Building an Economy for All
Economic growth must be built on the foundation of a strong and secure middle class so that all Americans, not just those at the top, benefit from growth.
What We're Working On
What We're Doing
Investing in a stronger and more equitable economy
We must continue to invest in research, technology, and innovation in a manner that ensures participation and benefits communities that are too often left behind. Only through such an approach can the United States remain at the cutting edge in an increasingly competitive global market.
Strengthening worker power and economic mobility
We need to increase wages, reduce poverty among working families, increase worker power, and create pathways to economic mobility for all.
Raising the floor for basic living standards
Working toward a stronger and more equitable economy for everyone involves rebuilding, expanding, and strengthening America’s social safety net to make it more comprehensive in eligibility and services as well as more flexible in how it can be accessed and used.
Creating a new social compact with business
A new social compact with business includes a regulatory vision that better aligns investors, companies, and the public interest on critical matters such as climate, workers’ rights, and equality.
By the numbers
60M
The families of more than 60 million children have received CTC monthly payments since July 2021.
CAP, “Making the CTC and EITC Expansions Permanent Would Reduce Poverty and Grow the Economy” (2021).
$100
In 32 states, a typical family would save more than $100 per week on child care under the Build Back Better Act.
CAP, “The Build Back Better Act Would Greatly Lower Families’ Child Care Costs” (2021).
$22.5B
In a year, workers and their families lose $22.5 billion in wages due to lack of access to paid family and medical leave.
CAP, “A Real Recovery for Women Cannot Happen Without the Build Back Better Agenda” (2021).
$3.6T
The Build Back Better Act would raise $3.6 trillion in revenue to support investments in an inclusive, high-growth economy.
CAP, “Addressing Tax System Failings That Favor Billionaires and Corporations” (2021).
What You Can Do
Recent work
Fact Sheet: Weak Gun Laws Are Driving Increases in Violent Crime
CAP’s Comment on the SEC Proposed Rule on Disclosures by Certain Investment Advisers and Companies About ESG Investment Practices
CAP’s Comment on the SEC Investment Company Names Proposed Rule
Using HIPAA To Protect Patient Privacy and Fight Abortion Criminalization
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CAP’s Comment on the SEC Proposed Rule on Disclosures by Certain Investment Advisers and Companies About ESG Investment Practices
The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the commission’s proposed rule on enhanced disclosures by certain investment advisers and investment companies about ESG investment practices.
CAP’s Comment on the SEC Investment Company Names Proposed Rule
The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission on the commission’s proposed rule on investment company names.
5 Things To Know About Debt Cancellation
Student debt cancellation would help people of all ages, reduce the racial wealth gap, and help borrowers weather turmoil in the student loan system.
Examining the Powerful Impact of Investments in Early Childhood for Children, Families, and Our Nation’s Economy
Rasheed Malik testified before the House Budget Committee on July 20, 2022, on the importance of investing in early childhood programs.
Top 11 Benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act will fight inflation; bring down the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs; cut health care costs; make historic investments to tackle climate change; and significantly cut the deficit.
Timeline: Federal Student Loans During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This article presents a timeline of recent events related to student loans and takes a look at what’s to come for student loan borrowers.
With Prices Rising, States and Cities Must Raise Their Minimum Wages
Lily Roberts and Rose Khattar outline why, 13 years since the federal minimum wage was last increased, states and cities must take action to ease the economic strain many workers and families face now in light of global inflation.
Rubio’s Plan Would Hurt Women’s Economic Security, Not Offer Real Paid Leave
Sen. Marco Rubio’s purported paid parental leave plan would hurt, rather than help, women by cutting the retirement benefits they need.
After President Biden Cancels Student Debt
Meeting the urgency of the college affordability and student debt crisis will require bold action to restore the promise of opportunity for all Americans.
The Inflation Reduction Act Would Only Raise Taxes From Wall Street and Big Corporations
Contrary to critics’ claims, the Inflation Reduction Act would only increase taxes for large corporations and the wealthy while providing meaningful benefits for middle-income families across the country.
