News Releases

• Feb 02, 2012 Stigmatizing UI by Drug Testing Applicants and Denying Benefits to Those Without H.S. Diploma Conferees from the U.S. House and Senate currently are considering an Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits extension proposal that includes two highly controversial provisions-drug testing all UI applicants and denying benefits to those without a high school diploma or equivalent-that would penalize the most vulnerable workers, CLASP, the Center for Law and Social Policy said today.
• Dec 12, 2011 House bill cuts federal UI benefits, stigmatizes joblessness, penalizes workers with least education While the bill extends the payroll tax deduction, it limits the availability of federally funded unemployment assistance, includes punitive provisions for the least skilled jobless workers and inexplicably ties needed UI benefits and payroll tax reductions to permits for the Keystone pipeline.
• Nov 21, 2011 Super Committee Failure Part and Parcel of a Larger Problem The Super Committee was born out of congressional wrangling over our nation's policy priorities, and it seems to have met its demise in much the same way.
• Nov 18, 2011 Legal Aid a Casualty in FY 2012 Spending Package Congress voted Thursday, Nov. 17, on a spending package that includes significant cuts to the Legal Services Corporation, a move that will make it significantly harder for low-income people to access legal aid.
• Nov 17, 2011 Legislation to Protect Children a Significant First Step Much has been said over the last week in response to tragic events in Pennsylvania where it is alleged that Jerry Sandusky, former defensive coordinator at Pennsylvania State, sexually abused children and the abuse was witnessed by and known to many. Sen. Robert Casey (D-Pa.) late Wednesday afternoon introduced federal legislation that attempts to create a culture in which all adults take responsibility for protecting children. This is a significant and important first step. Following is a statement by Rutledge Q. Hutson, director of child welfare at CLASP.
• Nov 07, 2011 Alternative Poverty Measure Demonstrates Government Programs Help Reduce Poverty The Supplemental Poverty Measure released today by the Census reveals government has a key role to play in reducing poverty. As lawmakers debate deficit reduction and cutting domestic programs, they should keep this report in mind. With high unemployment and increasing poverty, it would be counterproductive to slash poverty-alleviating programs at any time but especially now when need is increasing.
• Oct 04, 2011 How Much Does Employee Turnover Really Cost? CLASP and the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) have released a turnover calculator, a dynamic new tool that allows employers to calculate how much turnover costs in just 10 questions. Employee turnover costs businesses millions each year, but many employers don't realize exactly how much it's costing their company. Workplace policies that support workers such as paid sick days and paid family leave can help employers reduce turnover and improve their bottom line.
• Sep 13, 2011 How Many More Have to Fall into Poverty Before We Say Enough? "How many more have to fall into poverty before we say enough? That should be the question every American asks the nation's policymakers as they begin debating President Obama's jobs package and how to cut more than a trillion dollars from the nation's deficit over the next decade.
• Sep 09, 2011 CLASP Statement on the President's American Jobs Act The American Jobs Act that President Obama announced last night is a significant step forward in the right direction. It recognizes that we need broad programs to promote hiring by investing in infrastructure and stimulating consumer spending as well as programs targeted toward the most vulnerable workers.
• Sep 01, 2011 Who's Working This Labor Day? It's alarming enough that unemployment has hovered around 9 percent or more since April 2009, but equally troubling is that workers are remaining unemployed longer and many are dropping out of the labor force altogether. This trend threatens to turn far too many of America's once productive workers into permanently unemployed and unemployable people.
• Aug 01, 2011 CLASP Statement on Debt Ceiling Compromise Two critical pieces are absent from the compromise--an understanding and empathy for what ordinary Americans need during this time of high unemployment and increasing poverty and a principle of shared sacrifice in which corporations and the wealthy are not exempt from their role in alleviating the nation's debt crisis by ending corporate tax loopholes and tax breaks for the richest among us.
• Jun 29, 2011 Aging Population Requires Broader Higher Education Funding and Policies Just as the nation's economy is demanding that more workers have some postsecondary education or training, the traditional source of such workers - high school graduates - is leveling off and even declining in some states. A new paper released today by CLASP, the Center for Law and Social Policy, and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) demonstrates why ensuring more adults have access to and complete college is critical for the nation's continuing economic competitiveness.
• Jun 15, 2011 Proposed Balanced Budget Amendment Is Off Balance, Harmful for all Americans The proposed balanced budget amendment comes as federal lawmakers are having a wide conversation about deficit reduction that also includes the FY 2012 budget, the nation's debt ceiling as well as its long-term debt. While these conversations are important, they are incomplete. The nation can't begin having honest discourse about its finances until lawmakers begin to take a broad look at spending and revenue. And lawmakers must make certain that plans to balance the nation's budget don't harm the most vulnerable among us.
• Apr 05, 2011 House Budget Proposal Is Political and Disingenuous As both the House and Senate continue to debate FY 2012 funding, we urge them to chart a true path to prosperity-one that feeds and clothes those in need, provides affordable health care, and supports job training and education from birth through college while making appropriate and reasonable changes to the tax code and entitlement programs.
• Mar 02, 2011 House Proposal to Cut Workforce Investment Ignores Persistently High Unemployment The House proposal to cut funding for programs providing critical job training to unemployed and underemployed workers is highly counterproductive during this time of persistently high unemployment. The proposed cuts to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) come as a new CLASP report cites early evidence that enhanced funding through the Recovery Act enabled a significant percent of WIA participants to land jobs during the worst of the economic downturn.
• Feb 17, 2011 218,000 Children Could Lose Head Start Services if House Proposal Passes With one in four young children living in poverty, the need for Head Start is greater than ever.The cut proposed in the House not only will hurt our most vulnerable children, it is the definition of penny-wise and pound foolish. National studies confirm that Head Start has improved the lives of both children and their families.
• Feb 16, 2011 New Report Shows Recovery Act Dollars Worked A review released today of the subsidized jobs programs operated in 2009 and 2010 with TANF Emergency Fund dollars found that they were highly effective at putting unemployed people to work in private sector jobs during the economic downturn.
• Feb 14, 2011 Balancing the Budget Requires Honest, Balanced Discourse "Policymakers across the political spectrum have said the budget shouldn't be balanced on the backs of the vulnerable. Yet much of public debate on the federal budget and deficit reduction has focused on reigning in domestic, discretionary spending, including significant cuts in programs that aid vulnerable children and families. It's deeply disturbing that this is the direction of the conversation, especially since it's been just two short months since lawmakers voted to extend tax cuts for the wealthy.
• Jan 19, 2011 Sargent Shriver a Champion of Low-Income People The death of Sargent Shriver is a great loss for this country. The legacy he leaves as a champion of low-income people is truly extraordinary, and we are forever grateful for his service to reduce poverty and secure equal justice for all Americans.
• Jan 12, 2011 Community Leaders Convene to Determine How to Reclaim the Dream Hundreds of community leaders from across the nation are convening to advance an ambitious national agenda to substantially reduce social and economic disparities for black men and boys. The meeting will lay the ground for the serious change outlined in a new report, We Dream a World.