Media clips

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• 4 Things to Know About Earning $20 or Less an Hour in the US Right Now

  An Economic Policy Institute analysis of Census data found that more than 50 million workers, or 35% of the working population, earn $20 or less.

  Investopedia February 2, 2026
• Trump Deputies Approve 65000 More H-2B Visa Workers

  The left-wing Economic Policy Institute estimates the H-2B population is roughly 170,000, roughly three times the much-quoted number of 66,000.

  Breitbart February 2, 2026
• How Kentucky renters are coming together to fight for better housing

  The landscape of unions has changed in the 21st century as America has moved from an industry-based economy to a more service-based economy, with traditional labor unions experiencing a decline in membership and organizing power. In the mid-20th century, unions represented nearly a third of private-sector workers; now that number hovers around 6%, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

  Louisville Courier Journal February 2, 2026
• DataWatch: Wisconsin hasn’t raised its minimum wage for 17 years. What does that mean for workers and the economy?

  States that hiked minimum wages saw slightly higher gains across the lowest-tier wages (the bottom 10%) between 2019 and 2024, but not enough to claim a correlation, an analysis by the liberal-leaning Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found. A range of factors could have shaped the wage increases, which also played out in the Midwest.

  Wisconsin Watch February 2, 2026
• White House and Dells at Odds Over Trump Accounts Donation

  Ismael Cid-Martinez, economist at the Economic Policy Institute, told Newsweek: “The administration has described the new Trump Accounts as a savings vehicle that redefines the social contract. In reality, these accounts redefine that contract to benefit households already positioned to save and bequeath wealth to their children.”

  “Addressing inequities in poverty and wealth demands vehicles that improve economic security by reducing racial disparities, boosting the wages and incomes of working families, and supporting the basic needs of low-income families through publicly funded social programs like SNAP and Medicaid,” he added. “Families should not depend on the charitable contributions of billionaires in search of tax write-offs.”

  Newsweek February 2, 2026
• We Need Child Care, Not Partisan Threats

  Nationally, child care costs exceed public college tuition in 38 states, according to the Economic Policy Institute. 

  Counterpunch February 2, 2026
• Women Exiting Workforce At Record Pace, New Catalyst Data Reveals Why

  The average cost of daycare in the U.S. has increased by more than 40% over the last decade, which significantly exceeds inflation, according to 2025 FinanceBuzz analysis. The Economic Policy Institute reports that the cost of infant childcare now exceeds rent in 17 states and exceeds public college tuition in 38 states.

  Forbes February 2, 2026
• A big win for parents: free childcare is coming to San Francisco

  According to the Economic Policy Institute, infant care eats up more than 18 percent of a median family’s income in California. 

  Optimist Daily February 2, 2026
• Yale is offering free tuition if your family makes less than $200K. Here’s what that says about being middle-class today.

  Elise Gould, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank, gives an example using data from EPI’s family budget calculator. Gould notes that a family of four living in New Haven, Conn. – the city that’s home to Yale – needs an income of about $135,000 just to cover basic living expenses, such as housing, healthcare, child care, food and transportation.

  “Those people aren’t saving for a rainy day, they aren’t taking any vacations. And they’re certainly not going to pay for college,” Gould said.

  At least they’re not going to pay for a private, top-tier college without financial aid. The current cost to attend Yale, which is part of the academic world’s famed Ivy League, is above $90,000 per academic year, with tuition accounting for nearly $70,000 of that amount.

  MarketWatch February 2, 2026
• Louisiana restructured child care tax credits for businesses to help families, workers

  Child care for a 4-year-old costs an average of $8,153 each year in Louisiana, according to 2025 data from the Economic Policy Institute. 

  NOLA.com February 2, 2026