Numbers don’t lie: Ron Johnson’s tax scam was a raw deal for Wisconsin
Seth Hanlon urges Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) to support the Inflation Reduction Act and put the needs of Wisconsin families ahead of his own interests.
11 Ways the Inflation Reduction Act Will Help Americans
The new Senate deal will reduce inflation; bring down the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs; cut health care costs; make historic investments to tackle climate change; and significantly cut the deficit.
The Inflation Reduction Act Brings Down Costs and Boosts Energy Supply, Cutting Inflation and Making Historic Investments
The Inflation Reduction Act would solve mismatches between supply and demand at work in the U.S. economy, reducing inflation and strengthening the country’s long-term economic outlook.
The CHIPS and Science Act Will Invest in U.S. Innovation and Create Jobs
Historic bipartisan legislation will cut families’ costs, create jobs, and enhance American competitiveness.
Women’s Stories on Economic Justice and Health Care
This CAP Action storybook features women in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and New Hampshire whose stories center on issues from prescription drug pricing and health insurance, to child care and paid leave.
The Strong US Labor Market Suggests the Economy Is Not in Recession
Economists have long considered many indicators—including the state of the labor market, which is still booming—when determining if the United States is in a recession.
Continued Job Growth in July Points To Persistent Strength in Economic Recovery
The recovery of all private sector jobs points to a lingering strength in the economy, but overaggressive Fed action to tackle inflation risks causing a harmful downturn.
Still Underpaid and Unequal
New, comprehensive data on child care workers in center-based programs—analyzing their demographics, education, experience, and wages—reveal widening pay gaps and inequality.
Latino Workers Continue To Experience a Shortage of Good Jobs
Although Hispanic and Latino workers have high employment rates in the United States, labor market experiences differ substantially within this community, with Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran, and Salvadoran Americans experiencing significant and intersecting gender and ethnic wage gaps.
A Strong Start in Life: How Public Health Policies Affect the Well-Being of Pregnancies and Families
Understanding how the key social determinants of health—including housing, employment, and education—affect perinatal health is critical to ensuring that federal policies support healthy babies and families.
Fact Sheet: How Closing a Tax Loophole That Benefits the Rich Would Strengthen Medicare
A key provision reportedly agreed to in the reconciliation bill would extend the Medicare trust fund by three years.
3 things businesses should do to support their workers’ reproductive choices beyond paying for employees’ abortion-related travel expenses
Lauren Hoffman and Rose Khattar discuss how businesses should be supporting their workers' reproductive choices since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision.
The United States Must Deliver on Equitable Housing Outcomes for All
Federal investments kept millions of Americans in their homes during the pandemic; in the long term, commitment to bold federal housing policy can eliminate housing insecurity for millions while uplifting historically disadvantaged communities.
It’s Long Past Time To Increase the Federal Minimum Wage
This month marks 13 years since the federal minimum wage was increased. The lack of an increase during this period has disproportionately harmed women and people of color.
Technology bills can help working families
Adam Conner discusses how the American Innovation and Choice Online Act and the Open App Markets Act would unlock innovation and benefit New Mexico's economies.
Prevailing Wages Can Build Good Jobs Into America’s Electric Vehicle Industry
By instituting prevailing wage policies, policymakers can ensure that the jobs they subsidize in one of America's newest industries offer fair wages and benefits.
Profit Over People: Primer on U.S. Cash Bail Systems
Cash bail practices undermine the presumption of innocence in the criminal legal system and lead to racially and economically disparate outcomes.
Fact Sheet: Profit Over People: Inside the Commercial Bail Bond Industry Fueling America’s Cash Bail Systems
The commercial bail industry perpetuates unjust cash bail systems and relies on egregious practices to protect its bottom line.
Profit Over People: The Commercial Bail Industry Fueling America’s Cash Bail Systems
The commercial bail industry perpetuates unjust cash bail systems and relies on egregious practices to protect its bottom line.
