The Economic Policy Institute announced today that Thomas Hungerford has been named EPI’s Senior Economist and Director of Budget Research. Hungerford will lead the budget team and lend his expertise to EPI’s growing portfolio of budget and tax analysis.

“EPI is a leading voice for progressive tax and budget policies that grow the middle class and support working Americans,” said Hungerford. “I’m looking forward to taking up that call and building on my work on budget and tax issues over the past 20 years in congressional departments and executive agencies.”

Prior to EPI, Hungerford served as a researcher at the Congressional Research Service, an independent federal agency that provides non-partisan policy and legal analysis to committees and members of both the House and Senate. Hungerford has authored numerous papers and articles on income distribution, Social Security, social mobility, budget and tax issues, and fiscal policy. He has previously served at the Social Security Administration and the Office of Management and Budget.

“I’m pleased to welcome Tom Hungerford to EPI,” said EPI President Lawrence Mishel. “He is a highly regarded researcher who is already well known to policymakers, the media and scholars. His addition will further strengthen our budget and tax work, which has become an increasingly prominent issue area at EPI.”