AACF Statement: Senate Plan Doesn’t Meet Needs of Families, Match Scope of Unprecedented Economic Challenges
The Senate COVID-19 relief plan unveiled Monday doesn’t meet the needs of Arkansas’s families and doesn’t address our looming state fiscal crisis, which means it will make the recession longer […]
COVID-19 And Policy Update, Vol. 15
With Congress considering what to include in the next round of coronavirus relief legislation and a debate over how schools can reopen safely in Arkansas, there’s a lot to update […]
Unemployment Insurance Helped Create Demand — and Jobs
Our improving job numbers in Arkansas are due in part to the effect that $600-per-week unemployment supplements have had as they circulated through our economy. Losing them now would be […]
Arkansans need a 15 percent SNAP increase
Prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity was a problem for over 15 percent of Arkansas households, higher than the national average of 11 percent. In fact, […]
Federal COVID-19 Recommendations: Bold Action Necessary
Families across the state are facing serious hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting sharp economic decline, which likely will be severe and long-lasting. While Congress has passed a […]
110,000 Arkansans missing out on $101 million in stimulus payments
State governments can help with aggressive outreach About 12 million Americans — including 110,000 in Arkansas alone — risk missing out on the stimulus payments provided through the recent CARES Act if they don’t […]
Including ITIN filers in stimulus payments helps families and state finances
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act included “economic impact payments” to support families and help boost the economy as we struggle with the fallout of the COVID-19 […]
Families to Receive Meal Replacement Assistance
Arkansas children who are eligible for free and reduced-priced school meals will have additional nutritional benefits coming their way soon. But it’s important for parents to be aware of the […]
Arkansas Needs Significantly More Fiscal Support to Address the Severe Health and Economic Harms of COVID-19
States are nearing shortfalls that could be the largest on record – totaling over $500 billion in just over a fiscal year While federal policymakers have provided a substantial amount […]
COVID-19 Unemployment Rate Already Rivals the Great Recession
The number of new weekly claims for unemployment insurance for the week ending in March 28th was about 6.65 million, shattering the previous week’s already record-high number of 3.3 million. […]