How Congress can illuminate LGBTQI+ experiences — and craft equitable solutions
Caroline Medina and Rose Khattar discuss the historic House passage of the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act and underscore how comprehensive data collection is critical to better understand LGBTQI+ communities, shed light on persistent disparities, and craft responsive policy solutions.
How the US Department of Education Can Fix Damaging Accreditation Regulations
The Biden administration must work to limit the harm of accreditation regulations rolled out under former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Hearing on Tax Policy for Inclusive Economic Growth
Seth Hanlon testified before the U.S. House Select Committee on Economic Disparities and Fairness in Growth on evaluating tax fairness.
BankThink Regulators must vigorously police bank mergers
Todd Phillips urges regulators to more forcefully police bank mergers due to the unique risks they pose to the U.S. economy.
Reducing Airport Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Renewable Energy Generation and Demand Reduction
Congress should reform the Airport Improvement Program and the Passenger Facility Charge Program to prioritize stand-alone greenhouse gas mitigation, climate change adaptation, and other sustainability projects.
The National Baby Formula Shortage and the Inequitable U.S. Food System
It is past time for policymakers to develop a long-term vision that addresses the infant formula crisis and focuses on building a more responsive, resilient food system and safety net for all.
Learning from the United States’ Painful History of Child Support
This Father’s Day, federal and state governments must consider the history of child support and how it can better serve poor, Black families.
Temporary expansions made unemployment insurance a lifesaver. Workers need long-term reform to keep it that way.
Justin Schweitzer outlines the successes of the unemployment insurance expansions during the COVID-19 pandemic and calls for greater reform.
New Research Adds to Evidence That Opportunity Zone Tax Breaks Are Costly and Ineffective
Policymakers should enact commonsense reforms to opportunity zones to boost transparency and accountability, stem rising costs, and focus attention on communities most in need.
Regulators’ Efforts To Promote Climate Risk Management by Banks Are a Positive Step Forward
The FDIC’s proposed climate-related risk management principles for banks are necessary to ensure the safety and soundness of the financial system.
The Federal Reserve Must Be Careful Not To Jeopardize the Strong Economic Recovery
If the U.S. Federal Reserve acts too aggressively, it could risk a recession and threaten the economy’s strength and the labor market’s momentum.
Regulators Should Identify and Mitigate Climate Risks in the Insurance Industry
State insurance regulators and the Federal Insurance Office should enact these policy recommendations to address the risks climate change poses to both insurance companies and insurance markets.
How To Reform the Bank Merger Process
As the U.S. banking industry becomes increasingly concentrated into fewer, larger firms, federal regulators must reform the process by which they approve new mergers.
An Action Plan for the Bank Regulators
Bank regulators must reverse Trump-era policies, finish long-delayed projects, and address emerging risks.
The Millionaire Surcharge Would Improve the Fairness of the Tax Code
Special carveouts are unwarranted and would create new ways for the ultrawealthy to game the system.
Why K-12 Teachers and Their Students Need Investments in Child Care
To meet the caregiving needs of the K-12 educator workforce and the developmental needs of the youngest students, the United States needs sustained, significant federal investments in the accessibility and affordability of high-quality child care.
For Unionized Amazon Workers, Lessons From Italy May Hold Key to Success
David Madland outlines several lessons learned from the historic nationwide contracts that Amazon workers in Italy signed in 2021 and suggests a path forward for unionized workers at Amazon's Staten Island warehouse, who must now try to sign a collective bargaining agreement.
The SEC’s Proposed Scope 3 Emissions Disclosure Will Not Affect Farms and Ranches
The SEC’s proposal to require certain large public companies to disclose their indirect greenhouse gas emissions, such as those from suppliers, is unlikely to affect farms and ranches.
Urgent Congressional Action Is Needed To Stave Off Hunger for Millions of Students
Congress must pass the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act to support continued access to school meals.