The One Big Beautiful Bill Act provides a temporary additional federal tax deduction of up to $6,000 for taxpayers aged 65 and older, available through December 31, 2028 for single filers with adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less and for couples filing jointly with adjusted gross income of $150,000 or less.
December 31, 2028
high
temporal
Statutory provision offering an age-based temporary deduction with income limits and an expiration date.
China's Ministry of Transportation set a special port fee of 640 yuan per net ton for vessels owned by U.S. companies, organizations, or individuals or flying the U.S. flag when docking at Chinese ports, effective 2026-04-17.
April 17, 2026
high
temporal
Part of a tiered special port fee schedule targeting vessels with U.S. ownership or U.S. flag status.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) annually adjusts federal income tax bracket thresholds for inflation and typically announces those inflation adjustments in October or November to prevent 'bracket creep' that can push taxpayers into higher tax brackets.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Describes the IRS practice of updating tax-bracket income limits to account for inflation.
For tax year 2026, the Internal Revenue Service set the standard deduction at $32,200 for married couples filing jointly, $24,150 for heads of household, and $16,100 for single taxpayers and married individuals.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Official standard deduction amounts for the 2026 federal income tax year.
For tax year 2026, a single filer with $50,000 of taxable income would be subject to a 12% federal income tax rate, compared with a 22% rate at the same income level in tax year 2025.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Example illustrating how inflation adjustments to tax brackets can change the marginal tax rate at a given income level between years.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is an annual U.S. congressional statute that authorizes funding levels and policy provisions for the U.S. Department of Defense.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Describes the recurring legislative vehicle used by Congress to set defense funding and policy.
Beginning in the 2026 U.S. tax year, gamblers must report 100% of their winnings but may only deduct 90% of their gambling losses for tax purposes; previously gamblers could deduct 100% of their losses against winnings.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Change to U.S. federal tax treatment of gambling winnings and losses.
A Mercer analysis projected that workers would pay between 6% and 7% more for employer-sponsored health insurance in 2026.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Projection of employee premium increases for employer-sponsored plans.
A Mercer analysis projected that employees would pay about $2,400 in 2026 for single preferred provider organization (PPO) employer-sponsored coverage and that families would face about $8,900 in annual paycheck deductions for employer-sponsored coverage, based on a survey of more than 1,700 employers.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Projected dollar amounts for employee share of employer-sponsored health insurance in 2026.
A Mercer analysis projected that employers would spend on average more than $18,000 per worker to provide employer-sponsored health insurance in 2026.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Projected employer average annual cost to insure each worker.
The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 is 2.8%, which translates to an average monthly benefit increase of about $56 for Social Security beneficiaries.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Annual COLA applied to Social Security benefits to adjust for inflation.
The Social Security taxable maximum earnings (wage base) is scheduled to increase to $184,500 in 2026 from $176,100 in 2025.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
The taxable maximum earnings (wage base) determines the maximum annual earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes.
A 2025 KFF estimate projected that roughly 22 million people who relied on premium tax credits could see their Affordable Care Act plan costs more than double in 2026 if those premium tax credits expire.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Projected impact on consumers if ACA premium tax credits expire.
A Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) analysis estimated that average Affordable Care Act marketplace premiums would rise from $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026 if enhanced premium tax credits expired.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Projected change in average ACA marketplace premiums with expiration of enhanced tax credits
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that about 4 million people would likely drop their health coverage if enhanced premium tax credits expired and premiums increased.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Projected enrollment impact from expiration of enhanced ACA premium tax credits
The Internal Revenue Service adjusts annual contribution limits for tax-preferred retirement accounts (including 401(k), 403(b), 457 plans, the federal Thrift Savings Plan, and IRAs) each year to account for inflation.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Describes the IRS practice of indexing retirement-account contribution limits for inflation.
For 2026, the elective deferral (employee contribution) limit for 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans and for the federal Thrift Savings Plan is $24,500.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Annual contribution limit for common employer-sponsored retirement plans for the 2026 plan year.
For 2026, the catch-up contribution limit for workers aged 50 and older for 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans and for the federal Thrift Savings Plan is $8,000.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Additional elective deferral allowance for participants aged 50+ in employer-sponsored retirement plans for the 2026 plan year.
For 2026, the annual contribution limit for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) is $7,500, and the IRA catch-up contribution for people aged 50 and older includes a cost-of-living adjustment of $1,100.
January 01, 2026
high
temporal
Annual IRA contribution limit and catch-up amount for the 2026 tax year.
Expanded Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies are scheduled to expire in December 2025 unless Congress acts to extend them.
December 31, 2025
high
temporal
Policy timeline for temporary ACA subsidy expansions that affect health insurance premiums.
Enhanced premium subsidies for Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans that were implemented during the Biden administration were scheduled to expire at the end of 2025 (December 31, 2025) absent further legislative action.
December 31, 2025
high
policy
Premium tax credit enhancements increase subsidies for some enrollees in ACA marketplace plans and were implemented by the Biden administration; expiration would affect premiums for subsidy recipients.
Enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies that were enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic are scheduled to expire on 2025-12-31 unless Congress acts to extend them.
December 31, 2025
high
temporal
These pandemic-era subsidy increases affect health insurance premium assistance under the ACA and require congressional action to continue beyond 2025.
COVID-era expansions of Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) premium tax credits were scheduled to expire at the end of 2025.
December 31, 2025
high
temporal
The COVID-era policy increased premium tax credits that lower health insurance premiums; those expanded credits were set to phase out at year-end 2025.
AAA's 2025 forecast projected that 81.8 million Americans would travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period in 2025.
November 25, 2025
high
temporal
Aggregate travel volume forecast for the Thanksgiving 2025 holiday period from AAA.
AAA's 2025 forecast projected that about 73 million Americans would drive to their Thanksgiving destinations in 2025 (about 90% of projected travelers).
November 25, 2025
high
temporal
Projected mode-of-transport breakdown for Thanksgiving 2025 from AAA.
AAA's 2025 forecast projected that about 6.1 million Americans would fly during Thanksgiving week in 2025, representing a 2% increase from 2024.
November 25, 2025
high
temporal
Air travel volume forecast and year-over-year change for Thanksgiving week 2025 from AAA.
AAA's 2025 data indicated that domestic car rental rates for the Thanksgiving period in 2025 were about 15% lower than for the Thanksgiving period in 2024.
November 25, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year change in domestic car rental prices for the Thanksgiving period reported by AAA.
A 2025 CBS News poll found that more than two-thirds of Americans disapproved of President Donald Trump's handling of inflation.
November 23, 2025
high
temporal
Public approval rating for presidential handling of inflation.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers Social Security disability benefits through a disability adjudication process that determines eligibility and can be the subject of administrative improvements to increase efficiency.
November 20, 2025
high
process
Describes the SSA's role and the adjudication process for disability benefits
Disability advocacy organizations engage with federal officials to seek assurances or influence policy decisions concerning Social Security disability programs.
November 20, 2025
medium
behavior
Describes common advocacy interactions around Social Security disability policy
Defense ties, the strength of the U.S. economy and the U.S. dollar's reserve-currency status, and the U.S. technology and innovation sector are factors that commonly attract foreign investment to the United States.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Commonly cited drivers of foreign investment into the United States
A 2025 NORC at the University of Chicago survey of more than 2,600 U.S. artists across disciplines and working arrangements collected data on housing, work hours, health benefits, and income sources.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Description of the survey sample and topics covered by the 2025 NORC study of artists' livelihoods.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly "employment situation" report consists of two surveys: a household survey used to determine the unemployment rate and an establishment (payroll) survey used to measure job creation, wages, and other labor-market indicators.
November 19, 2025
high
methodological
Describes the components and purposes of the BLS monthly jobs report.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' household survey, which is used to calculate the unemployment rate, cannot be conducted retrospectively.
November 19, 2025
high
methodological
Describes a limitation of the BLS household survey regarding retrospective data collection.
Payroll data collected through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' establishment survey can be collected retrospectively from firms.
November 19, 2025
high
methodological
Describes the retrospective collection capability of the BLS establishment (payroll) survey.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' household survey for the monthly employment report cannot be conducted retrospectively, while payroll or establishment data from firms can be collected retroactively.
November 19, 2025
high
methodological
Describes differences in the retrievability of household-survey responses versus employer payroll data for BLS monthly employment statistics.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' "employment situation" report is typically released on the first Friday of each month.
November 19, 2025
high
procedural
Describes the usual monthly publication schedule for the BLS employment situation report.
Luis Caputo previously worked as a Wall Street trader at JPMorgan and at Deutsche Bank.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
Biographical career background of an Argentine finance official reported in 2025.
Scott Bessent previously worked as a currency trader.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
Biographical career background of a U.S. finance official reported in 2025.
Charlotte's population growth has been associated with a booming local economy that attracted new residents.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
General statement linking local economic growth to population increases in Charlotte.
Coastal communities in Ecuador have been particularly affected by gang violence, with struggling fishermen sometimes coerced or recruited by criminal groups with promises of quick cash.
November 17, 2025
high
descriptive
Social and economic impacts of organized crime on maritime communities.
As of 2025, stricter U.S. immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump has been associated with declines in enrollment of students from immigrant families in public schools across the United States, driven in part by fewer border crossings and by families being deported or voluntarily returning to their home countries.
November 17, 2025
medium
temporal
Observed national trend reported by multiple school districts in late 2025 linking enforcement and reduced newcomer arrivals.
Declines in immigrant student enrollment reduce per-pupil funding for public school districts and can produce significant budget shortfalls that lead to program cuts and staff reductions, including elimination of teacher positions.
November 17, 2025
high
temporal
Mechanism by which lower newcomer enrollment affects district finances and staffing.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools reported about 2,550 students entered the district from another country in the 2025â2026 school year, compared with nearly 14,000 in the 2024â2025 school year and more than 20,000 in the 2023â2024 school year, and the district estimated those enrollment declines erased about $70 million from its annual budget.
November 17, 2025
medium
temporal
District-level enrollment counts across three consecutive school years and estimated budget impact as reported in late 2025.
International students in the United States typically pay higher tuition rates and are less likely to receive financial aid than domestic students, which can cause them to contribute disproportionately to college revenues; at many elite U.S. campuses international students can make up about 25% or more of the student body.
November 17, 2025
medium
temporal
General patterns of tuition, financial aid, and concentration of international students at elite institutions as of 2025.
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors is composed of seven members.
November 17, 2025
high
structural
Structure of the U.S. central bank's governing body.
Declaring a property as a primary residence can result in lower mortgage rates or a smaller down payment requirement compared with declaring a property as a second or vacation home.
November 17, 2025
high
financial_policy
Common mortgage lending practice affecting interest rates and down payment requirements.
In 2025, South Korea committed to invest $350 billion in U.S. industries as part of a trade agreement with the United States aimed at averting the imposition of the U.S. administration's highest tariffs.
November 16, 2025
high
temporal
Aggregate investment commitment by South Korea under a bilateral trade agreement.
The 2025 trade agreement between South Korea and the United States included a commitment of $150 billion in South Korean investments in the U.S. shipbuilding sector and an additional $200 billion in investments in other U.S. industries, with the $200 billion commitment capped at $20 billion per year.
November 16, 2025
high
temporal
Breakdown of sector-specific and additional investment commitments featured in the bilateral trade agreement.
Under the 2025 agreement, the United States agreed to reduce tariffs on South Korean cars and auto parts from 25% to 15% and to apply tariffs on South Korean semiconductors on terms no less favorable than those granted to comparable competitors in the future.
November 16, 2025
high
temporal
Tariff concessions and future tariff treatment terms described in the bilateral trade agreement.
The Federal Aviation Administration can impose restrictions on commercial flights and limit air traffic at U.S. airports due to safety concerns arising from staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities.
November 16, 2025
high
regulatory
Describes the FAA's authority to restrict flight operations for safety when air traffic control staffing is insufficient.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can issue orders that restrict commercial flight traffic at airports to manage safety concerns arising from air traffic controller staffing shortages.
November 16, 2025
high
operational
Regulatory/operational authority used to reduce traffic volume in response to controller staffing and safety issues.
A 2025 survey by the Institute of International Education found that overall international enrollment at U.S. colleges decreased by 1% in fall 2025 compared with fall 2024.
November 16, 2025
high
temporal
Survey of international student enrollment trends at U.S. colleges for fall 2025.
A 2025 survey of more than 800 U.S. colleges by the Institute of International Education found that nearly 60% of colleges reported decreases in new international students in fall 2025, while 30% reported increases and the remainder reported no change.
November 16, 2025
high
temporal
Institution-level reports on changes in new international student enrollment for fall 2025.
In 2025, approximately 42 million people in the United States received benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
November 15, 2025
high
statistic
National enrollment level for the federal nutrition assistance program SNAP.
As of 2025, there are more than 3 million federal civilian employees in the United States.
November 15, 2025
high
statistic
Size of the federal civilian workforce.
WIC is the common abbreviation for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
November 15, 2025
high
definition
A federally administered nutrition assistance program targeted at women, infants, and children.
Imposing import tariffs on food products that a country does not and cannot produce domestically can increase consumer food costs and put additional pressure on household budgets.
November 15, 2025
high
temporal
General economic effect of import tariffs on food availability and affordability.
When import tariffs on goods are reduced or removed, wholesalers and retailers may partially or gradually pass along the resulting cost savings to consumers rather than fully passing them through immediately.
November 15, 2025
high
temporal
Typical market pass-through behavior following changes in trade policy.
Food price pressures are driven by multiple factors beyond trade policy, including climate-related risks and labor shortages.
November 15, 2025
high
temporal
Common structural contributors to rising food costs.
Signals of hesitancy by the Federal Reserve about cutting its benchmark interest rate can reduce investor expectations for future rate cuts and contribute to pullbacks in equity markets.
November 14, 2025
high
temporal
Central bank forward guidance and signaling influence market expectations and can affect stock prices.
Investor concern about the financial health or sustainability of technology companies can weaken momentum in technology stocks and contribute to broader declines in stock futures and major indices.
November 14, 2025
high
temporal
Sector-specific worries (for example, about technology firms) can drive selling pressure in futures tied to tech-heavy indices and spill over to broader markets.
About 22 million Americans who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces receive premium tax credits.
November 14, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of ACA marketplace subsidy recipients.
Lower-premium 'bronze' plans sold on Affordable Care Act marketplaces often have high deductibles, and some marketplace plans have deductibles reaching approximately $6,000 in out-of-pocket costs.
November 14, 2025
high
temporal
Characteristics of ACA marketplace plan tiers and typical out-of-pocket deductible levels.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly jobs report provides data on hiring, layoffs, and the unemployment rate for the reported month.
November 14, 2025
high
definition
Describes the typical contents of the monthly jobs report produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. government statistical agencies produce monthly estimates of job gains and inflation by conducting household and business surveys and performing price checks.
November 14, 2025
high
method
Explains data-collection methods used to compile monthly labor and inflation statistics.
Jobs reports, consumer spending reports, and gross domestic product (GDP) releases are key economic indicators that businesses, investors, and policymakers use to assess the strength of the U.S. economy.
November 14, 2025
high
contextual
Identifies commonly used macroeconomic indicators and their users.
Periods when air traffic controllers experience delayed or missed paychecks can increase controller absences and exacerbate existing nationwide staffing shortages in the U.S. air traffic control workforce.
November 14, 2025
high
trend
Financial stress on controllers can lead to higher absenteeism and worsen preexisting workforce shortages.
Workforce attrition in the air traffic control profession can include elevated retirements and the departure of younger controllers, contributing to long-term staffing shortfalls.
November 14, 2025
high
trend
Attrition patterns influence the supply of qualified controllers and affect staffing stability.
U.S. federal government shutdowns can require essential federal workersâsuch as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agentsâto work without pay, which can create staffing shortages and contribute to nationwide flight delays and cancellations.
November 13, 2025
high
causal
Describes a common operational consequence of federal funding lapses during government shutdowns.
Enhanced, pandemic-era tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were temporary policy measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and were scheduled to expire after the pandemic-era provisions ended.
November 13, 2025
high
policy
General description of the nature and temporal limits of ACA pandemic-era enhanced tax credits.
The timing of federal employee back pay following a lapse in appropriations varies by agency and payroll provider; some employees may receive deposits within the first business days after reopening while others may be paid on subsequent payroll cycles.
November 13, 2025
high
operational
Typical variation in payroll processing after government funding lapses
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) permits individual members to record dissenting votes on monetary policy decisions.
November 13, 2025
high
conceptual
Describes institutional voting practice within the Federal Reserve's policy committee.
At macroeconomic turning points, monetary policy committees frequently experience significant disagreement among policymakers about whether to change interest rates.
November 13, 2025
high
conceptual
Characterizes typical policymaker behavior during shifts in the economic cycle.
A reduction or absence of timely economic data increases uncertainty and makes central bank interest-rate decisions more difficult.
November 13, 2025
high
conceptual
Explains how data availability affects central bank decisionmaking.
Elevated inflation tends to make central bankers more reluctant to approve cuts to interest rates.
November 13, 2025
high
conceptual
Links inflation levels to policymaker inclination on easing monetary policy.
The Federal Aviation Administration can require commercial airlines at designated U.S. airports to implement percentage-based flight reductions as an operational tool to manage safety risks and air traffic controller staffing shortages.
November 13, 2025
high
operational
Regulatory/operational authority used to reduce traffic volumes when controller staffing or safety conditions warrant.
Air traffic controller staffing shortages, including increased employee callouts and missed pay, can lead to higher rates of flight cancellations, reroutings, and the imposition of operational reductions by aviation authorities.
November 13, 2025
high
causal
Staffing shortfalls in air traffic control reduce capacity and can force airlines and regulators to alter operations to maintain safety.
Starbucks operates approximately 10,000 company-owned stores and approximately 7,000 licensed locations in the United States.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of Starbucks' U.S. retail footprint (company-owned vs. licensed locations).
Starbucks has given out free reusable cups on its annual "Red Cup Day" to customers who purchase a holiday drink since 2018.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Recurring promotional practice tied to Starbucks' seasonal holiday marketing.
SNAP beneficiaries received an average of around $190 monthly per person as of November 13, 2025.
November 13, 2025
high
statistical
Average monthly benefit amount per person under SNAP.
