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off the charts
POLICY INSIGHT
BEYOND THE NUMBERS

In Case You Missed It...

| By CBPP

This week on Off the Charts, we focused on the federal budget and taxes, unemployment insurance, Social Security, and housing.

  • On the federal budget and taxes, we explained that projected deficits over the next decade have fallen by nearly $5 trillion, mostly due to legislative changes.  William Chen showed that, in recent deficit-reduction legislation, spending cuts outweigh tax increases 3 to 1.  Chuck Marr highlighted an HBO documentary that illustrates the value of working-family tax credits.  He also analyzed Senator Mike Lee’s (R-UT) tax reform plan and explained why the President’s proposal to raise cigarette taxes is worthy of support.
  • On unemployment insurance, Chad Stone mapped the impact across the country of a recent bipartisan Senate deal to restart federal emergency unemployment benefits.
  • On Social Security, Kathy Ruffing laid out some basic facts regarding Social Security Disability Insurance.
  • On housing, Douglas Rice explained why and how Congress should restore housing vouchers lost last year due to the sequestration budget cuts.

In other news, we issued papers in how higher tobacco taxes can improve health and raise revenue and why projected ten-year deficits have shrunk by nearly $5 trillion. We also updated our report on how strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit for childless workers would promote work and reduce poverty and our backgrounder on SNAP (formerly food stamps).

CBPP’s Chart of the Week:

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

Lee Tax Reform Plan's Disappointing Details
Huffington Post
March 20, 2014

How the unemployment benefits deal Boehner rejected would have affected states
Washington Post
March 19, 2014

Housing Subsidies: An Unfair Playing Field
Center for Effective Government
March 18, 2014