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The last time the U.S. almost defaulted on its loans, the consequences were expensive

Apr 17, 2023
The phrase "debt ceiling" brings some people right back to 2011, when the U.S. also went down to the wire.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy delivers a speech about the economy and debt ceiling at the New York Stock Exchange on April 17.  McCarthy said that “defaulting on our debt is not an option.” But neither McCarthy nor the White House are showing any signs of compromising.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Government report outlines web of problems impeding tribal access to federal funds

Dec 21, 2022
Among the issues were costly delays and confusing guidance from varying agencies.
The GAO's report shows how the rollout of tribal relief funding has been rocky.
Getty Images

Lots of homeowners are dropping flood insurance, study shows

Aug 4, 2021
It's bad news for federal officials who are trying to convince more homeowners that they need flood protection.
A Houston home sits in floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Many in Houston did not have flood insurance.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images

Analysis finds racial disparity in pandemic unemployment benefits

Jun 21, 2021
White unemployment applicants were more likely to get relief than Black applicants.
A new report shows that Black applicants were less likely to receive federal unemployment benefits when compared to white applicants — something which also occurred during the Great Recession.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Most states have been underpaying Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits

Dec 1, 2020
Instead of calculating PUA benefits based on people’s income, many states have just been paying the minimum benefit.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Few student borrowers working in the public sector are finding loan forgiveness

Sep 28, 2018
About year ago, the U.S. Department of Education started accepting applications from public servants to have their student loan balances wiped away. Twenty-eight thousand borrowers applied for forgiveness in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program; 96 were approved. To qualify, applicants must spend at least 10 years working for government agencies or certain kinds of nonprofits […]