SNAP benefits are typically delivered by loading funds onto electronic benefit cards used by program beneficiaries.
November 13, 2025
high
operational
Common method for distributing SNAP benefits to participants.
The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage was 6.24% as reported by Freddie Mac on 2025-11-13.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Weekly average mortgage rate published by Freddie Mac.
The average rate on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage was 5.49% as reported by Freddie Mac on 2025-11-13.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Weekly average mortgage rate for 15-year fixed loans published by Freddie Mac.
COVID-era tax credits implemented under the Affordable Care Act help tens of millions of Americans afford their health insurance premiums.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Subsidies introduced during the COVID period that reduce premium costs for consumers.
An estimated 24 million people receive health coverage through the insurance exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Population estimate of individuals enrolled in ACA-created insurance exchanges.
Under U.S. federal government shutdown protocols, employees designated as 'essential' or 'excepted' are required to continue working during shutdowns and typically do not receive pay until appropriations are enacted and back pay is authorized.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the general treatment of essential (excepted) federal employees during government funding lapses.
Air traffic controller compensation is structured with multiple pay differentials and adjustments, commonly including overtime pay, night pay, Sunday pay, and training pay.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Describes recurring components of pay that affect how back pay is calculated for air traffic controllers.
Trade agreements can include provisions to remove or reduce tariffs on qualifying imports that cannot be grown, mined, or naturally produced in sufficient quantities within the importing country.
November 13, 2025
high
policy
Describes a common tariff-relief mechanism used in trade agreements to address goods not producible domestically.
Trade agreements are commonly used to open foreign markets to a country's agricultural exports and to prohibit trading partners from imposing digital services taxes on that country's companies.
November 13, 2025
high
policy
Describes typical objectives found in modern trade agreements regarding agricultural market access and digital taxation.
The United States has trade agreements or trade arrangements with the European Union, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
November 13, 2025
high
trade_relationship
A general summary of countries and blocs with which the United States has established trade deals or arrangements.
A 2025 NPR/PBS News/Marist national poll conducted Nov. 10â13, 2025 found that independents chose Democrats over Republicans by a 33-point margin on the congressional ballot question.
November 13, 2025
high
temporal
Breakdown of congressional ballot preferences by party identification in a national poll.
The International Energy Agency's 2025 World Energy Outlook projects that global oil and gas demand will continue to rise through 2050 under a current policies scenario.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Projection of long-term energy demand under the IEA's 'current policies' scenario.
The International Energy Agency estimated in 2025 that investment in data centers would reach about $580 billion in 2025, exceeding roughly $540 billion estimated to be invested in new oil supply in 2025.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Comparison of estimated investment flows into data centers versus new oil supply in the IEA's analysis.
Federal government shutdowns can interrupt distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and delay food assistance to large numbers of recipients.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a recurring policy/process impact of federal shutdowns on food assistance programs.
Interruptions to income or public benefit payments can lead affected households to draw on long-term savings, borrow against retirement accounts, or alter plans for education due to short-term financial needs.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
General socioeconomic responses households may take when income or benefits are disrupted.
Emergency food assistance organizations and food banks commonly expand distributions and plan for higher meal demand when public benefits are disrupted or when wages decline for portions of the population.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Operational response by community food providers to increases in food insecurity caused by benefit interruptions or wage reductions.
Premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act reduce health-insurance premiums for people who receive them, and expiration of those subsidies can cause steep premium increases for those relying on the subsidies.
November 12, 2025
high
policy
Role and effect of ACA premium tax credits on insurance affordability
As of 2025, the cost to produce a U.S. 1-cent coin (penny) was reported to be approximately 4 cents, exceeding the coin's 1-cent face value.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Per-unit production cost compared to face value.
As of 2025, reported per-coin production costs for other U.S. coins were roughly: nickel about 14 cents, dime less than 6 cents, and quarter nearly 15 cents.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Comparative production costs for common U.S. circulating coins.
As of 2025, about half of the coins produced at the U.S. Mints in Philadelphia and Denver over the preceding century were 1-cent coins (pennies).
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Share of penny production relative to total coin output at two major U.S. mints over a ~100-year period.
In 2025, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that a six-week federal government shutdown would reduce U.S. GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 by about 1.5 percentage points.
November 12, 2025
high
statistical
Estimate of the economic impact of a six-week U.S. federal government shutdown on quarterly GDP growth.
A federal government shutdown can halt the release of economic data on unemployment, inflation, and retail spending that the Federal Reserve uses to monitor the U.S. economy.
November 12, 2025
high
process
Operational effect of a government shutdown on official economic data flows relied upon by monetary policymakers.
An enhanced premium tax credit reduces the cost of health insurance purchased through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
November 12, 2025
high
descriptive
Describes the purpose and effect of the enhanced premium tax credit related to ACA marketplace coverage.
As of 2025, SNAP served about one in eight Americans.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline reach of the SNAP program in the U.S.
As of 2025, about 42 million lower-income Americans received SNAP benefits, with an average benefit of about $190 per person per month.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Core statistics on SNAP enrollment and average monthly benefit per person.
SNAP benefits are distributed using Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
November 12, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the payment mechanism commonly used to deliver SNAP benefits to recipients.
The Alaska LNG project includes plans for a pipeline approximately 807 miles long and 42 inches in diameter running from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean to Nikiski, Alaska.
November 12, 2025
high
infrastructure
Planned physical specifications for the Alaska LNG export pipeline as reported in project descriptions.
The Alaska LNG project plans to include an LNG export terminal located on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska.
November 12, 2025
high
infrastructure
A coastal LNG liquefaction and export terminal is a standard component of large pipeline-to-export gas projects.
As of 2025, reported production costs per common U.S. circulating coin were approximately: one-cent coin about 4 cents; nickel nearly 14 cents; dime less than 6 cents; quarter nearly 15 cents.
November 12, 2025
high
statistical
Comparative production cost-to-face-value ratios for common U.S. coins.
As of 2025, Pennsylvania was the United States' second-largest natural gas producer.
November 12, 2025
high
background
State-level ranking by natural gas production.
SNAP benefits are delivered to recipients using Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
November 12, 2025
high
process
Typical delivery mechanism for SNAP benefits
Nearly 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits.
November 12, 2025
high
statistic
Scale of SNAP participation
State agencies submit benefit issuance files to EBT vendors for processing, and resubmitting those files can take several additional days, which can delay benefit disbursement.
November 12, 2025
high
operational
Operational steps that affect timing of SNAP benefit disbursement
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food aid to nearly one in eight Americans.
November 12, 2025
high
statistical
SNAP is a federal program that delivers food assistance to low-income individuals and families in the United States.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can require percentage-based flight reductions at selected airports to manage air traffic when safety concerns or staffing shortages arise.
November 12, 2025
high
operational
Regulatory tool used to reduce traffic volume at specific airports to maintain safe operations during staffing or safety issues.
More than 42 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food assistance.
November 12, 2025
high
statistical
Scale of the SNAP program in the United States as reported
In the U.S. Senate, 60 affirmative votes are typically required to overcome a filibuster or advance most legislation (cloture threshold).
November 11, 2025
high
procedural
Senate cloture rule used to end debate or overcome a filibuster on most matters.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is a federal food assistance program in the United States.
November 11, 2025
high
definition
SNAP provides nutritional assistance to eligible low-income individuals and families.
Federal government shutdowns can cause furloughs or unpaid status for federal employees, disrupt public services such as air travel (which can lead to flight cancellations), and increase affected employees' reliance on food banks.
November 11, 2025
high
impact
Operational and human impacts commonly associated with lapses in appropriations that close or partially close federal agencies.
Tariffs generate government revenue collected from importers, and businesses that bear tariff costs commonly pass some or all of those costs on to consumers.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
General economic incidence of import tariffs.
A 2025 Tax Foundation estimate by Erica York concluded that providing $2,000 rebates to households earning under $100,000 annually would produce at least a $100 billion shortfall compared with expected tariff revenues for the U.S. government.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Budgetary analysis comparing proposed per-household rebates to projected tariff revenue.
A 2025 Tax Foundation estimate indicated that limiting $2,000 rebates to households earning $75,000 or less annually would still exceed expected tariff revenues for the U.S. government.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Budgetary analysis showing projected tariff revenues insufficient to fund $2,000-per-household rebates even when narrowly targeted.
A recurring constitutional and legal debate holds that the power to levy taxes resides with Congress rather than the president, while an opposing legal position is that tariffs imposed by the executive can be characterized as regulatory measures whose revenue-raising effect is incidental.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Legal frameworks and arguments used in challenges to executive-imposed tariffs.
A 2025 report by the American Alliance of Museums found that more than half of surveyed museums were experiencing fewer visitors than in 2019.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Findings from an American Alliance of Museums report on U.S. museums' attendance trends in 2025.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated in 2025 that a six-week U.S. federal government shutdown would reduce U.S. real GDP growth in the 2025 fourth quarter by about 1.5 percentage points, would boost 2026 first-quarter growth by about 2.2 percentage points upon reopening, and would cause about $11 billion in permanently lost economic activity.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
CBO projection of macroeconomic effects of a six-week federal government shutdown.
As of 2025, federal employees constituted about 5.5% of Maryland's workforce, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Share of state workforce employed by the federal government.
The 2018â2019 U.S. federal government shutdown lasted 35 days and reduced U.S. GDP by about 0.02%, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Historical economic impact of a prior U.S. federal government shutdown.
In 2025, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can require domestic airlines to reduce scheduled flights at major airports to address air traffic controller staffing and safety concerns.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Regulatory measure used to manage safety when controller staffing is reduced or stressed.
The FAA has the authority to impose operational restrictions on business jets and many private flights at airports that are subject to commercial flight limits.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Scope of FAA flight restrictions beyond commercial airline operations.
Absences and signs of stress among air traffic controllers, including those who have missed paydays, can create safety risks that prompt regulators to reduce flight operations.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Workforce stress and unpaid staff can directly affect aviation safety management decisions.
Severe weather can compound staffing-related disruptions and lead to additional flight cancellations and delays at affected airports.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Interaction of operational challenges that increase air travel disruptions.
During a federal government shutdown, air traffic controllers and other federal air-traffic employees may be required to continue working without pay.
November 11, 2025
high
policy
Federal employees deemed essential may work without pay during funding lapses.
Staffing shortages among air-traffic personnel can cause increased flight delays and cancellations.
November 11, 2025
high
causal
Reduced controller availability reduces airspace capacity and disrupts airline operations.
The average U.S. tariff rate increased sevenfold from the beginning of 2025 to 16.6% as of 2025-11-11.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Reported change in the average U.S. tariff rate during 2025.
Advancing a government funding bill in the United States Senate is a procedural step that can enable reopening the federal government during a shutdown.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the legislative process by which funding measures can end a federal government shutdown.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provided benefits to about 42 million Americans in 2025.
November 10, 2025
high
statistical
Scale of SNAP enrollment/recipients in 2025.
States commonly deliver SNAP benefits to recipients by loading funds onto electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards.
November 10, 2025
high
procedural
Typical mechanism for disbursing SNAP monthly benefits to individual recipients.
The Federal Aviation Administration can require airlines to reduce or cut flights at airports in response to air traffic control staffing issues or related safety concerns.
November 10, 2025
high
institutional
Describes regulatory authority and operational responses used to manage air traffic when staffing is constrained.
Government shutdowns that cause federal employees to go without pay can increase absenteeism, including sick-call rates, among workers who provide essential services.
November 10, 2025
high
causal
Describes a general workforce effect of unpaid federal employees during funding lapses.
The Affordable Care Act provides premium tax credits to help eligible individuals and families pay health insurance premiums for coverage obtained through the law's marketplaces.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Premium tax credits under the ACA reduce outâofâpocket premium costs for people who qualify based on income and other eligibility rules.
Investor sentiment about political developments, including negotiations to fund government operations, can influence short-term equity market movements.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Political negotiations and perceived progress or setbacks often affect investor risk appetite and short-term stock prices.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can issue operational orders requesting airlines to reduce scheduled flights at specific airports to mitigate strain on the national airspace system caused by shortages of air traffic controllers.
November 10, 2025
high
descriptive
Describes a regulatory tool the FAA can use to manage airspace capacity when controller staffing is insufficient.
FlightAware is a flight-tracking website that provides data on flight statuses, including cancellations and delays.
November 10, 2025
high
descriptive
Describes the nature of the FlightAware service used for monitoring airline operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration reduces or slows air traffic operations when air traffic controller staffing is insufficient in order to maintain flight safety.
November 10, 2025
high
process
Operational safety response used by air traffic authorities when controller staffing is low.
Air navigation authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration, commonly respond to air traffic controller shortages by recruiting additional controllers, accelerating training programs, and offering retention bonuses to experienced controllers.
November 10, 2025
high
policy
Typical staffing and retention measures used to address controller shortages.
SNAP provides monthly benefits to eligible recipients and the program is administered at the state level by state agencies.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Typical benefit cadence and administrative structure for SNAP
SNAP benefits are commonly delivered via electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards that are loaded with funds for recipients to use for food purchases.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Standard mechanism for disbursing SNAP benefits to recipients
Health care tax credits under the Affordable Care Act subsidize insurance premiums to help people purchase health insurance through state health insurance exchanges.
November 10, 2025
high
definition
Describes the function of ACA marketplace premium tax credits.
A 'minibus' is a package that combines a small number of appropriations bills and is a smaller version of an 'omnibus' government funding bill, with an omnibus typically being a large end-of-year funding package.
November 10, 2025
high
definition
Terminology used to describe different sizes of government funding legislation.
U.S. federal government shutdowns can disrupt services and operations, including causing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to cancel flights and pausing processing or benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
November 10, 2025
high
impact
General consequences observed during U.S. government funding lapses.
As of 2025, at least 70% of Equatorial Guinea's nearly 2 million people live in poverty despite the country's oil and gas resources.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
National-level poverty and resource wealth in Equatorial Guinea.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration can implement percentage-based reductions in scheduled flights at busy airports to manage air traffic controller staffing shortages.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Operational mitigation used by the FAA in response to controller staffing shortfalls.
The Affordable Care Act provides subsidies (premium tax credits) for health insurance plans to help reduce consumers' costs.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a core, enduring feature of the federal health insurance law.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) supports approximately 42,000,000 low-income Americans.
November 10, 2025
high
statistical
Scale of SNAP participation (number of beneficiaries).
SNAP benefits reach roughly one in eight Americans.
November 10, 2025
high
statistical
Population share receiving SNAP benefits.
A 2025 analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) estimated that if enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits expire, the average premium cost for subsidized enrollees would more than double.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Quantitative estimate of the effect on average premiums for marketplace enrollees if enhanced subsidies are allowed to lapse.
The 2025 KFF analysis indicated that expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits would disproportionately drive large absolute premium increases for a relatively small number of higher-earning marketplace enrollees while producing smaller increases for a larger number of lower-earning enrollees.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Distributional impact on marketplace enrollees by income level if enhanced subsidies expire.
Expiration of premium subsidies can cause adverse selectionâyounger and healthier people may forgo more expensive coverageâleading insurers to raise premiums for the remaining, older or sicker enrollees and increasing uncompensated care costs for hospitals and government.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Describes standard insurance-market dynamics and fiscal consequences associated with subsidy removal.
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Veterans Affairs are federal agencies funded through annual federal appropriations for the fiscal year.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Federal departments are funded through congressional appropriations that cover fiscal-year operations.
Congress can pass legislation requiring that federal employees who were fired or furloughed during a government shutdown be rehired and receive back pay.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Legislative action can restore employment and pay for federal workers affected by a shutdown.
Congressional leaders can schedule floor votes to consider extending or modifying Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Leaders control the floor schedule and can bring policy items such as ACA subsidy changes up for a vote.
The U.S. Congress must enact 12 annual appropriations bills to fully fund the federal government for a fiscal year.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Federal funding for the U.S. government is typically organized across 12 appropriations bills that together cover the full fiscal year.
A continuing resolution is a temporary stopgap funding measure that Congress can pass to keep federal agencies operating when annual appropriations bills have not been enacted.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Continuing resolutions (CRs) provide short-term funding to avoid or end government shutdowns until regular appropriations are passed.
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards are used to deliver food-assistance benefits such as SNAP to program recipients.
November 10, 2025
high
operational
Mechanism for distributing food-assistance benefits to individuals and households.
As of November 2025, more than 20% of New Mexico residents participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), representing the highest state participation rate in the United States.
November 10, 2025
high
statistical
State-level participation rate in the federal food-assistance program.
Congress' annual appropriations process is commonly structured as 12 individual appropriations bills that together fund the federal government.
November 10, 2025
high
structural
Overview of how federal discretionary funding is typically organized in U.S. budgeting practice.
A legislative 'minibus' is a vehicle that combines multiple individual appropriations bills into a single package for congressional consideration.
November 10, 2025
high
definition
Terminology used in U.S. congressional appropriations and budgeting processes.
Appropriations bills commonly provide funding for federal departments and areas such as the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction, and the legislative branch.
November 10, 2025
high
financial
Examples of agencies and program areas typically covered by individual appropriations bills.
The U.S. Congress funds the federal government through annual appropriations bills, and when regular appropriations are not enacted it can pass continuing resolutions to temporarily extend government funding.
November 10, 2025
high
procedural
Describes the federal budgeting and short-term funding mechanism.
Enhanced premium subsidies (premium tax credits) under the Affordable Care Act make coverage more affordable for people enrolled through ACA marketplaces (exchanges).
November 09, 2025
high
policy
Premium tax credits reduce out-of-pocket insurance premiums for enrollees in ACA exchanges.
A 2025 projection indicated that, if enhanced Affordable Care Act marketplace subsidies were allowed to lapse, average premiums for enrollees in ACA exchanges could more than double the following year.
November 09, 2025
medium
statistical
Projection reported in news about the potential impact on premiums if temporary enhanced subsidies are not extended.
As of November 2025, approximately 16% of West Virginia residents relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal food assistance program.
November 09, 2025
high
temporal
Statistic about SNAP reliance in West Virginia mentioned during a November 2025 interview.
West Virginia had one of the highest poverty rates among U.S. states as of November 2025.
November 09, 2025
high
temporal
Characterization of West Virginia's poverty level mentioned in a November 2025 interview.
The term 'food stamps' refers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal program that provides food assistance to eligible low-income individuals and families.
