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Infrastructure plan highlights shortage of skilled workers

Jun 28, 2021
The job-creating infrastructure package is being debated at a time when millions of skilled blue-collar workers are nearing retirement.
President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan would make roughly a trillion dollars available to repair roads, bridges and other systems.
Anna Moneymaker/Pool/Getty Images

Biden administration rolls out new vaccine incentives

Jun 4, 2021
About 63% of Americans have gotten at least one vaccine dose. The Biden administration wants to get to 70% by July 4.
From free donuts to lottery entries, do vaccine incentives work?
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U.S. backs waiving patent protections for COVID vaccines

Changing international property rules requires unanimous agreement from nations that are part of the World Trade Organization.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Biden administration sends a signal about gig workers with rule rollback

May 6, 2021
The Labor Department blocked a Trump-era change that would've made it easier to classify gig workers as independent contractors.
The Trump-era rule was supported by gig platforms like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash.
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

As Biden addresses Congress, economic policy looms large

Apr 28, 2021
Help is on the way for arts organizations and schools. But tackling thornier economic issues will require bipartisan support.
So far, the Biden administration has been sticking to plans it can implement without Republican support, said Ken Jacobs, chair of the Labor Center at the University of California, Berkeley.
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Biden announces $1.8T plan for spending on kids, families, education

Apr 28, 2021
The administration is calling it transformational spending. Republicans say it’s too much spending.
The Biden administration is putting a lot of emphasis on low- and middle-income families saying the average family will save about $13,000 to $15,000 a year in child care expenses alone.
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Biden: U.S. to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50%

Biden is making the announcement as a global climate summit of dozens of world leaders kicks off.
Biden is pledging to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by the year 2030, using a 2005 baseline.
Andrew Harnik/Pool/Getty Images

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Is your bridge bad enough to get infrastructure money?

Apr 9, 2021
President Biden's plan calls for fixing 20,000 miles of roads and 10,000 bridges. But which are most in need?
One bridge in the worst shape? The Brent Spence Bridge, which spans the Ohio River and was declared functionally obsolete in the 1990s.
Jeff Dean/AFP via Getty Images

Biden administration rolls back some Medicaid work requirement waivers

Apr 8, 2021
The Trump administration had said states could require some people to prove they had work to get benefits.
President Biden at a White House press conference on April 6, 2021.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

More EV charging stations would provide infrastructure for auto industry growth

Mar 31, 2021
Charging availability has increased in many places, but still varies widely.
Lack of access to chargers is one of the top barriers to electric vehicle adoption, said analyst Sam Abuelsamid at Guidehouse Insights.
Jack Taylor/AFP via Getty Images