Policy Analysis & Commentary
Black Representation in the 2026 Midterm Elections
The 2026 Midterm Elections produced several historic wins, including gains in Black representation in gubernatorial offices and the Senate. At the same time, Black representation may decrease in the House.…
The 2026 Midterms and Why Representation is an Economic Issue
By Sydney Dowd, Student at University of California, Santa Barbara & Former Joint Center Intern Introduction As the 2026 midterm elections approach, questions about political representation are moving back to…
Joint Center Submitted Public Comments to the Department of the Treasury Supporting Strong Regulation and Urging Treasury to Ensure That Compliance Requirements Do Not Unintentionally Create New Barriers
Joint Center Senior Researcher Cantrell Dumas submitted public comments to the Department of the Treasury regarding their proposal implementing section three of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S.…
Opening a Retirement Account Is Not Enough to Close the Black Retirement Divide
Racial economic inequality follows Black Americans across the life course. In 2022, 22 percent of Black children lived in poverty, compared with 10 percent of white children. Among adults ages…
Joint Center Testifies During Congressional Hearing ‘To Examine Empowering Main Street By Unlocking Access To Capital’
Joint Center Senior Researcher Cantrell Dumas testified during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing titled “Hearings To Examine Empowering Main Street By Unlocking Access To Capital.” Other…
H.R.1. and Its Impact on Black Households Through Taxes and Social Programs
The Joint Center released a fact sheet, H.R.1 and Its Impact on Black Households Through Taxes and Social Programs, to provide an overview of key changes, its impact on African…
The Economic State of Black Women in the United States
By Cantrell Dumas The policy snapshot, The Economic State of Black Women in the United States, explores the continuing influence of broader structural and historical factors in shaping economic security…
The Record We Kept: America’s Black Think Tank and the Campaigns That Changed American Politics
For more than five decades, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies has served as America’s Black think tank. Founded in 1970, when the number of Black elected officials…
Joint Center Submits Comments to Universal Service Fund (USF) Working Group Emphasizing the Need to Modernize the WSF
The Joint Center submitted comments to the Universal Service Fund (USF) Working Group to emphasize the need to modernize the USF, which funds key initiatives, such as Lifeline, E-Rate, Rural…
Budget Reconciliation Cuts to the Social Safety Net and their Impact on Black Households
In July 2025, congressional Republicans passed, and President Donald Trump signed, a partisan budget reconciliation package that will reshape the American economy and further erode the social safety net. The…