Last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the overall year-over-year inflation rate in October was 6.2 percent, a notably high rate. While there are many reasons to believe that inflation will ease in the coming months, some, including West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, are arguing that current high rates of inflation are not transitory and instead…
Budget Beat
The open enrollment period to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) started on November 1 and continues through January 15. This period allows individuals without existing health coverage to enroll in a private insurance plan or Medicaid – all in one place. As the nation continues to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic,…
According to data from the Census Household Pulse Survey, nearly 40 percent of West Virginia families who mostly spent their Child Tax Credit payments used the payments to cover education costs such as school books and supplies, tuition, after-school programs, and transportation to and from school in September, while 26 percent used the payments to cover…
It’s Halloween week — time to get spooky! Who needs ghost stories when you have spine-tingling bars and trend lines? Our newest blog post highlights five ghoulish charts about West Virginia in 2021 that should make you shudder (and fight for needed change!). Topics explored include state job loss, ongoing unemployment, prematurely terminated federally-funded unemployment…
Earlier this week, it was reported that Senator Manchin was calling for a significant weakening of the enhanced Child Tax Credit (CTC) as part of his proposal to scale back the Build Back Better agenda. Senator Manchin is reportedly calling for a significant reduction in the size and scope of the CTC by demanding a strict work…
Senator Joe Manchin has recently called for the budget reconciliation package currently being negotiated in Congress to be cut from $3.5 trillion to $1.5 trillion over 10 years. The Build Back Better agenda, combining the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework and the proposed $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, is estimated to support more than 4 million jobs annually, including over 17,000…
The Build Back Better Act would create long-lasting change for West Virginia families, workers, and our state economy. Senator Joe Manchin can play a critical role in its passage. It is urgent that he capitalize on this historic opportunity to invest in our communities. Our newest blog post explores how the Build Back Better Act would benefit…
Senator Joe Manchin sits at the center of the Build Back Better Act negotiations currently taking place in Washington. The WVCBP strongly urges him to recognize the urgency of our state’s needs and move quickly to support workers and families in West Virginia. We agree that Congress must pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, but we know…
Over the next week, Congress and West Virginia's federal delegation are expected to make major decisions on the elements of the budget reconciliation package. This period will determine whether critical worker and family supports are passed in tandem with a hard infrastructure package. Congress acted swiftly to enact pandemic relief because we raised our voices…
While the newest jobs numbers indicate that some areas of West Virginia’s economy are recovering, the job market is far from pre-pandemic levels and employment gains have not been equally distributed. Further, increasing COVID-19 cases remain a threat to workers’ health and the economy. While the state has seen relatively steady job growth in recent…