November 09, 2025
high
temporal
Definition/terminology clarification about SNAP.
As of 2025, approximately one in eight Americans participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.
November 09, 2025
medium
statistical
Prevalence estimate for SNAP participation cited in the article.
Availability and timing of SNAP benefit payments depend on federal funding and administrative decisions and can be affected by federal court rulings or other federal actions; states may choose to advance funds to maintain benefit continuity.
November 09, 2025
medium
policy
General principle about how SNAP operations can be influenced by federal legal and funding actions and state responses.
Federal government shutdowns can disrupt air travel, threaten food assistance programs for millions of people, and leave federal workers without pay.
November 09, 2025
high
policy_impact
Common effects reported during U.S. federal government funding lapses.
If enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace subsidies lapse, average premiums for ACA marketplace enrollees are projected to more than double in the following year.
November 09, 2025
high
statistical
Projected premium change for ACA marketplace enrollees contingent on expiration of enhanced subsidies.
COVID-19-era tax credits have been used to subsidize health insurance premiums for marketplace enrollees, and some policymakers have proposed extending those credits while imposing new eligibility limits on who can receive the subsidies.
November 09, 2025
high
policy
Policy discussion about extending pandemic-era premium assistance with potential new eligibility restrictions.
Approximately 42 million Americans received SNAP benefits in 2025.
November 09, 2025
high
statistical
Participation figure for the SNAP program in 2025.
As of 2025-11-09, United Parcel Service (UPS) operated 26 McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft out of more than 500 aircraft in its fleet, and FedEx operated 28 MD-11 aircraft out of about 700 aircraft in its fleet.
November 09, 2025
high
temporal
Fleet composition statistics indicating the relative share of MD-11 aircraft within major cargo carriers' total fleets.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can order flight reductions at busy airports in response to air traffic controller staffing shortages.
November 09, 2025
high
temporal
Regulatory operational measure used to match air traffic demand to available controller staffing.
Flight reduction orders by the FAA can be implemented as percentage limits during specified daily time windows and applied across commercial airlines.
November 09, 2025
high
temporal
Mechanism for operationally limiting flights when controller staffing is constrained.
Air traffic controller staffing shortages are associated with increased flight delays and cancellations at affected airports.
November 09, 2025
high
temporal
Operational consequence linking controller availability to flight punctuality and schedule reliability.
SNAP provided benefits to about 42 million Americans as of 2025.
November 09, 2025
high
statistical
Scale of SNAP participation
SNAP benefits are commonly issued to recipients via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
November 09, 2025
high
process
Typical mechanism for delivering SNAP benefits
In 2025, Major League Baseball and prominent U.S. sportsbook operators implemented a nationwide $200 limit on bets for baseball proposition markets focused on individual pitches and prohibited individual-pitch bets from being included in parlays.
November 09, 2025
high
policy
Industry-level wagering restrictions intended to reduce large payouts on micro-prop markets and limit incentives for misconduct.
Government shutdowns can result in federal employees being furloughed or experiencing delays in receiving pay unless Congress enacts legislation or other measures to provide pay during the shutdown.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the typical personnel and pay consequences of federal government funding gaps.
Congress can pass a continuing resolution (CR) to temporarily fund federal government operations and thereby avert or end a government shutdown.
November 08, 2025
high
policy
Continuing resolutions are a recurring legislative tool used to provide short-term funding when regular appropriations are not enacted.
Federal courts have the authority to order the executive branch to disburse federal benefits during a government shutdown.
November 08, 2025
high
legal
Describes a legal mechanism by which benefit payments can be compelled during a lapse in appropriations.
Nearly 42 million Americans received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as of November 8, 2025.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of SNAP participation in the United States
Most SNAP recipients have incomes below the federal poverty line, and the federal poverty threshold for a family of four is about $32,000.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Income characteristics of typical SNAP households and an approximate poverty threshold for a family of four
As of November 8, 2025, the maximum monthly SNAP benefit was nearly $300 for an individual and up to nearly $1,000 for a family of four.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Typical maximum monthly benefit amounts under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
In many U.S. locations in 2025, electricity costs were increasing at a rate faster than U.S. inflation on average.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
General observation about relative growth of electricity prices versus inflation in 2025.
PowerLines reported that gas and electric utilities sought or secured rate increases totaling more than $34 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, which was more than double the total for the same period in 2024.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Aggregate utility rate-change requests and approvals reported for early 2025.
PowerLines estimated in 2025 that about 80 million Americans were struggling to pay their utility bills.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Estimate of the number of U.S. households facing difficulty paying utility bills in 2025.
Analysts in 2025 attributed rising U.S. electric bills to a combination of expensive grid modernization and hardening projects, increased demand from data centers and bitcoin miners, efforts to revive domestic manufacturing, and rising natural gas prices.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Commonly cited drivers of higher electricity costs in 2025.
Nearly half of all U.S. air freight is transported in the belly holds of passenger aircraft.
November 08, 2025
high
statistical
Distribution of air cargo between dedicated freighters and passenger aircraft bellies.
Reductions in passenger air service reduce available belly-cargo capacity, which can increase shipping costs that may be passed on to consumers through higher retail prices.
November 08, 2025
medium
causal
Interdependence of passenger air service and air freight capacity influencing supply-chain costs.
Major flight disruptions can produce cascading economic effects across sectors such as tourism, manufacturing, cargo transport, and municipal revenues (for example, hotel and city taxes).
November 08, 2025
medium
causal
Broader economic linkages mean transport disruptions affect related industries and local government revenues.
Government shutdowns can cause federal employees to be furloughed or go unpaid, disrupt commercial air travel, and delay distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Common impacts observed when federal appropriations lapse and parts of the government cease operations.
The United States Congress can pass individual appropriations bills that fund specific parts of the federal government (for example, food assistance programs, veterans programs, and the legislative branch) while extending or delaying funding for other areas.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Appropriations can be enacted in a piecemeal fashion, allowing some programs to remain funded when others are not.
The Affordable Care Act includes premium tax credits (often called subsidies) that reduce health insurance costs for eligible individuals.
November 08, 2025
high
policy
Mechanism within the ACA to make premiums more affordable.
COVID-19-era premium tax credits were implemented to subsidize Affordable Care Act premiums during the COVID-19 period.
November 08, 2025
high
policy
Temporary adjustments to ACA premium subsidies enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Federal Aviation Administration can order reductions in flight service at the nation's busiest airports during staffing shortages.
November 08, 2025
high
policy
Regulatory authority used to manage airport operations when air traffic control staffing is constrained.
Air traffic controller staffing shortages can lead airlines to reduce scheduled flights and increase cancellations.
November 08, 2025
high
operational
Operational impacts on airline schedules when air traffic control availability is reduced.
Airlines commonly focus schedule cuts on smaller regional routes where they operate multiple daily flights to minimize the number of passengers affected.
November 08, 2025
high
operational
Airline route-prioritization strategy used during planned or forced schedule reductions.
The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to refund customers for canceled flights but does not require airlines to reimburse secondary costs such as food and hotel accommodations unless the delay or cancellation is caused by a factor within the airline's control.
November 07, 2025
high
regulatory
Summarizes U.S. DOT consumer-protection guidance on refunds and reimbursements for flight cancellations and delays.
Memphis, Tennessee serves as a major FedEx distribution and air cargo hub.
November 07, 2025
high
infrastructure
Location of a major package distribution and air cargo center for FedEx.
Louisville, Kentucky serves as a major UPS distribution and air cargo hub.
November 07, 2025
high
infrastructure
Location of a major package distribution and air cargo center for UPS.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can order reductions in commercial flight operations nationwide to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers and manage air traffic control workload.
November 07, 2025
high
operational
FAA authority to adjust flight capacity as an air traffic management tool to address controller staffing or workload issues.
Major U.S. airlines commonly use mobile apps, company websites, and push alerts to notify customers about flight changes and operational disruptions.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Airlines communicate schedule changes and operational updates to customers using digital channels.
Major U.S. airlines commonly provide fee waivers or flexible options that allow customers to change flights or receive refunds without extra fees when flights are canceled or significantly disrupted.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Airline customer-service policies during operational disruptions often include fee-free changes, rebooking, or refunds.
Some major U.S. airlines automatically rebook travelers after cancellations and allow travelers who do not wish to travel on the new itinerary to request refunds.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Automatic rebooking and refund eligibility are common practical responses by carriers to canceled flights.
The Federal Aviation Administration can mandate reductions in air traffic operations at selected airports to reduce workload on air traffic controllers.
November 07, 2025
high
general
Regulatory traffic-management actions can be used to limit airport operations when controller workload or system capacity requires it.
U.S. government shutdowns can result in essential federal employees, including air traffic controllers, continuing to work without pay.
November 07, 2025
high
general
During funding lapses, many federal employees deemed essential are required to work despite pay being delayed.
The four largest U.S. passenger airlines â American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines â collectively operate more than 15,000 flights per day.
November 07, 2025
high
general
Major carriers together account for a large share of daily domestic flight operations in the United States.
Airlines commonly manage disruptions caused by factors such as severe weather, staffing shortages, and technological outages, and may prioritize maintaining international services while reducing regional or domestic flights during capacity constraints, which can disproportionately affect smaller airports.
November 07, 2025
high
general
Operational decisions during disruptions often preserve long-haul and international routes and scale back short-haul or regional services.
Policymakers typically rely on monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) surveys as the broadest and most accurate snapshot of the U.S. job market.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
BLS monthly surveys are the primary official source used to assess hiring, unemployment, and other labor-market indicators.
A 2025 Glassdoor employee-sentiment measure found that workers were less confident about the availability of jobs in October 2025 compared with the prior three months, and Glassdoor reported that users who received a job offer in October 2025 were less likely to decline it than in the previous month.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Glassdoor's site-based sentiment and offer-response metrics are used to gauge worker confidence and perceived leverage in the job market.
A 2025 report from the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas found that U.S. businesses announced plans to cut 153,074 jobs in October 2025, which the firm described as the worst October for announced cuts in more than two decades.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Challenger, Gray & Christmas tracks announced corporate layoff plans and reports monthly totals of planned job cuts.
ADP reports that it handles payroll for more than 26 million U.S. employees, and a 2025 ADP payroll report indicated that private-sector employers added jobs in October 2025 after two months of decline, though hiring in October 2025 was modest relative to earlier in 2025.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
ADP processes payroll for millions of workers and publishes monthly estimates of private-sector employment changes based on payroll data.
Staffing shortages in air traffic control can lead to reductions in flight operations at major airports.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Air traffic control workforce shortfalls can force operational limits or cancellations that affect airlines and travelers.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can be sustained at least partially during federal funding gaps through temporary emergency funds or alternative revenue sources such as customs revenue.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Programs like SNAP may use interim funding mechanisms to continue benefit payments when regular appropriations are unavailable.
As of 2025-11-07, the U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to refund customers for canceled flights but does not require airlines to cover secondary costs such as food and hotel accommodations unless a delay or cancellation results from a contributing factor that is within the control of the airlines.
November 07, 2025
high
policy
U.S. Department of Transportation consumer rules on airline cancellations and passenger refunds.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves about one in eight Americans, mostly people with lower incomes.
November 07, 2025
high
statistical
Broad participation rate and demographic character of SNAP beneficiaries.
Full monthly SNAP benefit payments cost between $8.5 billion and $9.0 billion per month.
November 07, 2025
high
statistical
Estimated total monthly cost to provide full SNAP benefits nationally.
An emergency federal reserve fund for SNAP contained more than $4.6 billion available to be used for SNAP payments.
November 07, 2025
high
statistical
Size of a designated emergency reserve fund that can be tapped for SNAP benefit payments.
Airlines routinely manage operational disruptions caused by bad weather, staffing shortages, and technological outages.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Describes common types of disruptions that airlines plan for and respond to during regular operations.
When reducing scheduled capacity, airlines commonly retain international services while cutting regional or short-haul routes, which can disproportionately affect smaller airports that rely on domestic and regional flights.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Operational prioritization during capacity reductions and the typical impact on airport types.
Air travel demand and airport congestion are generally lower in the weeks immediately preceding the Thanksgiving travel period compared with the holiday peak weeks.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Seasonal travel patterns around the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday create a short window of reduced congestion before the main travel surge.
The U.S. Congress can end a federal government shutdown by passing individual appropriations bills or a short-term continuing resolution that funds some agencies immediately and extends funding for others until a later date.
November 07, 2025
high
procedural
Describes legislative mechanisms used to restore government funding during a shutdown.
Individual appropriations bills are often organized to fund specific programs or parts of government, for example food assistance programs, veterans' programs, and the operations of the legislative branch.
November 07, 2025
high
structural
Examples of program areas commonly funded through separate appropriations bills.
When airlines adjust schedules to meet mandated capacity cuts, they commonly prioritize maintaining higher-frequency, popular, and profitable routes while reducing regional and lower-frequency flights.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Airlines use route profitability and demand to decide which flights to cut during capacity reductions.
Federal government shutdowns can interrupt payments and services, including payments under nutrition assistance programs such as SNAP, and can cause travel disruptions.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Summarizes common operational impacts of federal funding lapses.
Congress can enact separate legislation or offer amendments during a funding lapse to provide pay for furloughed federal employees and military personnel.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a legislative option available to address federal employee and military pay during shutdowns.
Food banks and food pantries typically experience peak demand during November and the holiday season.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Holiday-related needs and traditions increase demand for emergency food assistance in many communities each year.
Food banks and pantries rely heavily on volunteers, board members, and donated food to carry out operations such as unloading, sorting, answering phones, and making deliveries.
November 07, 2025
high
operational
Local hunger-relief organizations commonly depend on volunteer labor and donations to meet community needs and supplement staff capacity.
Interruptions, delays, or reductions in federal food assistance programs or in federal food deliveries can increase demand on local food banks and pantries.
November 07, 2025
high
causal
Changes in the availability of government-provided food benefits or supply can shift unmet needs onto community-based food assistance providers.
Nearly 42 million people relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in 2025, with the majority being extremely low-income families with children and additional beneficiaries including seniors and people with disabilities.
November 07, 2025
high
statistical
Program reach and beneficiary demographics
U.S. grocery prices were 2.7% higher in 2025 than in 2024.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year change in grocery prices
A 2025 Wells Fargo report found that the cost of a 10-person Thanksgiving meal fell 2% to 3% compared with 2024, with the exact change depending on whether consumers chose national name brands or cheaper store-label products.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Wells Fargo analysis of Thanksgiving meal cost by brand choice
Walmart's 2025 Thanksgiving meal basket was priced under $40 and marketed to feed 10 people (about $4 per person), while Walmart's 2024 Thanksgiving basket was priced at about $56 and marketed to feed eight people (about $7 per person); the 2025 basket contained 15 items compared with 29 items in the 2024 basket.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Comparison of Walmart promotional Thanksgiving meal baskets across years
As of 2025-11-07, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves about 1 in 8 Americans, primarily people with lower incomes.
November 07, 2025
high
statistic
Program coverage estimate
State agencies distribute monthly SNAP benefits via electronic benefit cards that are processed by state-contracted electronic benefit card vendors.
November 07, 2025
high
process
Method of benefit delivery
About 24 million people who do not have health insurance through an employer or a public program such as Medicaid use the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace to buy health plans.
November 06, 2025
high
statistic
The ACA marketplace provides a route for individuals without employer-sponsored or public insurance to purchase subsidized health coverage.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal program that helps low-income U.S. households pay heating and cooling bills, purchase fuel, and repair or replace broken heating equipment.
November 06, 2025
high
descriptive
Program purpose and services provided by LIHEAP
LIHEAP assists about 6 million households nationwide with heating and cooling costs and related needs.
November 06, 2025
high
statistical
Estimated program reach
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves approximately 42 million Americans.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline size of the federal food assistance program.
A 2025 analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities found that roughly 40% of SNAP households receive the maximum allowable benefit amount.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Distribution of benefit levels among SNAP households as estimated by CBPP.
Aviation authorities such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can order reductions in airline capacity at specific airports when air traffic controller staffing shortages materially affect safe or efficient operations; capacity-reduction orders in such situations have been implemented at magnitudes on the order of 10% in affected high-volume areas.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Operational mitigation tools used by aviation regulators to address air traffic controller staffing constraints.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can require airlines to reduce scheduled flights at specific airports to manage air traffic controller workload.
November 06, 2025
high
regulatory
FAA authority to adjust flight schedules at airports as an operational measure to manage controller staffing and traffic flow.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' 2025 modeling of SNAP partial payments used data on SNAP households' income, household composition, and expenses.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Modeling methodology for estimating SNAP partial payments
Tariffs can serve either as revenue-raising measures (taxes) or as regulatory tools to influence foreign commerce, and courts evaluate a tariff's primary purpose when determining whether a presidential tariff is authorized by statute.
November 06, 2025
high
legal
Legal distinction used in judicial review of trade measures.
The National Retail Federation's 2025 forecast estimates U.S. holiday retail sales (NovemberâDecember 2025) will total $1.01 trillion to $1.02 trillion, a 3.7%â4.2% increase over 2024's $976 billion in holiday sales.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
NRF 2025 holiday sales forecast and year-over-year comparison
The National Retail Federation's holiday sales calculation excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants to focus on core retail.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Methodological note on NRF holiday sales measure
The National Retail Federation reports that holiday spending accounts for about 19% of annual sales for the retail industry.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Relative importance of the holiday season to annual retail sales
The National Retail Federation reported that average holiday spending growth was 3.6% from 2010 to 2019, holiday season sales rose 8.9% in 2020, and rose 12.5% in 2021.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Historical holiday sales growth rates cited by NRF
The Federal Aviation Administration can impose reductions in flight traffic to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers during staffing shortages.
November 06, 2025
high
operational
Regulatory tool to limit traffic volume when controller staffing is constrained.
Air traffic controllers are federal employees and a lack of pay during federal government shutdowns can increase sick call-outs and contribute to staffing shortages that affect aviation operations.
November 06, 2025
high
procedural
Payroll interruptions for federal employees can reduce workforce availability and operational capacity.
Lower mortgage interest rates increase homebuyers' purchasing power and make refinancing existing home loans to a lower rate more attractive to homeowners.
November 06, 2025
high
impact
Describes general economic effects of changes in mortgage interest rates on buyers and existing borrowers.
