How States Can Build on the ACA To Improve Affordability and Lower Health Care Costs
The American Rescue Plan gives states additional flexibility to expand health coverage.
State and Local Policy
The Center for American Progress constantly strives to find meaningful solutions and pathways to promote progressive policy advancement at the state and local level. Our work focuses on locally driven solutions as well as the vast policy and communications expertise in the organization. We hope this research and data can help facilitate thoughtful debate among state and local leaders so that we can bring about progressive change in an ever-changing political landscape.
A Single Courageous State: Climate, Jobs, and Justice, Episode 1
Rep. Jamie Long discusses Minnesota’s recent progress on clean vehicles, energy efficiency standards, the Line 3 pipeline, just transition, and environmental justice, as well as what’s next.
The Clean Economy Revolution Will Be Unionized
State and local progress can inform federal action to support high-quality, union jobs building the clean economy.
Closing Advanced Coursework Equity Gaps for All Students
Even in high schools with similar levels of access to advanced coursework, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students are less likely to be enrolled in advanced courses—and even when they are enrolled, they experience less success in these courses than their peers.
The Funnel To Passing AP Exams
This interactive uses data from the U.S. Department of Education to estimate how many students, overall and disaggregated, enroll in AP courses, take AP tests, and pass AP tests.
Building Infrastructure That Supports Opportunity, Equity, and Sustainability
Generating a robust economic recovery that facilitates inclusive prosperity, redresses past harms, and advances national climate goals will require reforming federal infrastructure programs, which were not originally designed to meet these objectives.
Resources From the State House to the White House: Progress on Climate, Justice, and Jobs
State, local, and tribal leadership is laying a road map for federal action on climate, good jobs, and justice.
STATEMENT: Reinstatement of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule Is an Important Step Toward Ending Housing Discrimination
Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued an interim final Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, based on a 2015 rule first issued by the Obama administration. Following the posting of the rule, Lily Roberts, managing director for Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:...
A Criminal Record Shouldn’t Be a Life Sentence to Poverty
Bipartisan momentum for clean slate and fair chance licensing policies—which remove barriers to economic opportunity for people facing the stigma of a criminal record—has grown significantly in the states in recent years.
Only Half of U.S. States Have Active Worksharing Programs
Half of U.S. states are missing out on an opportunity to maintain connections between employers and workers during economic downturns.
States’ Essential Health Benefits Coverage Could Advance Maternal Health Equity
State benchmark plans vary in their coverage of necessary maternal health services.
An Urgent Rescue Plan for Puerto Rico
The Biden administration has pledged to provide Puerto Rico—home to more than 3 million U.S. citizens—with the resources and technical assistance it needs to recover and prosper in the wake of multiple natural disasters and ongoing economic and fiscal crises.
Preparing Students of Color for the Future Workforce
Community members in Indiana and New Mexico provide context on how Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students should be fully prepared for the future workforce.
Millions Will Gain Nondiscrimination Protections Under the Equality Act
These fact sheets highlight how the Equality Act will result in expanded nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, women, communities of color, and foreign-born individuals in states across the country.
Help Is Here Weekly Roundup: How the American Rescue Plan Benefits State and Local Governments
See CAP Action’s weekly roundup of local stories and social media highlights from elected officials across the United States on how the American Rescue Plan is benefiting their communities.