Economy

U.S. consumer spending tumbled 0.5 percent in December, the Commerce Department reported Friday. The slide, the biggest decline in nine years, is yet more evidence that the 2018 holiday shopping season was a disappointment for retailers and sellers of bigger... Read More

The lack of legal banking services for marijuana-related businesses is creating unnecessary economic barriers and encouraging crime, the owner of a Washington, D.C. marijuana business told Congress this week. A House Financial Services subcommittee called the hearing to determine whether... Read More

This week, Congressmen Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) led a bipartisan group of 99 Members of Congress to reintroduce H.R. 1043, the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, which would incentivize employers to offer student loan assistance to help... Read More

This week, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senator Roy Blunt, R-Mo., introduced legislation to help ensure the continued growth of America’s craft beverage industry. The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act would permanently establish reduced... Read More

The government shutdown was a tremendous burden for America to bear. The number of federal workers that suffered during the 35-day long haul was 800,000. Some 450,000 were required to come into work without pay. More than 42,000 United States... Read More

This week the Peter G. Peterson Foundation issued its regular Fiscal Confidence Index for the month of January, and the findings were troubling. The report, modeled after the Consumer Confidence Index and fielded in the final days before the government... Read More

This week, bipartisan legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives to toughen the United States’ position against national security threats posed by technology competitors like China. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Will Hurd (R-TX), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (... Read More

This week, a group of 22 lawmakers led by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) introduced the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act. The new legislation protects federal... Read More

On Friday, bipartisan legislation was introduced by Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Committee member Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to combat tech-specific threats to national security posed by foreign actors like ... Read More

This week, Democrats took back the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives following 2018's historic midterm elections. One of the first orders of business? Establish rules for the 116th Congress. H.Res.6, "A Resolution Providing for the House ... Read More

Looking ahead to a new legislative term, The Well News had the opportunity to speak with New Mexico Speaker of the House Brian Egolf about his priorities and goals. Read More

As the nature of work dramatically changes in the 21st century, new leaders are emerging to tackle the challenges of our shifting economic landscape. Workers are facing growing uncertainty in the labor market, and their relationship with their employers must ... Read More

Silicon Valley likes to talk about disruption. From how you hail a cab to how you shop for groceries, technology developed in Silicon Valley has changed almost every part of the average American’s life. But we haven’t disrupted... Read More

A new poll released by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation finds the national debt is a driving factor for a majority of Americans. According to the poll, conducted by the bipartisan team of polling firms, Global Strategy Group and North... Read More

In recent decades, globalization and technological change has disrupted work and accelerated changing dynamics between workers and companies, giving rise to more alternative work arrangements. Read More

Despite all the blustering on the campaign trail about the debt and deficit, this week the Treasury Department announced a fiscal year 2018 deficit of $779 billion. This is the largest deficit since 2012, two years after the... Read More

Candidates for Arizona’s U.S. Senate seat, U.S. Representatives Kyrsten Sinema (D) and Martha McSally (R), debated at an event hosted by Arizona PBS and the Arizona Republic in Phoenix. They discussed the Trump administration, tariffs, Supreme Court ... Read More

Candidates for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District seat, incumbent Representative Dave Brat (R) and challenger Abigail Spanberger (D), took part in a debate. They discussed the national debt, education funding, immigration, and health care reform. Read More

A recent move by the New Jersey State Senate would provide extended funding for manufacturing workforce development in a state where more than 1 million jobs are supported by the industry. The bipartisan legislation... Read More

With the House of Representatives headed home until after the November midterm elections, the Farm Bill is set to expire on Sunday, September 30th.  Read More

U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) have joined together to launch a legislative effort to boost economic opportunity for workers and families through improved access to transportation. Read More

As the midterm elections draw near, the Blue Dog Coalition turned its attention to rural America this week. Read More

Leaders across the country at all levels of government and private sector are working to implement innovative policies that address the challenges facing American workers every day. Read More

Cruising down the Arizona highway in an RV, Congressman Tom O’Halleran, Chairman of the Blue Dog Rural Task Force, was on a mission over August recess: meeting as many constituents as possible. Read More

Ten years ago, after making piles of money gambling with other people's money, Wall Street nearly imploded, and the outgoing George W. Bush and incoming Obama administrations bailed out the bankers. America should have learned three big lessons from the ... Read More

As the number of legislative days this Congress dwindles, the New Democrat Coalition, a group of 68 Democrats in the House of Representatives who are committed to pro-economic growth, pro-innovation, and fiscally responsible policies, continue to push their “New Economic Opportunity ... Read More