The Federal Reserve does not directly set mortgage interest rates, and reductions in the Fed's short-term policy rate do not necessarily cause mortgage rates to decline.
November 06, 2025
high
policy
Clarifies the relationship between central-bank policy rates and consumer mortgage rates.
Realtor.com reported that about 80% of U.S. homes with a mortgage had an interest rate below 6% and 53% had a rate below 4%.
November 06, 2025
high
statistical
Snapshot statistic on distribution of mortgage interest rates among U.S. mortgaged homes, cited by Realtor.com.
Air traffic management agencies such as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration may implement percentage-based reductions in scheduled flights at high-volume airports to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers and maintain safety when controller staffing levels or payroll status are compromised.
November 06, 2025
high
procedural
Describes an operational safety measure used to manage controller workload and airspace capacity when staffing or pay disruptions occur.
Airlines commonly cancel or cut thousands of flights on short notice in response to severe weather as a regular operational contingency.
November 06, 2025
high
operational
Describes a routine industry practice for preserving safety and managing operations during disruptive weather.
By Week 10 of the 2025 college football season, cumulative buyout totals for assistant and head coaches had reached approximately $185 million.
November 06, 2025
high
statistical
Reported cumulative buyout amount for coach terminations during the 2025 season.
Universities and their athletic departments are generally contractually obligated to pay buyouts to coaches they terminate.
November 06, 2025
high
contractual
Contractual responsibility when terminating coaching contracts.
Over the roughly 2015â2025 period, power-conference college football coaching contracts have trended toward larger buyouts, longer contract terms, and more restrictions on terminating contracts.
November 06, 2025
medium
trend
Describes a multi-year change in contract structure among major college football conferences.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) served about 42 million Americans, roughly 1 in 8 people.
November 06, 2025
high
statistical
Program enrollment scale (approximate beneficiary count).
Delays or capacity reductions at some airports can create cascading effects across the wider airline network, causing flight disruptions at other airports.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Airline operations are interconnected so disruptions at particular airports often propagate through the network.
Air traffic management authorities such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can reduce scheduled flight capacity at high-volume airports to manage air traffic when there are shortages of air traffic controllers.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Capacity throttling is an operational tool used to maintain safe airspace operations during controller shortfalls.
Passengers can monitor inbound aircraft and flight status using an airline's mobile app to anticipate delays and verify that a flight remains scheduled and on time.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Tracking the origin and status of the specific aircraft assigned to a flight helps travelers detect potential delays before departure.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the U.S. government agency responsible for providing air traffic control services in the United States.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Defines the agency that manages air traffic control operations in U.S. airspace.
Shortages of certified air traffic controllers can lead airlines to reduce scheduled flights and cancel flights as an operational response to air traffic control staffing constraints.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a general operational consequence of insufficient air traffic control staffing.
Airlines may prioritize maintaining long-haul flights while reducing regional flights when they cut schedule capacity.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Operational strategy carriers use when facing constrained capacity.
Airlines commonly waive change and cancellation fees and offer rebooking or refunds to passengers during periods of widespread flight cancellations or operational disruptions.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Customer-service practices used by carriers to manage passenger impact during major disruptions.
Air traffic control operations can become strained by short staffing, long working hours, and increased absenteeism during prolonged pay or labor disruptions, contributing to cascading flight delays and cancellations.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Workforce and operational vulnerabilities in air traffic management that affect system-wide flight operations.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is financed by the federal government.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the primary funding source for the federal food assistance program.
Unemployment insurance benefits in the United States are funded almost entirely by states through taxes paid by employers, while the federal government typically funds only the program's administrative costs.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Explains the standard funding structure for state unemployment insurance programs.
Administrative costs for the unemployment insurance program (such as staff who process benefits) represent roughly 7% of the program's total cost.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Quantifies the share of UI program spending attributed to federally funded administrative functions.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a stopgap funding measure used to keep the federal government funded when full-year appropriations bills have not been enacted.
November 05, 2025
high
definition
CRs are temporary funding measures in the U.S. federal budget process.
Congressional appropriators generally prefer shorter continuing resolutions to allow time for drafting, negotiation, and passage of full-year appropriations bills.
November 05, 2025
high
process
Appropriators seek shorter stopgap measures so regular appropriations work can proceed.
A 'mini-bus' is an appropriations vehicle that funds a subset of budget areas (for example, military construction, legislative branch activities, and agriculture) rather than all spending bills at once.
November 05, 2025
high
definition
Legislative leaders sometimes assemble smaller grouped appropriations packages called mini-buses when negotiating funding.
Some policymakers advocate for yearâlong continuing resolutions on the premise that multiâmonth or multiâyear CRs provide the executive branch and aligned legislators with stability and leverage to pursue spending reductions and policy priorities.
November 05, 2025
high
policy
Policy rationale often cited in debates over the appropriate length of stopgap funding measures.
In 2025, economists at the Budget Lab at Yale estimated the average tariff on U.S. imports at nearly 18%, up from about 2.4% before President Trump's return to the White House.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Estimate of average U.S. import tariff rates reported by academic economists.
In 2025, the average U.S. tariff rate would be about 9% if emergency tariffs under review were excluded.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Comparison of average tariff levels with and without emergency tariff measures.
In 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department's tariff revenue was reported to be nearly four times higher than its tariff revenue in 2024.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year change in U.S. federal tariff collections.
By October 2025, U.S. factory employment had fallen by more than 40,000 jobs since April 2025, and the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing activity index had declined for eight consecutive months through October 2025.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Manufacturing labor and activity indicators over springâfall 2025.
An executive tariff policy issued by President Donald Trump imposed a baseline tariff of at least 10% on imports from most countries.
November 05, 2025
high
policy
Describes the baseline structure of the tariffs implemented by presidential executive action.
Under that tariff policy, imports from China were subject to much higher tariffs that reached as high as 145% before being reduced.
November 05, 2025
high
policy
Describes the relative tariff rates applied to Chinese imports under the policy.
Under that tariff policy, imports from allies such as Canada and Mexico were taxed at 25%, and Canada's tariff rate was later increased to 35%.
November 05, 2025
high
policy
Describes specific tariff rates applied to imports from certain allied countries under the policy.
Import tariffs are typically borne by domestic importers and consumers because businesses often pass tariff-induced costs through to higher consumer prices.
November 05, 2025
medium
economic
General economic principle about incidence of import tariffs and how costs are passed through.
A 2025 CBS News exit poll in Virginia found that voters who identified the economy as the most important issue favored Abigail Spanberger over Winsome Earle-Sears by more than 20 percentage points.
November 05, 2025
high
statistical
Exit poll subgroup result showing the preferences of voters prioritizing the economy in the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial race.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a legislative mechanism Congress uses to extend federal government funding temporarily when regular appropriations bills have not been enacted.
November 05, 2025
high
procedural
Describes the purpose and use of a continuing resolution in U.S. federal budgeting.
A 'minibus' is a package that combines several appropriations or spending bills into a single legislative measure to fund multiple government programs or agencies.
November 05, 2025
high
procedural
Explains the legislative tactic of bundling multiple spending bills into one package.
Appropriations bills are the primary legislative vehicles for funding federal government operations, and failure to pass appropriations bills can lead to a government shutdown.
November 05, 2025
high
procedural
Explains the role of appropriations in preventing lapses in federal funding.
Legislators can attach individual spending bills to a continuing resolution (CR) to include specific funding measures while temporarily extending overall government funding.
November 05, 2025
high
procedural
Describes a common legislative practice of bundling targeted funding actions with a temporary funding extension.
Historically, Apalachicola Bay in Florida produced approximately 90% of Florida's oysters and about 10% of the United States' oyster supply.
November 05, 2025
high
statistical
Historical production share of Apalachicola Bay within state and national oyster harvests.
Florida state conservation staff estimated that an additional $30 million to $55 million per year would be needed to meet oyster recovery goals for Apalachicola Bay.
November 05, 2025
high
statistical
Estimated annual funding range required by state conservation staff to achieve oyster recovery objectives.
If a court determines that tariffs imposed by the executive branch are unlawful, resolving remedies can require remanding the matter to lower courts and can create complex administrative challenges around refunding collected tariff revenues.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Determinations of unlawfulness typically separate liability from remedy, and the accumulated sums from tariffs can complicate restitution processes.
As of 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directs more than 44,000 flights per day across commercial passenger flights, cargo planes, and private aircraft.
November 05, 2025
high
statistical
Baseline scale of daily U.S. air traffic under FAA oversight.
Trade agreements with Japan, South Korea, and the European Union included investment pledges totaling more than $1.5 trillion into the U.S. economy over multiple future years, and those pledges were commitments for future investment rather than upfront payments.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Agreements that include multi-year investment commitments into the United States.
The U.S. Constitution's Article I vests Congress with the power to levy tariffs by authorizing it 'to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises'.
November 04, 2025
high
legal
Constitutional allocation of taxing and tariff authority between branches of government.
Congress has enacted statutes that grant the President limited authority to set tariffs under certain circumstances.
November 04, 2025
high
legal
Statutory delegation of some tariff-setting powers from the legislative branch to the executive branch.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authorizes the President, upon declaring a national emergency in response to an 'unusual and extraordinary threat', to regulate importation.
November 04, 2025
high
legal
Statutory powers available to the executive branch during declared national emergencies.
The text of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not use the word 'tariff'.
November 04, 2025
high
legal
Textual characteristic of the IEEPA relevant to legal debates about whether its authorities include tariff imposition.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture maintains a contingency fund that can be used to provide SNAP benefits when regular funding is unavailable or in emergency situations.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Contingency funds are an institutional mechanism to continue benefit payments during funding disruptions.
Many U.S. state systems that process SNAP benefits are decades old and such outdated processing systems can cause delays in benefit distribution of weeks or months.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Aging technical infrastructure at the state level can delay delivery of federal benefits.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture can tap contingency funds to allow states to issue partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during a food-aid shortfall.
November 04, 2025
high
policy
Contingency funding mechanism for SNAP benefit continuity during funding shortfalls
The Affordable Care Act's health insurance marketplaces have an open enrollment period during which insurers' plan options and premiums become visible to consumers.
November 04, 2025
high
descriptive
How ACA marketplace enrollment and plan pricing are made available to consumers
Airlines generally aim to have at least 80% of their flights depart and arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled times.
November 04, 2025
high
statistical
Industry performance target for on-time departures and arrivals.
The U.S. Travel Association said in 2025 that the U.S. economy had lost more than $4 billion because of the 2025 federal government shutdown.
November 04, 2025
medium
statistical
Economic-impact estimate reported by the U.S. Travel Association attributing losses to the federal shutdown.
A "minibus" is a legislative package that combines multiple full-year appropriations bills into a single grouped appropriations measure.
November 04, 2025
high
definition
Describes a type of appropriations packaging used in the U.S. congressional funding process.
A continuing resolution is a short-term funding measure enacted by the U.S. Congress to temporarily fund federal government operations when Congress has not enacted full-year appropriations bills.
November 04, 2025
high
definition
Continuing resolutions are used to avoid or delay a funding lapse while appropriations are completed.
The regular appropriations process in the U.S. Congress involves passing 12 separate full-year appropriations bills; alternatives to that regular order include consolidating funding into a single year-end omnibus bill or using a continuing resolution.
November 04, 2025
high
procedural
Describes standard versus alternative approaches to federal funding legislation.
A 2025 AP Voter Poll found that economic issues, including higher prices and fewer job opportunities, were the top concern for voters in the 2025 elections.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Poll-level finding identifying the dominant voter concern reported during the 2025 election cycle.
A 2025 AP Voter Poll found that most New Jersey voters identified property taxes as a 'major problem', most New York City voters identified the cost of housing as a 'major problem', and most Virginia voters reported feeling at least some impact from recent federal government cuts.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Poll findings on which local economic issues were perceived as major problems by voters in specific jurisdictions during the 2025 election cycle.
China has been accused of stealing United States intellectual property and Americans' personal information.
November 03, 2025
high
assertion
Allegations of economic espionage and data theft involving Chinese actors and U.S. targets.
China has developed a dominant position in rare earth minerals production and processing by accumulating and managing supplies over roughly the past 25â30 years.
November 03, 2025
high
assertion
China's long-term accumulation and management of rare earth mineral capacity has given it significant strategic leverage in supply chains for electronics and defense equipment.
As of 2025, SNAP program spending is about $8 billion per month nationally.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Typical monthly federal outlays for the SNAP program.
To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family's net income after allowable deductions for a family of four cannot exceed the federal poverty guideline of about $32,000 per year.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Income eligibility threshold for SNAP enrollments reported for 2025.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was enacted in 1977.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
IEEPA is a federal statute that grants certain emergency economic authorities to the president.
As of 2025, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) had not previously been used to authorize import tariffs.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
IEEPA has historically been used for economic sanctions and other emergency economic measures rather than import taxes.
The term "tariff switch" describes an executive practice of imposing or changing tariffs quickly and with minimal advance notice, enabling tariff changes without following standard congressional procedures.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
The concept characterizes a rapid, executive-driven approach to adjusting trade policy.
During a U.S. federal government shutdown, many federal employees may be furloughed or required to work without immediate pay, which can cause them to miss paychecks.
November 03, 2025
high
procedural
Typical effects of a federal government shutdown on federal personnel and pay
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2025, about 1 in 8 U.S. residents receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, with an average benefit of $187 per month per person.
November 03, 2025
high
statistical
Coverage and typical benefit size for the federal SNAP food assistance program
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
November 03, 2025
high
administrative
Program administration for federal food assistance
Operating the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) costs roughly $9 billion per month.
November 03, 2025
high
statistical
Approximate monthly federal expenditure to run SNAP
As of 2025, about 42 million Americans receive federal food aid.
November 03, 2025
high
statistical
Aggregate count of people receiving federal food assistance programs reported in 2025.
The average monthly SNAP benefit is approximately $190 per person as of 2025.
November 03, 2025
high
statistical
Typical per-person monthly benefit amount for SNAP recipients.
In 2025, FactSet reported that four out of five S&P 500 companies that had reported earnings during that reporting season beat analysts' forecasts.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Earnings reporting season for S&P 500 companies in 2025, per FactSet.
In 2025, FactSet indicated that with roughly two-thirds of S&P 500 companies having reported earnings, aggregate earnings for the S&P 500 were on track to grow by nearly 11% year-over-year.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Projection of year-over-year earnings growth for the S&P 500 during the 2025 reporting season, per FactSet.
In the United States, 20 million passengers flew during Thanksgiving week 2024.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline passenger volume during the Thanksgiving travel period.
The U.S. Travel Association estimated that the federal government shutdown had caused approximately $4 billion in losses to the U.S. travel economy.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Economic impact estimate attributed to a federal government shutdown.
A 2025 U.S. Travel Association news release reported that 60% of Americans were reconsidering travel plans amid uncertainty related to the federal government shutdown.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Survey/measurement of traveler sentiment during a government shutdown.
SNAP provides food-purchasing assistance to more than 40 million Americans.
November 03, 2025
high
statistic
Scale of SNAP participation.
SNAP benefits are distributed electronically through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) and are accepted for purchases at participating retail stores.
November 03, 2025
high
process
How SNAP benefits are accessed and used by beneficiaries.
SNAP is intended to provide nutritional support as a safety-net program for low-income households.
November 03, 2025
high
definition
Program purpose.
Contemporary U.S. presidents commonly use financial sanctionsâsuch as freezing assets or blocking tradeâfor foreign policy and national security objectives rather than employing tariffs.
November 02, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a typical pattern of tools used by recent presidents for foreign policy and national-security aims.
Certain statutory authorities for imposing tariffs require multi-month administrative processes to justify and set specific tariff rates.
November 02, 2025
high
temporal
Contrasts longer procedural tariff authorities with emergency powers that can be invoked more quickly.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum comprises 21 member economies and functions as a multilateral forum for discussions on global trade and supply chain resilience.
November 02, 2025
high
descriptive
APEC is a multilateral regional forum where member economies coordinate on trade and economic issues.
USAA is a financial services company that serves military members and veterans and had about 14.5 million eligible members as of 2025-11-02.
November 02, 2025
high
temporal
Customer base size and target population for USAA cited during 2025 news coverage.
Approximately 30% of U.S. federal employees are veterans or military spouses (figure referenced in 2025 coverage).
November 02, 2025
medium
temporal
Share of federal employees with military or military-spouse status cited in 2025 news commentary.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that about 25% of active-duty military members experienced food insecurity (statistic cited in 2025 coverage).
November 02, 2025
medium
temporal
Preexisting USDA estimate of food insecurity among active-duty military personnel referenced in 2025 reporting.
The unemployment rate among civilian military spouses has been reported as nearly five times the U.S. national unemployment rate (figure referenced in 2025 coverage).
November 02, 2025
medium
temporal
Relative unemployment risk for civilian spouses of military personnel cited in 2025 news commentary.
Household income of $31,000 or less per year is consistent with receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits for a family of four.
November 02, 2025
high
statistical
Stated income threshold for a family-of-four SNAP recipient in the interview transcript.
Approximately 42 million Americans, roughly one in eight people in the United States, receive SNAP (food stamp) benefits.
November 02, 2025
high
statistical
Reported national SNAP recipient count and proportion mentioned in the interview transcript.
Approximately one in seven residents of Massachusetts receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
November 02, 2025
high
statistical
State-level SNAP participation rate cited by the Massachusetts governor in the interview transcript.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, employees designated as "essential" (including air traffic controllers) are often required to continue working without pay and typically receive retroactive back pay when appropriations are restored.
November 02, 2025
high
policy
Practice during lapses of federal appropriations affecting excepted/essential employees.
U.S. federal law imposes restrictions on the use of appropriated funds during a lapse in appropriations, limiting which funds can be reallocated to pay essential workers during a government shutdown.
November 02, 2025
high
legal
Legal constraints on reprogramming or using federal funds during a funding lapse.
Staffing shortages or pay disruptions among air traffic controllers can produce cascading rolling delays across the national air traffic system and cause prolonged ground delays at major airports.
November 02, 2025
medium
operational
Operational effect of reduced air traffic control staffing on air travel punctuality.
Before the 2025 government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration reported a long-standing shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.
November 02, 2025
high
temporal
Pre-existing staffing shortfall in the U.S. air traffic control workforce.
