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What was (and wasn't) accomplished in D.C. this past year

While the passage of legislation in Congress has largely been stalled by political drama, impacts from the CHIPS Act and infrastructure law are starting to be felt.
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Criticism, crashes, and crises: Revisiting three ghosts of debt ceiling battles past

Dec 5, 2023
There have been about 80 debt ceiling battles since 1960. But those decades of drama have never led to an actual default.
The National Debt Clock shows the increasing U.S. debt, near an IRS office in New York City. When this photo was taken, on July 26, 2011, Congress was one week away from a debt ceiling deadline.
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Social Security has funding problems. How do we fix it before benefits are cut?

Jun 12, 2023
The trust fund supplementing income taxes could run dry within 10 years. Dennis Jansen of Texas A&M suggests reforms.
About 67 million Americans receive Social Security income.
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What will new welfare work requirements mean for recipients?

New work requirements on welfare were part of the debt ceiling deal. How might they affect benefit recipients?
The new work requirements in the debt ceiling deal may negatively impact older people's access to food aid and other benefits, says "The Uncertain Hour" host Krissy Clark.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Bridgewater Associates Founder and Co-Chairman Ray Dalio speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019.
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What the debt ceiling deal means for your student loans

Jun 2, 2023
A debt ceiling deal has been made, and student loan borrowers will have to start making payments again later this summer.
President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan is awaiting a decision by the Supreme Court.
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We have a debt ceiling deal. So what happens next?

Jun 2, 2023
Now, agencies and Congress need to figure out how to implement the thing.
Congress will soon have to turn broad spending limits into actual appropriations bills for the next fiscal year.
Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

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What will happen once the debt ceiling deal is passed?

Jun 1, 2023
How will the Treasury act to make up for lost time?
After hitting the debt ceiling and taking extraordinary measures, "the Treasury Department has to replenish their checking account, basically," said George Mateyo Key Private Bank.
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How the affordable housing crisis drives homelessness

We're going to need a lot of money and cooperation to address homelessness.
Housing expert Gregg Colburn explains how we can best address homelessness on local, state and federal levels.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

How the debt ceiling fight puts the indispensable U.S. Treasurys market at risk

May 26, 2023
The $24 trillion Treasury bond market plays an important role in the global financial system. Is there any viable alternative?
"U.S. Treasurys are the safest asset anywhere, even in the case of default," says Yesha Yadav from Vanderbilt. This is why essentially the entire global financial system buys U.S. government debt whenever there's a panic.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images