of older workers to economic growth.

States Are Taking Action To Address the Child Care Crisis

Federal COVID-19 relief funding for child care stabilization grants ended in September 2023, but a number of states have stepped up this year to address the child care needs of working families.

Rewriting the Playbook: How Women Are Powering the Economy

Please Join the Center for American Progress for the launch of the "Playbook for the Advancement of Women in the Economy."

Reforming the Governance of Metropolitan Planning Organizations

The lack of geographic balance on the policy boards that govern metropolitan planning organizations skews transportation investment decisions toward highway expansion and unsustainable land use.

President Biden Should Veto Anti-Worker Lawmakers’ Attack on Union Rights

The Biden administration is fighting to protect fast food and outsourced workers’ right to come together in unions—and shouldn’t let anti-worker lawmakers undermine these efforts.

Increasing Affordable Housing Stock Through Modular Building

Modular building, if brought to scale, has the potential to reduce construction costs and make building new homes more affordable, especially in areas experiencing severe affordable housing shortages.

The Schumer-Johnson Budget Deal, Explained

Under the tight caps in the budget agreement, Congress should be able to meet the nation’s highest priorities, but the federal government would provide a lower level of services and benefits than it did in fiscal year 2023.

3 Ways States Can Improve Child Support

Decades of problems with distribution, debt, and enforcement have undermined the child support program’s ability to serve low-income families.

Point: On Bidenomics, Critics are Missing the Forest for the Trees

In an op-ed for DC Journal, former Rep. Andy Levin unpacks the disconnect between last year’s economic successes and consumer discontent.

Government on Workers’ Side

State and local policymakers can raise standards for workers and the public through prevailing wages, project labor agreements, and several other best practices.

Rebuilding the IRS Improves Customer Service and Reduces the Tax Gap

Funding from the Inflation Reduction Act helps ensure that the wealthy and large corporations pay what they owe and that customer service improvements continue.

Arizona KOREPlex Battery Manufacturing Plant

KOREPlex is opening a lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in Arizona that will be operated by electrical hardware and automatic software made in the United States.

Laz Paz County, Arizona, Mohave Road Reconstruction

This grant provides funding for a project to rebuild a critical road in Laz Paz County, Arizona, in the Colorado Indian River Tribe Reservation.

Michigan Technological University Battery Recycling Plant Pilot Project

Michigan Technological University is receiving funding to develop a better battery recycling and metal refining technology in partnership with the only nickel mine in the United States.

Replace Diesel Buses With Battery Electric Buses in Racine, Wisconsin

This grant provides funding for the replacement of diesel buses in Racine, Wisconsin, with 13 new electric buses and related infrastructure.

Alligator River Bridge Reconstruction in North Carolina’s Outer Banks

This $110 million grant provides funding for a project to rebuild the 60-year-old Alligator River Bridge in the North Carolina Outer Banks.

The budget process isn’t broken: The problem is politics

Bobby Kogan writes in The Hill about why the budget process doesn't need to be altered.

The State of Paid Family and Medical Leave in the U.S. in 2024

This fact sheet provides an overview of paid family and medical leave laws in the United States.

The State of Paid Sick Time in the U.S. in 2024

This fact sheet provides an overview of paid sick time laws in the United States.