Staffing shortages in air traffic control can occur both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, and such shortages do not always lead to flight disruptions.
November 02, 2025
high
temporal
General operational characteristic of how air traffic control staffing shortages manifest and their variable impact on flights.
Approximately 42 million Americans receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
November 02, 2025
high
statistical
SNAP (commonly called food stamps) is a federal program that provides nutrition assistance to eligible low-income individuals and families.
A 2025 USDA memo estimated that approximately 42 million people could lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting on 2025-11-01 if SNAP funding were to run out.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
Estimate from a USDA internal memo about the potential scale of SNAP benefit disruptions if funding lapses.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food-purchasing assistance to approximately 42 million Americans.
November 01, 2025
high
statistical
Program enrollment/recipient count for SNAP.
An estimated $9.2 billion would be required to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for one month (November 2025).
November 01, 2025
high
statistical
Estimated monthly funding requirement to maintain SNAP benefit payments.
Food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition among children are associated with negative health and developmental outcomes, including poor concentration, decreased cognitive function, fatigue, depression, and behavioral problems.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
Documented associations between child food insecurity and adverse health and developmental effects.
In 2025 the Congressional Budget Office projected that tariffs would collect approximately $3 trillion from businesses over the following decade.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
A multi-year revenue projection by the Congressional Budget Office about the aggregate effect of tariff policy.
Tariffs on imported inputs increase production costs for companies that rely on foreign materials and can force those companies to raise consumer prices if they cannot absorb the additional costs.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
General economic effect of tariffs on firms that use imported goods or raw materials.
Rapid or unpredictable changes in tariff levels create pricing uncertainty for import-reliant businesses and complicate their ability to set stable prices for customers.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
Operational and pricing risk faced by businesses when trade policy is volatile.
The U.S. Supreme Court can hear legal challenges to presidential tariff actions, with potential implications for the constitutional boundaries of presidential trade authority.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
Judicial review of executive branch trade measures and its impact on separation of powers and trade policy.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers SNAP and maintains an emergency contingency fund intended to address potential funding shortfalls in the program.
November 01, 2025
high
structural
Organizational responsibility and existence of a contingency funding mechanism for SNAP.
The home turnover rate is defined as the number of homes sold divided by the total number of existing sellable properties.
November 01, 2025
high
concept
Definition used in housing market analysis to measure how frequently homes change ownership.
As of 2025, the median sales price of a previously occupied U.S. home had increased by about 53% over the prior six years.
November 01, 2025
high
statistic
Change in U.S. existing-home median sales price over a six-year span ending in 2025.
The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) served about 42 million people as of 2025.
November 01, 2025
high
statistical
Scale of participation in the U.S. federal food assistance program.
SNAP provides benefits to recipients on a monthly basis.
November 01, 2025
high
descriptive
Frequency of benefit distribution for the federal food assistance program.
Many SNAP recipients access their benefits using debit cards that are periodically reloaded with program funds.
November 01, 2025
high
descriptive
Typical method of benefit access and distribution for SNAP participants.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal agency responsible for administering SNAP benefit payments.
November 01, 2025
high
descriptive
Administrative authority over the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
As of November 2025, more than 42 million Americans relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to purchase food.
November 01, 2025
high
statistical
National SNAP enrollment estimate
Tourism is Jamaica's main source of foreign exchange earnings, contributing a combined 30% to the country's gross domestic product directly and indirectly.
November 01, 2025
high
economic
General economic contribution of the tourism sector to Jamaica's economy
Tourism in Jamaica employs an estimated 175,000 people.
November 01, 2025
high
employment
Employment scale of Jamaica's tourism sector
Tourism in Jamaica is a major economic driver for other sectors, including construction, banking and finance, utilities, and agriculture.
November 01, 2025
high
economic
Intersectoral economic linkages of Jamaica's tourism industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees national food and nutrition assistance programs, including SNAP, and issues guidance that states use to calculate household SNAP benefit allotments.
November 01, 2025
high
administrative
Roles and responsibilities for program administration
SNAP maintains contingency reserve funds that can be used to continue or adjust benefits if regular federal funding is interrupted.
November 01, 2025
high
process
Emergency funding mechanism for SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits to eligible Americans to purchase groceries.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
Description of SNAP program purpose and benefit use
Around 42 million Americans were receiving SNAP benefits as of November 2025.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
Approximate SNAP enrollment level reported for November 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has contingency funds and separate funding streams for Child Nutrition programs that can be used to cover nutrition assistance expenses.
November 01, 2025
high
temporal
Existence of reserve and program-specific funding within USDA for nutrition assistance
Large supermarket chains commonly use loss-leader strategies by selling staple holiday items such as turkeys at or below cost to attract shoppers and drive sales of higher-margin products like wine, desserts, and seasonal dÊcor.
November 01, 2025
high
economic_behavior
Describes a widespread retail pricing tactic used around major holidays.
Grocery retailers commonly reduce the size of bundled meal offers or substitute private-label (store-brand) items in bundles as a cost-management tactic to maintain lower advertised prices.
November 01, 2025
high
business_practice
Operational strategies retailers use to preserve headline pricing while controlling costs.
The United States turkey flock declined to its smallest size in 40 years, which can create upward pressure on turkey supply and prices.
November 01, 2025
medium
temporal
Long-term contraction in flock size affects supply dynamics for turkey products.
Federal government shutdowns can cause missed paychecks for federal workers, which can increase stress and distraction among those workers and can disrupt government operations such as airport operations.
October 31, 2025
high
process
Describes general operational impacts of federal shutdowns on federal employees and public services.
Labor unions are not monolithic political supporters and can publicly break with or pressure traditional party allies to accept legislation that unions say protects workers' pay and public services.
October 31, 2025
high
general
Describes a durable pattern in laborâparty relations where unions may shift or withhold support based on policy outcomes.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that SNAP recipients receive an average of $187 per month on a prepaid card to buy groceries.
October 31, 2025
high
statistic
Average monthly benefit amount for SNAP recipients as reported by USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that more than one in eight Americans depend on food stamps from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
October 31, 2025
high
statistic
Proportion of the U.S. population reported to rely on SNAP benefits
A 2025 Moody's analysis estimated that automakers paid about $30 billion in tariffs across the industry in 2025.
October 31, 2025
high
temporal
Industry-level estimate of tariff costs from a financial-analysis firm.
Kelley Blue Book reported that the average new-car transaction price exceeded $50,000 in 2025.
October 31, 2025
high
temporal
Measure of average consumer transaction price for cars.
In 2025, Ford reported that vehicle prices across the auto industry had risen by about 0.5% year-to-date.
October 31, 2025
high
temporal
Manufacturer-reported year-to-date change in industry prices.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not use contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits during a federal government shutdown and does not reimburse states if they cover those benefits on their own.
October 31, 2025
high
policy
Federal administration of SNAP funding during government shutdowns and the limits on contingency fund use.
The State of New York receives roughly $650 million per month in federal funding for SNAP programs.
October 31, 2025
high
statistical
Monthly scale of federal SNAP funding directed to New York State.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an annual regional economic forum focused on economic cooperation among Asia-Pacific economies.
October 31, 2025
high
descriptive
Definition of APEC as a recurring multilateral economic forum.
APEC economies together represent nearly 40% of the worldâs population and account for more than half of global goods trade.
October 31, 2025
high
statistical
Relative economic and demographic scope of APEC member economies.
Labor market stresses can arise from structural factors such as technological change and demographic shifts, rather than from cyclical changes in aggregate demand.
October 31, 2025
high
structural
Explains causes of persistent or structural labor market problems.
Nearârecord stock market highs and abundant issuance of highâyield (junk) bonds are commonly used indicators of easy financial market conditions, and capital spending often accelerates during major technology-driven investment booms such as those associated with artificial intelligence.
October 31, 2025
high
indicator
Links financial market metrics and corporate investment behavior to broader economic conditions.
The Federal Reserve sets its policy rate primarily to pursue two goals: price stability (commonly operationalized as a 2% inflation target) and maximum employment.
October 31, 2025
high
policy_goal
These dual objectives guide decisions on raising or lowering the benchmark interest rate.
In 2025, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provided monthly benefits to approximately 42 million people in the United States.
October 31, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of enrollment in the federal SNAP program.
As of 2025, SNAP benefits are distributed via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards that function similarly to debit cards.
October 31, 2025
high
temporal
Mechanism for delivering SNAP benefits to recipients.
Food banks and food pantries commonly experience surges in client demand and increase distributions when government-sponsored food assistance is interrupted.
October 31, 2025
medium
temporal
Operational role of charitable food providers during interruptions to public assistance programs.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) distributes benefits electronically through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), and participating vendors such as farmers markets can accept EBT benefits.
October 31, 2025
high
procedural
Describes how SNAP benefits are delivered and where they can be used.
Nonprofit food banks, food pantries, and similar charitable organizations provide emergency food assistance and commonly see increased demand when SNAP benefits are delayed or reduced.
October 31, 2025
high
descriptive
Charitable food assistance networks supplement public nutrition programs and serve as a backstop during disruptions to benefit delivery.
Instacart is a San Francisco-based grocery delivery company that began accepting online SNAP payments in 2020.
October 31, 2025
high
descriptive
Company acceptance of SNAP/EBT for online grocery purchases.
Instacart offers discounted memberships for SNAP recipients and zero delivery fees on orders over $35.
October 31, 2025
high
descriptive
Ongoing company pricing and membership policies that apply to SNAP customers.
DoorDash is a San Francisco-based food delivery company that allows customers to link SNAP/EBT cards to their accounts.
October 31, 2025
high
descriptive
Platform capability to accept or associate government nutrition benefits for eligible purchases.
Zip Co is an Australia-based 'buy now, pay later' app that lets users set up installment payment plans to pay for purchases.
October 31, 2025
high
descriptive
Business model description of a fintech company offering installment payment options.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, is the United States' largest federal food aid program, distributing about $8 billion per month and serving roughly one in eight U.S. residents.
October 31, 2025
high
statistical
Program scale and reach
Head Start operates nationwide through approximately 1,600 grant recipients.
October 31, 2025
high
statistical
Program organizational scale
The United States exports about one-fifth of the coal it produces.
October 31, 2025
high
statistical
Share of U.S. coal production that is sold to foreign markets.
Rare earth elements are used in consumer electronics such as smartphones and in defense-related equipment such as submarines.
October 31, 2025
high
general
Rare earth elements have applications in both civilian electronics and military hardware.
Countries can use export controls or withholding of critical materials as leverage in trade disputes, affecting global supply chains for those materials.
October 31, 2025
high
general
Export restrictions on strategically important inputs can be employed as a policy tool during trade negotiations.
Tariffs are a trade policy tool that governments can raise to increase the cost of imports and to pressure trading partners in negotiations.
October 31, 2025
high
general
Tariff adjustments are commonly used to influence trade balances and negotiation leverage.
Aircraft operators rely on continuous access to spare parts and maintenance components, and restrictions on parts supply can impair aircraft operation and maintenance.
October 31, 2025
high
general
Aviation operations depend on timely availability of approved spare parts for safety and serviceability.
In 2025, U.S. tariff collections averaged about $35 billion per month, which annualizes to about $420 billion per year if that monthly pace continued.
October 31, 2025
high
temporal
Recent monthly and annualized rates of U.S. tariff revenue.
U.S.-China bilateral relations include disputes over tariffs, technology, and agricultural trade.
October 30, 2025
high
geopolitical
Common, durable areas of contention in analyses of U.S.-China relations.
Governments may use tariffs and export restrictions on strategic materials, including rare earth elements, as instruments in trade disputes.
October 30, 2025
high
general
Summarizes policy tools used in international trade tensions.
Trade tensions between major economies can pose significant risks to the global economy.
October 30, 2025
high
general
Addresses the potential global economic impact of disputes between large economies.
Rare earth metals are crucial inputs for a wide range of advanced manufacturing industries.
October 30, 2025
high
economic
Describes the industrial importance of rare earth elements for advanced manufacturing.
Russia uses energy sales, including oil exports, to generate revenue that supports its economy and funds its military.
October 30, 2025
high
economic
Describes the role of energy export revenues in Russia's economy and military financing.
As of 2025, China has been purchasing Russian oil.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Ongoing energy trade between China and Russia.
A 2025 analysis by KFF found that insurers were proposing to raise monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act marketplace coverage by an average of 26% across the United States.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
KFF published an analysis of proposed insurer rate changes for upcoming ACA marketplace plan years.
A 2025 KFF calculation estimated that monthly premiums would increase an average of 114% for marketplace coverage if enhanced pandemic-era premium tax credits were allowed to expire.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
KFF modeled premium outcomes with and without the temporary enhanced premium tax credits enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The insurer trade group AHIP identifies higher medical costs and rising prescription drug prices as drivers of higher health insurance premiums.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Insurer groups commonly cite underlying medical spending trends as a primary factor influencing premium increases.
In 2025, about 21% of New Mexico's population relied on SNAP benefits, representing the highest state SNAP participation rate in the nation.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
State-level SNAP participation rates indicate the share of residents receiving federal nutrition assistance in a given year.
In 2025, nearly one in five residents of Louisiana received SNAP benefits, totaling roughly 800,000 recipients.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
State enrollment counts and percentages reflect the scale of reliance on SNAP within a state's population for a given year.
China is a major market for U.S. soybean exports.
October 30, 2025
high
economic
Describes longstanding trade relationship regarding agricultural exports.
Trade tensions between major economies commonly involve tariffs, retaliatory export controls on strategic materials such as rare earth elements, and restrictions on exports of advanced technologies such as computer chips.
October 30, 2025
high
economic
General mechanisms used in state-to-state economic rivalry and trade disputes.
Tariffs are commonly expressed as percentage rates applied to imported goods.
October 30, 2025
high
economic
Basic characteristic of tariff policy instruments.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) is an independent labor union representing aircraft maintenance technicians and related employees in the United States and had about 4,400 members representing technicians at Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Horizon Air, Spirit Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines as of 2025.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Organizational membership and representation information about a trade union.
Government shutdowns can result in some federal aviation personnelâsuch as air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, and aircraft maintenance techniciansâcontinuing to work without pay until funding is restored.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Describes an operational and labor consequence of federal funding lapses affecting the aviation sector.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is commonly known as 'food stamps'.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Terminology used for the federal program that provides nutrition assistance to low-income individuals and families.
As of 2025, roughly 42 million Americans relied on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits delivered monthly via electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
October 30, 2025
high
statistical
SNAP program caseload and benefit delivery method.
An estimated $9.2 billion is the cost to fund one month's SNAP benefits (November 2025), while the U.S. Department of Agriculture's contingency fund was reported to contain around $5 billion.
October 30, 2025
high
statistical
Estimated one-month SNAP funding requirement and size of USDA contingency fund.
The Supreme Court of the United States can adjudicate legal challenges to a President's authority to impose tariffs using claimed emergency powers.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Judicial review can determine the scope of executive emergency powers in trade actions.
Approximately 42 million Americans received SNAP benefits (estimate as of 2025-10-30).
October 30, 2025
high
statistic
Nationwide participation level for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
A federal government shutdown can result in federal employees not receiving paychecks during the shutdown period.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
General consequence of a federal government shutdown affecting payroll for federal workers.
Air traffic controllers who do not receive paychecks during a shutdown are more likely to call out sick, which can increase flight delays and disrupt aviation operations.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Operational linkage between missed pay during shutdowns, controller absences, and aviation delays.
In 2025, nearly 42 million people relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food and nutrition assistance.
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of SNAP participation.
In 2025, about 7 million people received benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
October 30, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of WIC participation.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum of 21 member economies around the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade.
October 29, 2025
high
descriptive
Definition and purpose of APEC
APEC member economies include China, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam.
October 29, 2025
high
descriptive
Examples of APEC member economies
Rare earth elements are essential inputs for technologies including computer chips and aerospace systems.
October 29, 2025
high
descriptive
Importance and applications of rare earth elements
As of 2025, South Korea was the United States' sixth-largest trading partner.
October 29, 2025
medium
temporal
Ranking of South Korea in U.S. trade relationships by size
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, lawmakers can use targeted or "Ã la carte" funding bills to continue benefits or operations for specific programs and beneficiaries while other parts of the government remain closed.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Explains a durable legislative approach to mitigate harms from partial government closures.
As of 2025, approximately 42 million Americans were enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
October 29, 2025
high
statistical
Approximate scale of SNAP participation reported in 2025
A federal government shutdown can cause temporary lapses in appropriations that may interrupt funding and payments for federal benefit programs such as SNAP.
October 29, 2025
high
process
General effect of government shutdowns on federally funded benefit programs
As of 2025-10-29, the United States imposes a 20% tariff on Chinese imports in addition to other tariffs, citing concerns that China has not sufficiently restricted exports of fentanyl precursor chemicals.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
U.S. tariff policy linked to concerns about fentanyl precursor exports.
As of 2025-10-29, China has imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. soybean exports.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Retaliatory tariffs by China in response to U.S. tariffs and trade measures.
As of 2025-10-29, U.S. authorities had raised port fees on Chinese-owned or Chinese-operated ships docking at U.S. ports.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Port fee changes affecting Chinese-flagged or Chinese-operated vessels at U.S. ports.
As of 2025-10-29, Russia allows Chinese airlines to transit Russian airspace while not allowing the same transit rights to U.S. airlines, creating a cost advantage for some Chinese carriers on routes involving Russian airspace.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Airspace transit permissions affecting airline route costs.
Government shutdowns can require federal employees, including air traffic controllers, to work without pay, which can create financial strain leading some workers to seek loans, family assistance, or supplemental income through gig work such as driving for Uber or DoorDash.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a recurring effect of government shutdowns on federal employees and operational staffing in air traffic control.
Staffing shortages in air traffic control can produce isolated flight delays at airports, while aggregate national delay levels can nevertheless remain within the range of normal variation.
October 29, 2025
medium
temporal
General relationship between air-traffic staffing levels and flight delay patterns.
When the Federal Reserve buys a Treasury security, it pays with newly created money that is deposited into the reserve accounts that commercial banks hold at the Federal Reserve.
October 29, 2025
high
process
Describes the mechanics of open-market purchases and their effect on bank reserves.
As of 2025, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) assessed that the Trump administration's tariff policy was expected to increase unemployment rates and inflation and lower overall economic growth in 2025.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
CBO macroeconomic assessment of tariff effects
As of 2025, lower federal courts had found that most of President Trump's tariffs were illegal.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Judicial findings about the legality of tariff measures
As of 2025, the Trump administration had imposed 50% tariffs on certain Brazilian imports, including oil, coffee, and orange juice.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Description of the tariff measures applied to Brazilian goods
Trade agreements can eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs on a country's exports.
October 29, 2025
high
economic
Trade agreements often include tariff concessions as part of market-access provisions.
Trade agreements can address non-tariff barriers and expand market access for products.
October 29, 2025
high
economic
Non-tariff measures such as regulations and standards are commonly targeted in trade negotiations to improve market access.
Critical minerals agreements are a mechanism used to promote commercial partnerships and to expand trade and investment in strategic supply chains.
October 29, 2025
high
resource
Agreements focused on critical minerals can facilitate joint ventures, supply-chain cooperation, and investment between companies and countries.
Quantitative tightening is a Federal Reserve program that reduces the central bank's balance sheet by allowing securities to roll off, and that program began in 2022.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the Federal Reserve's balance-sheet reduction policy and its start year.
The Federal Reserve can reinvest principal payments from its holdings into Treasury bills instead of allowing those assets to roll off its balance sheet.
October 29, 2025
high
policy
Describes an operational tool the Fed can use to manage the size and composition of its balance sheet.
A government shutdown can halt the release of key economic indicators, including monthly jobs reports, reducing access to official government-produced data.
October 29, 2025
high
process
Describes how interruptions in government operations affect the availability of official economic statistics.
Private-sector economic indicators and nationwide anecdotes provide timely information but are generally less comprehensive than government-produced reports, which are considered the gold standard for economic data.
October 29, 2025
high
methodological
Describes relative strengths and limitations of private vs. government economic data sources.
As of 2025-10-29, more than 24 million Americans rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for health insurance.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline enrollment figure for ACA coverage reported in late 2025.
A 2025 estimate by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that a four-week federal government shutdown would reduce U.S. real GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 by about 1% and that an eight-week shutdown would reduce fourth-quarter 2025 growth by about 2%.
October 29, 2025
high
statistical
This is the CBO's modeled impact on quarterly U.S. economic growth under different shutdown durations.
A 2025 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate of the economic effects of a federal funding lapse was based on assumptions that furloughed federal employees would be paid retroactively when the shutdown ends, that spending on goods and services forgone during the shutdown would be made up after funding resumes, that active-duty military and certain law enforcement personnel would continue to be paid during the shutdown, and that missed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits would be paid retroactively.
October 29, 2025
high
assumption
These were the key modeling assumptions underlying the CBO's estimate of shutdown impacts.
Adoption of generative AI and other AI technologies can produce efficiency gains that may reduce staffing needs for some corporate roles while increasing demand for other types of roles.
October 28, 2025
medium
trend
AI-driven automation and productivity tools change labor requirements across organizations.
Many technology companies expanded their corporate workforces during the COVID-19 pandemic (roughly 2020â2022).
October 28, 2025
high
historical
Demand and investment patterns during the pandemic led tech firms to hire across corporate functions.
A 2025 analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that the average monthly SNAP benefit was $187 per person.
October 28, 2025
high
statistical
Average benefit amount reported for SNAP recipients.
SNAP benefits are delivered via electronic benefit transfer (EBT) debit cards, and states use differing schedules and reloading processes so beneficiaries do not all receive benefits on the same day of the month.
October 28, 2025
high
process
Description of how SNAP benefit issuance varies by state.
As of 2025, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food assistance to about 42 million Americans to help supplement their grocery purchases.
October 28, 2025
high
temporal
National federal nutrition assistance program participation level.
As of 2025, SNAP assists about one in eight Americans, delivering benefits via electronic benefit transfer (EBT) debit cards that are typically loaded monthly by the federal government.
October 28, 2025
high
temporal
Description of how SNAP benefits are provided and population reach.
Approximately 42 million people relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food assistance as of 2025-10-28.
October 28, 2025
high
temporal
Estimated national enrollment size of SNAP at the time of reporting.
Primary recipient groups of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) include seniors, families with children, and people with disabilities.
October 28, 2025
high
temporal
Typical demographic groups served by SNAP benefits.
Individual U.S. states administer SNAP benefits while the federal government provides funding and operates the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) infrastructure used to deliver benefits.
October 28, 2025
high
temporal
Division of responsibilities between state agencies and the federal government for SNAP operations and benefit delivery.
Approximately 42 million Americans relied on federal food assistance programs to supplement grocery bills in 2025.
October 28, 2025
high
statistical
Scale of participation in U.S. federal food assistance programs.
U.S. presidents can invoke emergency authorities to impose tariffs, and such uses of emergency authority can be challenged in court up to the U.S. Supreme Court.
October 28, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the legal mechanism by which executive emergency powers have been used to impose trade measures and the potential for judicial review.
Tariffs can produce economic effects that affect domestic sectors such as farming and manufacturing, generating political concern and opposition.
October 28, 2025
high
temporal
General observation about the domestic economic and political impacts of tariff policies.
As of 2025, China's economy and military have been growing, increasing the country's economic and strategic strength.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a multi-year growth trend in China's economic and military capabilities.
China is a major source of rare earth minerals, which are of strategic and economic interest to the United States.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Rare earth minerals are strategically important for technology and defense supply chains.
Average sports ticket prices in the United States more than doubled over the 25-year period ending in 2025.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Long-term trend in consumer prices for live sporting event tickets.
As of 2025, Argentina owed approximately $56 billion to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
October 27, 2025
high
financial
Outstanding sovereign debt owed by Argentina to the IMF reported in 2025.
Argentina experienced chronically high inflation in the years leading up to 2025.
October 27, 2025
high
economic
Longstanding macroeconomic condition affecting Argentina prior to 2025.
As of 2025-10-27, Argentina owed approximately $56 billion to the International Monetary Fund.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Sovereign external debt outstanding to the IMF reported in news coverage.
By 2025, the Javier Milei administration had implemented austerity measures that drastically cut public spending intended to reduce Argentina's chronically high inflation.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Policy approach describing fiscal austerity and its stated macroeconomic goal.
A central bank chair who is perceived as insufficiently independent from the executive branch can face reduced financial-market confidence that the central bank will raise interest rates as necessary to control inflation.
October 27, 2025
high
conceptual
Describes how perceived political ties of a central bank leader can affect market expectations about monetary policy.
Experience as a regional Federal Reserve Bank vice president or other long-standing Federal Reserve roles provides institutional knowledge about how the Federal Reserve system operates and about potential avenues for institutional reform.
October 27, 2025
high
conceptual
Explains why professional backgrounds within the Federal Reserve system are relevant to perceptions of a candidate's ability to manage or reform the institution.
Some policymakers and commentators advocate for opening central-bank-operated payments systems to cryptocurrency-adjacent decentralized finance (DeFi) companies.
October 27, 2025
high
conceptual
Summarizes a policy position about expanding access to official payments infrastructure to certain crypto-related firms.
Monetary hawks generally favor higher interest rates and are skeptical of large-scale quantitative easing and expansive central-bank balance-sheet interventions, viewing such policies as potentially inflationary or risky.
October 27, 2025
high
conceptual
Defines the typical policy stance described as 'monetary hawkishness' in debates over central-bank actions like QE and emergency lending programs.
During a U.S. federal government shutdown, 'excepted' federal employees who are required to work may continue performing duties but may not receive pay until appropriations are restored.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Describes federal pay and work status during funding lapses.
During a U.S. federal government shutdown, certain categories of federal workers such as air traffic controllers and members of the armed forces can miss scheduled paychecks if appropriations lapse.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Identifies worker groups commonly affected by missed federal pay during funding gaps.
During a prolonged U.S. federal government shutdown, federally funded nutrition assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can face funding cliffs that risk benefit shortfalls for recipients.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Explains how program funding timelines can affect benefit continuity in a shutdown.
The United States and China are the world's two largest economies.
October 27, 2025
high
descriptive
The combined economic size and global trade relationships of the U.S. and China make their economic relations globally significant.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum is a multilateral forum where leaders of member economies meet in summits to discuss economic cooperation and regional trade issues.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Description of APEC's purpose and function.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been in existence for roughly 60 years.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Historical duration of the federal nutrition assistance program.
SNAP provides nutrition assistance to low-income populations, including children, seniors, and veterans.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Primary beneficiary groups served by the federal nutrition assistance program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintains contingency funds that can be used to sustain federal nutrition assistance programs during funding interruptions.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Policy mechanism for funding continuity of nutrition assistance programs.
SNAP provides roughly $8 billion per month in federal food assistance and reaches approximately 42 million Americans.
October 27, 2025
high
statistical
Approximate monthly funding level and beneficiary count for SNAP
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises countries with a combined economy of about $3.8 trillion and a combined population of about 680 million.
October 26, 2025
high
statistical
Overview of ASEAN's aggregate economic size and population.
China has, at times, restricted exports of certain key components used in technology manufacturing, prompting other countries to seek more diversified supply chains.
October 26, 2025
medium
trade
Export limits on critical technology components have influenced global supply-chain and trade-security considerations.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum that convenes summits for leaders of its member economies.
October 26, 2025
high
descriptive
APEC summits bring together leaders from member economies to discuss trade and economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Rare earth elements are used in a range of electronic devices and in automotive applications.
October 26, 2025
high
general
Describes common industrial uses of rare earth elements.
The global soybean market's leading suppliers include Brazil, Argentina, and the United States.
October 26, 2025
high
market
Describes the primary national suppliers in the global soybean market.
The U.S. Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF) has been described by officials as having not lost money historically.
October 26, 2025
medium
institutional
Statement reflects an asserted historical financial performance of the ESF as cited by government officials.
As of 2025, the U.S. government has pursued diversification of supply chains to reduce reliance on China because China has restricted exports of certain key components used in technology manufacturing.
October 26, 2025
high
temporal
Describes an ongoing policy trend by the U.S. in response to Chinese export controls on technology-related inputs.
Large tariff increases on imported goods can materially raise costs for businesses and can create instability or negative reactions in financial markets.
October 26, 2025
high
general
General relationship between tariff policy, business costs, and market reactions.
Governments sometimes use the threat of imposing tariffs as negotiating leverage in international trade discussions.
October 26, 2025
high
general
Common strategic tool in trade diplomacy and negotiations.
Bilateral trade negotiations between the United States and China commonly address issues such as rare earth minerals, soybeans, and technology export controls.
October 26, 2025
high
general
Typical substantive topics in U.S.-China trade talks.
U.S. federal government shutdowns can disrupt military pay and can affect broader economic activity.
October 26, 2025
high
economic
General consequence of lapses in federal appropriations.
Rare earth elements are raw materials that are needed for advanced technologies.
October 26, 2025
high
descriptive
Rare earth elements are used in components for advanced electronics, defense systems, and other high-tech applications.
China is the United States' third-largest trading partner after Mexico and Canada.
October 26, 2025
high
economic
Relative ranking of U.S. trade partners by trade volume.
As of 2025-10-26, tariffs on imports from China imposed by the United States were set at 30%.
October 26, 2025
high
economic
General tariff level applied by the United States to Chinese imports.
As of 2025, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises about 680 million people and has a combined economy with a GDP of approximately $3.8 trillion.
October 26, 2025
high
temporal
Overview of ASEAN's population and combined economic size.
As of 2025, East Timor (Timor-Leste) has an estimated population of about 1.4 million and a gross domestic product (GDP) of around $2 billion.
October 26, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline demographic and economic indicators for East Timor.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps people buy groceries and serves about one in eight Americans.
October 26, 2025
high
statistical
Description of SNAP's purpose and scale of participation in the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designates contingency funds to be reserved for disaster-related assistance and indicates that those contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular SNAP benefits.
October 26, 2025
high
policy
USDA guidance on the intended use and legal availability of contingency funds relative to regular benefit payments.
As of 2025, about one in eight Americans receive assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy groceries.
October 26, 2025
high
temporal
Program coverage statistic describing SNAP reach
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that contingency funds are reserved for disaster response and are not legally available to cover regular SNAP benefits.
October 26, 2025
high
temporal
Federal policy interpretation about the intended use of USDA contingency funds
USDA guidance indicates that states would not be reimbursed by the federal government for temporarily covering SNAP benefit costs if federal SNAP payments were halted.
October 26, 2025
high
temporal
Guidance regarding state-level temporary actions to continue SNAP benefits during a federal interruption
The United States and its allies prioritize expanding partnerships on semiconductors and critical minerals with Japan and South Korea to reduce reliance on China in global supply chains.
October 26, 2025
high
policy
Describes a sustained policy objective linking technology, resource security, and supply-chain resilience.
Bilateral discussions between the United States and East Asian allies commonly address trade imbalances, technology cooperation, and energy security.
October 26, 2025
high
policy
Describes recurring agenda items in U.S. diplomatic engagements with East Asian partners.
Javier Milei describes himself as an 'anarcho-capitalist', an ideological label associated with radical free-market libertarianism.
October 26, 2025
high
descriptive
Self-identification of the Argentine political leader's ideology
China has been the largest export market for U.S. soybeans.
October 26, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the role of China as the primary export destination for U.S. soybean shipments.
As of 2025-10-25, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summits commonly serve as venues where national leaders hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines to discuss trade and other bilateral issues.
October 25, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the customary use of APEC summits for side meetings between heads of state to advance bilateral negotiations.
As of 2025, U.S. tariff measures affecting Canadian imports included roughly 35% tariffs on many products, 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum, and 10% tariffs on energy products, while most goods that qualify under the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA) are exempt from tariffs.
October 25, 2025
high
policy
Ranges of U.S. tariff rates applied to various categories of Canadian imports and USMCA exemptions.
In 2025, nearly 42 million people in the United States received federal food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of SNAP participation in the U.S.
In 2025, about one in eight U.S. residents received an average of $187 per month through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
Per-recipient average monthly benefit and prevalence of SNAP participation
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, is the largest federal anti-hunger program in the United States.
October 24, 2025
high
definitional
Program description and relative role in U.S. anti-hunger policy
More than three-quarters of Canadian exports are directed to the United States.
October 24, 2025
high
statistical
Describes the export dependence of Canada on the U.S. market.
Approximately CA$3.6 billion (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the CanadaâUnited States border each day.
October 24, 2025
high
statistical
Daily bilateral trade flow value between Canada and the United States.
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a North American trade agreement that was negotiated by Donald Trump during his first presidential term.
October 24, 2025
high
institutional
Identifies the origin and nature of the USMCA trade agreement.
Rosneft and Lukoil together account for nearly half of Russia's oil exports.
October 24, 2025
high
statistical
The two companies are major contributors to Russia's oil export volumes.
The Social Security Administration uses consumer price data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as a key part of the formula to calculate annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for Social Security benefits.
October 24, 2025
high
institutional
Relationship between BLS consumer price data and the calculation of Social Security COLA.
Nearly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars (about 2.7 billion U.S. dollars) worth of goods and services cross the United StatesâCanada border each day.
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
Daily bilateral cross-border trade value between Canada and the United States.
Argentina has multibillion-dollar payment obligations to the International Monetary Fund that are scheduled for 2026.
October 24, 2025
high
financial_obligation
Scheduled sovereign repayment obligations to the IMF.
As of 2025-10-24, Target Corporation operates about 1,980 stores in the United States.
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline company size and store footprint.
Comparable sales in retail are sales from established physical stores and online channels.
October 24, 2025
high
definition
Definition of the retail metric commonly reported by retailers to track performance of existing operations.
Periods of inflation can lead consumers to curtail discretionary spending.
October 24, 2025
high
generalization
General economic relationship between inflation and consumer discretionary spending behavior.
SNAP is the acronym for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people.
October 24, 2025
high
definition
Program name and purpose
WIC is the acronym for the Women, Infants, and Children program, a federal nutrition program that serves pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children.
October 24, 2025
high
definition
Program name and beneficiary population
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) interprets SNAP contingency funds as intended for rapid-response emergencies such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods, rather than for covering extended budget shortfalls.
October 24, 2025
high
policy
USDA policy interpretation regarding the appropriate use of SNAP contingency funds
China uses five-year plans to map out policy priorities and to decide on funding allocation for national development.
October 24, 2025
high
structural
Five-year plans are a central planning tool used by China's government to set multi-year policy and budget priorities.
China's five-year plans derive from the Soviet-style model of central planning and function as multi-year economic blueprints.
October 24, 2025
high
historical
The five-year planning approach traces its origins to the centralized planning systems used by the Soviet Union.
When manufacturing capacity exceeds domestic demand in industries, it can trigger price wars and prompt firms to boost exports, which can increase trade tensions with trading partners.
October 24, 2025
high
economic
Overcapacity can depress prices and incentivize companies to seek external markets, potentially affecting international trade relations.
Tariffs can impose economic harm on sectors such as aluminum, steel, automotive manufacturing, and lumber.
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
General observation about the economic impact of tariffs on industry sectors.
National governments may pursue export diversificationâfor example, increasing exports to countries outside a dominant trading partnerâto reduce exposure to that partner's tariff policies.
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
Policy approach used to mitigate risks from another country's tariff changes.
Entry-level air traffic controllers may earn under $50,000, which can increase their vulnerability to short-term financial strain if pay is interrupted.
October 24, 2025
high
statistical
Lower starting salaries for new controllers can affect their ability to absorb income interruptions.
Tariffs and trade uncertainty can prompt retailers to shift import responsibilities to suppliers, causing retailers to order later and in smaller, more frequent batches while suppliers hold more inventory and face increased exposure to customs- and inventory-related risks, a pattern especially evident for discretionary goods such as toys.
October 23, 2025
high
causal
Describes a durable market response linking trade policy risk to changes in sourcing and inventory allocation.
Under U.S. federal practice during a lapse in appropriations, 'excepted' (essential) federal employees continue to work but do not receive pay until appropriations are restored, while nonessential federal employees are placed on furlough and typically receive retroactive back pay after funding is resumed.
October 23, 2025
high
policy
Describes standard federal workforce pay and furlough treatment during government funding lapses (shutdowns).
Private-sector firms (for example, banks, payroll processors, and card networks) often produce timelier and more granular economic indicators than government agencies, but their data are subject to coverage biases, commercial incentives, and inconsistent nationwide sampling, making them complements rather than substitutes for official government statistics.
October 23, 2025
high
descriptive
Comparison of private-sector alternative data sources with official government statistics.
ADP processes approximately 20% of U.S. private-sector payrolls.
October 23, 2025
high
descriptive
Market share of a major payroll processor in handling private-sector payrolls.
A payroll processor's data typically excludes government employment and can over-represent or under-represent particular industries depending on the processor's client mix.
October 23, 2025
high
descriptive
Limitations of using payroll-processor datasets as proxies for whole-economy employment.
U.S. federal statistical agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Census Bureau collect comprehensive and consistent nationwide economic data that private companies generally cannot fully replicate.
October 23, 2025
high
descriptive
Role and comparative strengths of official federal statistical agencies.
The U.S. air traffic control system has experienced multi-year staffing shortages that have required existing air traffic controllers to work extended shifts with limited time off.
October 23, 2025
high
temporal
Longstanding workforce shortages in air traffic control create operational strain on remaining staff.
Federal 'excepted' or essential employees are generally required to continue working during a federal government shutdown and may not receive pay until appropriations are restored or legislation provides pay.
October 23, 2025
high
operational
Employment status and pay treatment of excepted/essential federal workers during funding lapses.
Staffing shortages among air traffic controllers can cause flight delays and flight cancellations.
October 23, 2025
high
temporal
Reduced controller staffing can reduce the capacity of air traffic operations, affecting on-time performance.
Freddie Mac reported that the average 30-year U.S. mortgage rate was 6.19% on 2025-10-23, down from 6.27% the prior week and 6.54% on the same date in 2024.
October 23, 2025
high
temporal
Weekly mortgage rate survey published by Freddie Mac; provides short-term and year-ago comparisons.
Freddie Mac reported that the average 15-year fixed-rate mortgage was 5.44% on 2025-10-23, down from 5.52% the prior week and 5.71% on the same date in 2024.
October 23, 2025
high
temporal
Weekly mortgage rate survey published by Freddie Mac; highlights refinance-relevant rates.
Mortgage interest rates are generally influenced by Federal Reserve interest-rate policy decisions, bond market investors' expectations for the economy and inflation, and they generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
October 23, 2025
high
explanatory
Describes durable factors and mechanisms that typically affect mortgage-rate movements.
During a U.S. federal government shutdown, employees designated as essential (examples include members of the armed forces, Transportation Security Administration agents, and federal law enforcement such as the U.S. Capitol Police) may be required to continue working without pay.
October 23, 2025
high
policy
General personnel and pay treatment during federal government shutdowns
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly called "food stamps," is a federal program that provides nutrition assistance to eligible low-income individuals and families.
October 23, 2025
high
definition
Basic description of SNAP
The Affordable Care Act established a Health Insurance Marketplace that uses an annual open enrollment period for consumers to purchase health plans.
October 23, 2025
high
procedural
Structure and timing mechanism for purchasing ACA marketplace coverage
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries.
October 23, 2025
high
statistic
Describes the program's reach among the U.S. population.
As of 2025, the U.S. cattle inventory was at its lowest levels in decades, with drought and rising operating costs contributing to many ranchers reducing their herd sizes.
October 23, 2025
high
temporal
Long-term decline in U.S. cattle inventory and key drivers affecting herd size decisions.
Four meatpacking firms collectively control over 80% of U.S. beef processing capacity.
October 23, 2025
high
temporal
Concentration of the U.S. beef processing industry among a small number of firms.
More than 75% of Canada's exports are destined for the United States.
October 23, 2025
high
statistical
Share of Canadian exports by destination country.
Nearly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars (approximately US$2.7 billion) in goods and services cross the CanadaâUnited States border each day.
October 23, 2025
high
statistical
Daily value of bilateral trade flows between Canada and the United States.
Canada has the third-largest oil reserves and the fourth-largest natural gas reserves in the world.
October 23, 2025
high
statistical
Global ranking of Canada's hydrocarbon reserves by size.
About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports originate from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are supplied by Canada.
October 23, 2025
high
statistical
Proportions of U.S. energy imports sourced from Canada.
Countries may attach conditions to foreign investment commitments that require the investment benefits to accrue to the investing country's domestic companies.
October 23, 2025
high
contextual
A common feature in bilateral investment memorandums and deals.
A currency swap line provides a foreign central bank access to U.S. dollar liquidity to facilitate cross-border investments and financial transactions.
October 23, 2025
high
contextual
Swap lines are used to ensure dollar funding is available for international transactions.
Loan guarantees are used by governments or financial institutions to support large investment transactions by reducing lenders' credit risk.
October 23, 2025
high
contextual
Loan guarantees can enable transactions that might otherwise be unaffordable or too risky for private lenders.
China has been increasing industrial focus and investment in electric vehicles and semiconductor manufacturing.
October 23, 2025
high
contextual
Electric vehicles and semiconductors are major areas of industrial competition and policy focus globally.
China mines approximately 70% of the world's rare earths.
October 22, 2025
high
statistical
Distribution of extraction of rare earth elements in the global market
China performs chemical processing for approximately 90% of the global rare-earth supply.
October 22, 2025
high
statistical
Share of downstream processing (chemical refining) for rare earth elements worldwide
Developing alternative supply chains for critical minerals typically requires constructing mines, refineries, and factories, a process that can take years and requires substantial capital, which creates a risk that publicly backed investments may fail if directed to unproven companies.
October 22, 2025
high
process
Constraints and risks associated with replacing dominant mineral suppliers
Mining and chemical refining operations for minerals can cause environmental harm.
October 22, 2025
high
environmental
Environmental impacts commonly associated with extraction and processing of minerals
Producers commonly place orders for the following year's seed and fertilizer and settle operating loans around harvest season.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Typical seasonal timing for farm input purchases and financial settlements.
Inflation and rising input costs can place farm economies under critical financial stress and increase reliance on government farm support programs.
October 22, 2025
high
descriptive
Relationship between input price inflation and demand for farm support interventions.
Rare earth elements are critical inputs for advanced technologies, and loss of access to those elements can disrupt supply chains for those technologies.
October 22, 2025
high
economic
Explains the role of rare earths in technology manufacturing and the supply-chain risk posed by restricted access.
Very high import tariffs between major economies can sharply reduce bilateral trade volumes and risk harming global economic growth.
October 22, 2025
high
economic
Summarizes the general economic effect of imposing extremely high tariffs on trade between large economies.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office has stated that rising government debt can lead to higher borrowing costs for consumers (including mortgages and car loans), lower wages due to reduced business investment, and higher prices for goods and services.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
General fiscal impacts of increasing national government debt as described by the Government Accountability Office.
A 2025 analysis by the U.S. Department of the Treasury reported that the cumulative federal budget deficit from April through September 2025 totaled $468 billion.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Treasury Department cumulative deficit figure covering a six-month period in 2025.
The Joint Economic Committee estimated in 2025 that the total U.S. national debt was increasing at an average rate of about $69,713.82 per second over the prior year.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Estimated per-second growth rate of total national debt averaged over a one-year period as reported by the Joint Economic Committee.
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation stated in 2025 that the United States spent approximately $4 trillion on interest over the prior decade and that interest payments are projected to total about $14 trillion over the next ten years.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Past and projected federal interest payment totals cited by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
As of 2025-10-22, about 40 million low-income people in the United States receive federal food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including roughly 5.5 million recipients in California.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline counts of SNAP recipients at the national and California state level reported in the news article.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the federal food assistance program formerly known as "food stamps".
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Official program name and historical name for the U.S. federal food assistance program.
The Bank of Japan's official inflation target is about 2%.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Central banks commonly set an explicit inflation target to guide monetary policy.
A relatively weak Japanese yen can hinder the Bank of Japan's efforts to curb inflation by raising import costs and sustaining higher domestic price pressures.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Movements in a country's currency affect import prices and thus inflation dynamics that monetary policy must address.
Under U.S. federal law, federal civilian employees are entitled to receive back pay for missed pay periods once a federal government shutdown ends.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Legal entitlement affecting federal workers during and after federal government shutdowns
Past U.S. federal government shutdowns have imposed measurable costs on government operations and the broader U.S. economy.
October 21, 2025
medium
temporal
Historical economic impact of federal government shutdowns
Colombia receives approximately $230 million per year in U.S. foreign aid.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Annual scale of U.S. financial assistance to Colombia, much of which supports counternarcotics efforts
WIC stands for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
WIC is a federal nutrition assistance program commonly referenced by its acronym.
Head Start is a federal program that provides early childhood education and related services to low-income children and families.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Head Start is a long-standing U.S. program delivering preschool and family support services to needy households.
A U.S. federal government shutdown can lead to furloughs of federal employees and missed paychecks.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Shutdowns that halt government operations typically cause temporary unpaid leave and payroll disruptions for affected federal workers.
Federal government shutdowns can put funding for programs that serve needy families, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Head Start preschool programs, at risk of being cut off.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Program funding vulnerabilities during lapses in federal appropriations.
Stocks of precious-metals mining companies and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to gold and silver typically move sharply in response to large price changes in those metals.
October 21, 2025
high
general
Describes the common market linkage between metal prices and related equity/ETF instruments.
Governments sometimes use tariffs as a policy tool to pressure trading partners to change trade practices that are perceived as unfair.
October 21, 2025
high
policy
Describes a common trade policy approach for addressing perceived unfair practices.
Rare earth minerals are critical inputs for high-tech manufacturing.
October 21, 2025
high
resource
Highlights the importance of rare earth elements in advanced technology supply chains.
Trade disputes involving measures such as tariffs and export restrictions can significantly disrupt industries and affect the global economy.
October 21, 2025
high
economic
General statement about the potential economic impact of trade tensions between major economies.
As of 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintained an emergency contingency fund for SNAP of roughly $5 billion.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Size of the USDA emergency contingency fund related to SNAP.
Approximately 42 million people were estimated to receive SNAP benefits in 2025.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Estimated number of SNAP recipients.
YouTube's content policy prohibits directing viewers to online gambling sites or applications that are not certified by Google and requires that content which depicts or promotes in-person gambling be age-restricted.
October 20, 2025
high
policy
Platform content-moderation rules governing gambling-related videos on YouTube.
Poker is commonly characterized by players and advocates as a game involving substantial skill, distinct from casino games such as blackjack, roulette, and slots that typically yield a long-term house advantage.
October 20, 2025
high
descriptive
Basis for regulatory and legal arguments about how poker should be treated relative to other forms of gambling.
Trade credit is a form of short-term financing that allows companies to delay payments to suppliers or to borrow against invoices.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Definition of a commonly used corporate short-term financing instrument.
Off-balance-sheet financing can make a company's true leverage and liquidity strain less visible to investors.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
General effect of financing arrangements that are not recorded on a company's balance sheet.
In later stages of a credit cycle or in loose-credit environments, institutional investors may perform less due diligence and consequently increase exposure to credit risk, which can lead to a subsequent period of intensified risk assessment when problematic loans emerge.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Behavioral pattern observed across credit cycles linking credit availability, investor due diligence, and later risk discovery.
Large investor outflows from high-yield bond and leveraged-loan mutual funds and ETFs can tighten the amount of credit ultimately available to corporate borrowers.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Mechanism connecting fund redemptions to corporate credit availability.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, is a federal program in the United States that provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Program definition
SNAP is the largest domestic food-assistance program in the United States by number of participants.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Program scale
SNAP benefits are typically issued to recipients via electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, which are used to access authorized food purchases.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Benefit delivery mechanism
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and issues guidance to state agencies on SNAP benefit distribution and program operations.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Program administration
In 2025, the Chinese government announced export controls requiring foreign companies to obtain Chinese government approval to export magnets that contain any trace amounts of rare-earth materials originating from China or produced with Chinese technology.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
A policy change affecting global rare-earth and magnet exports and supply chains.
Critical minerals and rare-earth materials are used in technologies including fighter jets, electric vehicles, laptops, and smartphones.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Broad statement about demand drivers for critical minerals across defense and consumer electronics.
As of 2025, Australia has abundant rare-earth resources and a well-developed mining sector with refining capacity.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Australia's role as a potential supplier in global critical-minerals supply chains.
For decades through 2025, China has at times used the tactic of dumping excess critical minerals onto global markets to depress prices and disadvantage mining companies outside China.
October 20, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a market strategy affecting global competition in critical-minerals extraction and processing.
Some legislative proposals during U.S. federal government shutdowns propose using government funding to provide backpay and ongoing wages to military servicemembers and essential federal workers.
October 20, 2025
high
policy
Describes a common legislative approach to mitigate pay disruptions for certain categories of federal personnel during shutdowns.
Some legislative proposals addressing pay during U.S. federal government shutdowns would compensate only federal employees who are not furloughed, excluding furloughed employees from immediate pay protections.
October 20, 2025
high
policy
Highlights a policy design distinction that can affect which federal workers receive pay during shutdowns.
Federal executive actions during U.S. government shutdowns have included diverting previously appropriated Department of Defense research and development funds to continue military pay, an action that some lawmakers have characterized as potentially illegal.
October 20, 2025
high
process
Describes a recurrent executive-branch funding reprogramming tactic and the legal controversy it can raise.
Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are three major cloud computing providers that together serve as a technical backbone for large parts of the internet.
October 20, 2025
high
structural
Large-scale cloud providers host infrastructure and services relied on by millions of users and thousands of companies.
Many businesses have outsourced their data center operations to large cloud providers because outsourcing is generally more cost-effective and operationally efficient than maintaining private data centers.
October 20, 2025
high
economic
Outsourcing to cloud providers reduces capital and maintenance burdens associated with running private infrastructure.
Centralization of cloud infrastructure creates systemic 'centralization risk' in which failures at a single cloud provider can cause simultaneous outages across many dependent companies and services.
October 20, 2025
high
risk
When many services rely on the same underlying provider, a provider-level failure can cascade to numerous customers.
Just-in-time inventory practices that keep minimal stock on hand increase supply-chain fragility by making businesses more vulnerable to disruptions when delays occur.
October 20, 2025
high
economic
Just-in-time approaches reduce carrying costs but reduce slack that absorbs shocks, amplifying the impact of delays or shortages.
In 2025 the Chinese government enacted export-control policies requiring foreign companies to obtain Chinese government approval to export magnets that contain trace amounts of rare-earth materials that originated in China or were produced with Chinese technology.
October 20, 2025
high
policy
Export-control measure targeting magnets with any trace of China-origin or China-processed rare-earth content.
China has used the tactic of dumping excess critical minerals onto global markets to lower prices and place competitive pressure on mining companies in other countries.
October 20, 2025
medium
economic
Historical market behavior attributed to China in the critical-minerals sector.
Australia has abundant critical minerals and rare-earth resources that are inputs to defense and consumer technologies, including fighter jets, electric vehicles, laptops, and smartphones.
October 20, 2025
high
resource
General description of Australia's mineral resource endowment and typical end uses of critical minerals.
Building sufficient rare-earth supply capacity outside China to meaningfully reduce Chinaâs market dominance is likely to take years to decades.
October 20, 2025
medium
supply_chain
Assessment of the time horizon for diversifying global rare-earth production away from China.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is commonly described as the world's busiest airport.
October 20, 2025
high
descriptive
The airport is widely characterized by sources and commentators as the world's busiest passenger airport.
A 2025 AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that 47% of U.S. adults in 2025 were 'not very' or 'not at all confident' they could find a good job if they wanted, compared with 37% in October 2023.
October 19, 2025
high
temporal
National AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll measuring public confidence in the job market.
A 2025 AP-NORC poll found that 36% of U.S. adults said electricity bills were a 'major' source of stress, just over one-half said the cost of groceries was a 'major' source of financial stress, about four in ten said the cost of housing and the cost of health care were a serious strain, and about one-third reported high stress about gasoline prices.
October 19, 2025
high
temporal
National AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll measuring sources of financial stress for households.
Drought conditions have contributed to higher U.S. beef prices.
October 19, 2025
high
economic
Broad supply-side factor cited as affecting U.S. beef prices.
A flesh-eating pest in Mexican cattle herds reduced beef imports from Mexico, which contributed to higher U.S. beef prices.
October 19, 2025
high
economic
Animal health issue in Mexico affecting cross-border beef trade and U.S. market supply.
An administration has used a federal government funding shutdown as a basis to terminate federal employees for the first time.
October 18, 2025
medium
temporal
Describes a historical precedent in how funding shutdowns were used with respect to federal employment actions.
U.S. law is legally unclear about whether the executive branch can use a funding shutdown to terminate federal employees, and courts have historically often deferred to presidential administrations on related personnel disputes.
October 18, 2025
medium
temporal
This summarizes legal and judicial tendencies regarding administrative authority during funding gaps.
Reductions in the federal workforce can make it harder for the government to attract and retain expert and skilled employees needed for scientific research, policy development, and regulatory implementation.
October 18, 2025
high
structural
Describes a general workforce and governance consequence of cutting federal personnel.
A corridor of Interstate 5 between San Diego and Los Angeles carries about 80,000 travelers and $94 million in freight per day.
October 18, 2025
high
statistical
Daily traveler and freight volumes for the I-5 corridor as reported by California state officials.
Gold is commonly treated as a safe-haven asset that investors increase purchases of during periods of economic or geopolitical uncertainty.
October 17, 2025
high
general
Describes a durable investor behavior linking gold demand to uncertainty.
Lower key interest rates tend to make gold more attractive as an investment relative to interest-bearing assets.
October 17, 2025
high
general
Interest-rate movements influence relative attractiveness of non-yielding assets like gold.
Central banks often increase their gold purchases during periods of heightened geopolitical tensions.
October 17, 2025
high
general
Identifies a recurring demand driver for official-sector gold buying.
A 25% tax on components that constitute 15% of a final product's sales price is equivalent to a 3.75% charge relative to the final product's sales price (25% Ã 15% = 3.75%).
October 17, 2025
high
calculation
Basic percentage calculation translating a tariff on components into an effective share of final product price.
The U.S. government-backed National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has a coverage limit of $250,000 that private insurers can provide policies exceeding.
October 16, 2025
high
general
The NFIP's coverage cap creates a role for private insurers to offer higher-coverage policies.
For properties in high-risk flood zones, government-backed NFIP policies are typically cheaper than private flood insurance, while in areas without high flood risk private flood insurance often has lower rates.
October 16, 2025
high
general
Comparative pricing between NFIP and private-market policies varies by assessed flood risk of the property.
Mortgage lenders commonly require flood insurance for properties located in designated high-risk flood zones.
October 16, 2025
high
general
Lender requirements drive demand for flood insurance for homes in regulated high-risk zones.
A 2025 Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that roughly six in ten U.S. adults said President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress had "a great deal" or "quite a bit" of responsibility for the government shutdown.
October 16, 2025
high
statistical
Public-opinion measurement of perceived responsibility for a government shutdown.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded food assistance program in the United States.
October 16, 2025
high
definition
General definition of SNAP
Approximately 42 million Americans received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in 2025.
October 16, 2025
high
statistical
Estimated number of SNAP beneficiaries reported in late 2025
The U.S. Congress funds federal government operations through annual appropriations bills, and lawmakers can use full-year regular-order appropriations bills or standalone appropriations bills to fund specific departments or portions of the government separately.
October 15, 2025
high
procedural
Regular-order appropriations refer to the standard process of passing full-year funding for departments; standalone bills can fund individual agencies or functions outside that package.
During federal government shutdowns, active-duty members of the U.S. military generally continue to be paid, although payment timing can be affected and may depend on available funds or specific funding actions.
October 15, 2025
medium
operational
Pay for military personnel during shutdowns can be governed by existing appropriations, Department of Defense authorities, or ad hoc funding actions.
Export controls on rare earth minerals can be used as an instrument of trade policy and economic leverage by countries.
October 15, 2025
high
policy
Export controls are a policy tool that can restrict the flow of strategic materials in international trade.
Tariffs are used as a negotiating and pressure tool in international trade relations, including between the United States and China.
October 15, 2025
high
policy
Tariffs can be implemented or threatened to influence trade negotiations and outcomes between trading partners.
A U.S. presidential proclamation in 2025 imposed tariffs on imported kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities at 25% beginning October 14, 2025 and scheduled an increase to 50% starting January 1, 2026.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
Tariff schedule for finished wood kitchen and bathroom fixtures established by a 2025 U.S. presidential proclamation.
A U.S. presidential proclamation in 2025 imposed a 25% tariff on imported upholstered chairs, seats and sofas beginning October 14, 2025, with the tariff scheduled to increase to 30% on January 1, 2026.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
Tariff schedule for upholstered wooden furniture established by a 2025 U.S. presidential proclamation.
In 2025, Canada supplied about 85% of the softwood lumber that the United States imported, amounting to nearly one-quarter of the U.S. national lumber supply, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
Share of U.S. softwood lumber imports and its contribution to U.S. supply reported by an industry association.
Joel Mokyr's research argues that Enlightenment-era scientific advances combined with a skilled class of mechanics and entrepreneurs who translated large 'macro inventions' into practical 'micro inventions' enabled Britain to operationalize technological change and catalyze the Industrial Revolution.
October 14, 2025
high
conceptual
Explains a proposed mechanism linking intellectual/scientific developments to practical technological adoption and sustained economic growth.
Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt developed a theoretical framework that sustained economic growth can arise from 'creative destruction,' meaning ongoing innovation continuously replaces older technologies and firms.
October 14, 2025
high
theoretical
Summarizes a growth theory emphasizing the growth effects of continual innovation and the displacement of incumbent technologies and firms.
Argentina has defaulted on its sovereign debt nine times in its modern history.
October 14, 2025
high
general
Historical sovereign-debt performance of Argentina as described in coverage of its financial vulnerabilities.
Javier Milei's political and economic platform emphasizes sharp reductions in state spending and a free-market agenda, accompanied by anti-'woke' rhetoric that has attracted support from some U.S. conservatives.
October 14, 2025
high
general
Characterization of Javier Milei's policy stance and ideological appeal.
Political setbacks can trigger investor flight, where investors sell sovereign bonds and local currency, contributing to currency depreciation and depletion of a country's foreign-exchange reserves.
October 14, 2025
high
general
Typical financial-market dynamics linking political confidence, capital flows, exchange rates, and reserve levels.
A currency swap line is a financial arrangement that allows a country to exchange its domestic currency for foreign currency (for example, U.S. dollars) to bolster foreign-exchange reserves and help stabilize its exchange rate.
October 14, 2025
high
general
Definition and typical purpose of currency swap lines between central banks or treasuries.
The International Monetary Fund projected U.S. real GDP growth of 2.0% in 2025 and 2.1% in 2026 in its 2025 World Economic Outlook.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
IMF semi-annual World Economic Outlook growth projections for the United States.
The International Monetary Fund projected global GDP growth of 3.2% in 2025 and 3.1% in 2026 in its 2025 World Economic Outlook.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
IMF semi-annual World Economic Outlook global growth projections.
The International Monetary Fund stated in its 2025 World Economic Outlook that import taxes and threats of additional tariffs have created ongoing uncertainty for businesses and are weighing on the world economy.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
IMF assessment of trade-policy effects on business uncertainty and global economic prospects.
The National Association of Homebuilders reported in 2025 that Canada supplies about 85% of the softwood lumber the United States imports, which represents nearly one-quarter of the U.S. national softwood lumber supply.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
Distribution of U.S. softwood lumber supply and the role of Canadian imports as reported in 2025.
The Federal Reserve has a dual mandate from the U.S. Congress to promote maximum employment and stable prices.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
U.S. central bank statutory objectives used to guide policy decisions.
The Federal Reserve can reduce its securities holdings by allowing Treasury securities and mortgage-backed securities to mature without reinvesting proceeds, a form of balance-sheet reduction commonly called quantitative tightening.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
Operational method central banks use to shrink their balance sheets over time.
A group of House Republican lawmakers stated that the U.S. cattle industry supports thousands of jobs and contributes $112 billion to rural economies nationwide.
October 14, 2025
high
statistical
Claim made by House Republican representatives in a letter regarding potential beef imports.
Philippe Aghion (Collège de France and London School of Economics) and Peter Howitt (Brown University) developed the economic theory of sustained growth through 'creative destruction', which explains long-term economic growth as driven by continuous innovation that replaces older firms, products, and technologies.
October 13, 2025
high
conceptual
Defines a durable economic growth theory linking innovation-driven replacement of old firms/technologies to sustained growth.
Joel Mokyr (Northwestern University) identified prerequisites for sustained economic growth that operate through technological progress, highlighting the importance of innovation and knowledge accumulation for long-term growth.
October 13, 2025
high
conceptual
Summarizes a research contribution linking technological progress and institutional or knowledge prerequisites to sustained economic growth.
The Nobel Prize in economic sciences is officially named the 'Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel'.
October 13, 2025
high
institutional
Official name of the economics prize associated with the Nobel awards.
The original Nobel Prizes cover the categories of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace and have been awarded since the early 20th century.
October 13, 2025
high
historical
Background on the establishment and scope of the Nobel Prizes.
The theory of 'creative destruction' describes how technological advances can displace earlier technologies so that a breakthrough in one generation can become obsolete in subsequent generations.
October 13, 2025
high
theoretical
Economic theory describing dynamics of technological progress and obsolescence.
The Nobel committee stated that, over the past 200 years, the world has experienced more economic growth than in any earlier period of human history.
October 13, 2025
high
historical
Characterization of long-term economic growth used to motivate study of technological change and living standards.
Global trade conflicts can rattle investors and have the potential to trigger sharp responses in financial markets.
October 13, 2025
high
general
Trade tensions between countries can increase market volatility and investor risk aversion.
A 2025 Kaiser Family Foundation estimate projected that monthly insurance costs for people buying coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces would double if federal subsidy payments were not renewed.
October 13, 2025
high
statistical
Estimate of the potential impact on premiums if ACA marketplace subsidies lapse.
A 2025 forecast by Challenger, Gray & Christmas projected that overall U.S. holiday hiring for the last three months of 2025 would likely be under 500,000 positions, lower than the 543,000 seasonal hires reported for 2024 and representing the smallest seasonal gain since 2009 when retailers hired 495,800 temporary workers.
October 13, 2025
high
temporal
Forecast and historical comparison of U.S. seasonal retail hiring levels.
As of 2025, China accounted for nearly 70% of the world's rare earths mining and controlled roughly 90% of global rare earths processing.
October 12, 2025
high
temporal
Global supply chain concentration for rare earth elements.
A 2025 KFF analysis of insurers' 2026 rate filings estimated that average premium payments by Affordable Care Act marketplace enrollees would increase by about 114% if enhanced premium tax credits expired.
October 12, 2025
high
statistical
KFF analyzed insurer rate filings for 2026 to model the impact of ending enhanced ACA premium tax credits.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, federally funded museums, research centers, and national zoos may temporarily close due to lack of funding.
October 12, 2025
high
temporal
Describes operational impacts on federally funded cultural and research institutions during shutdowns.
Expiration of federal premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act is expected to increase monthly health insurance costs for millions of people.
October 12, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the projected effect of ending federal ACA premium subsidy payments on insurance costs.
In 2025, the Chinese government restricted exports of rare earth elements by requiring foreign companies to obtain special approval to ship rare earth metals abroad, imposing permitting requirements on exports of technologies used in the mining, smelting, and recycling of rare earths, and stating that export requests for products used in military goods would be rejected.
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Policy changes to controls on rare earth exports and related technologies.
Rare earth elements and the magnets made from them are used in electronics, computer chips, lasers, jet engines, and other advanced technologies.
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Common industrial and technological applications of rare earths and rare-earth-based magnets.
The Smithsonian Institution operates 21 museums and the National Zoo.
October 11, 2025
high
organizational
Overview of the Smithsonian Institution's primary components.
The U.S. federal budget cycle begins on October 1 each year, and a lapse in appropriations at the start of that cycle can trigger a government shutdown.
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Rule of the federal budget process that determines when funding must be in place to avoid a shutdown.
The Congressional Budget Office in 2025 said the administration could use mandatory funding provided in the 2025 reconciliation act or other sources of mandatory funding to continue activities financed by direct appropriations at federal agencies, and that some Department of Defense funds could be used to pay active-duty personnel during a shutdown, thereby reducing the number of excepted workers who would receive delayed compensation; the CBO cited the Department of Defense, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of Management and Budget as agencies that received specific funds under the law.
October 11, 2025
high
policy
CBO explanation of potential funding authorities and agency-specific mandatory funds created by the 2025 reconciliation legislation that could be used during a lapse in annual appropriations.
Federal agencies collect and release statistics on the labor market, public health, agriculture, demographics, and other areas that are used by businesses, investors, and policymakers to make wage-setting, hiring, pricing, investment, and benefit-adjustment decisions.
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the general role and uses of official government statistics across multiple domains.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics produces monthly employment reports (the jobs report) that report measures such as the unemployment rate and net job creation, which are widely used by businesses and investors to inform hiring and investment decisions.
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Explains the content and decision-making use of the BLS monthly employment report.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI), produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is used to calculate the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the policy linkage between the CPI and Social Security benefit adjustments.
The American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) provides publicly available microdata that enable measurement of economic, demographic, and housing trends across small geographic areas and small population subgroups and are used by state and local governments and researchers studying topics such as health equity and immigrant health.
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the content and common uses of the ACS PUMS dataset.
Federal government shutdowns can halt the collection and public release of official statistics produced by agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Census Bureau, including labor market, public health, agricultural, and demographic data.
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the operational effect of federal funding gaps on statistical data collection and dissemination.
Businesses use official government data such as Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs reports to set wages and make hiring, pricing, and investment decisions; investors monitor government economic indicators and those releases can trigger significant stock market reactions; policymakers use government data to set policies like minimum wage standards and to adjust social assistance programs.
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Summarizes common uses of government economic statistics by private and public actors.
The Consumer Price Index calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is used to determine Social Security's Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
October 11, 2025
high
temporal
Explains the relationship between the CPI and adjustments to Social Security benefits.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the prices of goods and services across the nation.
October 10, 2025
high
definition
Basic definition of the CPI as produced by the BLS.
U.S. law requires the Social Security Administration to calculate Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) using third-quarter Consumer Price Index data and to publish those COLA increases before November 1.
October 10, 2025
high
policy
Statutory requirement that links CPI third-quarter data to Social Security COLA publication timing.
Social Security benefit payments are funded outside the annual appropriations process and are not dependent on yearly appropriations legislation.
October 10, 2025
high
policy
Description of the federal funding structure for Social Security benefits.
The Federal Reserve considers Consumer Price Index data as one of the data inputs when making interest rate decisions.
October 10, 2025
high
practice
Role of CPI in informing monetary policy decisions by the Federal Reserve.
Federal government shutdowns can result in large numbers of federal employees being furloughed while other federal employees are required to continue working without receiving paychecks.
October 10, 2025
high
temporal
Describes typical employment and pay outcomes that occur during U.S. federal government shutdowns.
Active-duty U.S. military personnel can be required to work during federal government shutdowns and may miss scheduled paychecks if the shutdown continues without a funding agreement.
October 10, 2025
high
temporal
Explains how government shutdowns can affect pay for military personnel.
Loss of federal pay during government shutdowns can create significant financial strain for affected households, often leading to reduced discretionary spending and consideration of changes to childcare or other essential arrangements.
October 10, 2025
high
temporal
Describes common household-level economic effects resulting from missed federal pay during shutdowns.
A U.S. federal government shutdown can result in suspension or reduction of government services and can cause federal employees, including some military personnel, to be furloughed or to work without immediate pay.
October 10, 2025
high
impact
General effects commonly associated with lapses in federal government funding.
Federal health insurance subsidies authorized by Congress can expire at the end of a year if Congress does not pass legislation to renew or extend them.
October 10, 2025
high
policy
Congressional authorization is required to maintain certain federal subsidy programs; lapse of authorization can lead to expiration.
Rare-earth elements are critical minerals used in manufacturing semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries, jet engines, and defense weapons.
October 10, 2025
high
descriptive
Common industrial and defense applications of rare-earth elements
Energy research company Wood Mackenzie estimated that China produces as much as 95% of the world's rare-earth magnets.
October 10, 2025
high
statistical
Market share estimate for production of rare-earth magnets
Access to rare-earth materials has been a key sticking point in trade negotiations between the United States and China.
October 10, 2025
high
descriptive
Strategic importance of rare-earth supply in USâChina trade discussions
During a U.S. federal government shutdown, active-duty service members required to work and other federal employees can experience delayed or missed paychecks unless Congress or the President provides funding or emergency pay.
October 10, 2025
high
impact
Summarizes a common consequence of federal government shutdowns for federal payroll.
RIF stands for 'reduction-in-force', a term used to describe formal workforce reductions in the federal government.
October 10, 2025
high
terminology
Common U.S. federal personnel-management terminology.
Federal law requires that reduction-in-force (RIF) procedures include a minimum 60 days' notice of a RIF's end date, or 30 days if a waiver is granted by the Office of Personnel Management; RIF notices are required to include information such as the reasons for the RIF and the effective date, and some agencies may need to notify unions or Congress.
October 10, 2025
high
procedural
Statutory and regulatory process for federal workforce reductions.
Rare earth elements are a group of metallic elements used in technologies such as electronics, computer chips, lasers, jet engines, and permanent magnets.
October 10, 2025
high
descriptive
Describes common industrial and technological applications of rare earth elements.
Some rare earth elements are difficult to mine.
October 10, 2025
high
descriptive
Refers to the extraction challenges associated with certain rare earth elements.
In 2025, U.S. Department of Transportation officials indicated that employees who purposefully fail to report for duty and cause operational disruptions can face disciplinary consequences, including possible termination.
October 10, 2025
high
temporal
Official enforcement stance on absenteeism that causes operational disruptions in federal transportation operations.
Rare earths are a group of materials that are critical inputs for manufacturing products ranging from consumer electronics to jet engines.
October 10, 2025
high
definition
Rare earth elements are important raw materials used across high-technology and industrial supply chains.
The S&P 500 index is widely used as a benchmark that influences the performance and valuation of many U.S. 401(k) retirement accounts.
October 10, 2025
high
market_benchmark
Many retirement investors hold funds and products that track or are compared against the S&P 500.
When stock prices rise faster than corporate profits, market valuations are often considered expensive, implying that prices must fall or corporate profits must increase for valuations to become less stretched.
October 10, 2025
high
economic_principle
Valuation concerns in equity markets commonly compare price movements to fundamentals such as earnings.
Brent crude serves as an international benchmark for global oil prices.
October 10, 2025
high
market_benchmark
Brent crude is commonly used as the pricing reference for global crude oil markets.
Accurate Energetic Systems is a significant employer in sparsely populated rural communities such as McEwen, Tennessee.
October 10, 2025
high
descriptive
Role of the company as a major local employer in a rural area.
Most-favored-nation pricing for drugs sold to Medicaid links Medicaid reimbursement prices to the lower prices paid for the same drugs in other developed countries.
October 10, 2025
high
policy
Description of a pricing policy mechanism that ties domestic public payer prices to international prices.
A government-run website model can facilitate direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical sales by directing patients to manufacturers' direct-to-consumer websites to place orders, enabling purchases that bypass health insurance.
October 10, 2025
high
program
General description of how a public-facing drug-pricing website can operate to provide consumers alternative purchase channels.
Medicaid and Medicaid beneficiaries generally pay some of the lowest prices for prescription drugs in the United States compared with other payer types.
October 10, 2025
high
economics
Comparative statement about relative drug prices across different payer types in the U.S. health system.
Over 40 million Americans are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
October 10, 2025
high
statistical
Baseline enrollment statistic for the federal food assistance program.
SNAP recipients receive benefits on prepaid electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, with an average payment of about $187 per month (roughly $6 per day) that can be used to buy produce, meat, dairy, and other household food staples.
October 10, 2025
high
statistical
Typical benefit amount and payment mechanism for SNAP participants.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is federally funded and overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), while state governments are responsible for administering benefits and setting their own disbursement dates.
October 10, 2025
high
process
Description of the federal-state division of responsibilities in SNAP administration.
The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) reported that there was a multiyear contingency reserve of about $6 billion available to cover SNAP costs during the Biden administration.
October 10, 2025
high
policy
Reported size of SNAP contingency funds intended to cover participant benefits and state administrative expenses during funding lapses.
When regular appropriations are not enacted, the U.S. Congress can pass continuing resolutions to temporarily fund the federal government for a specified period.
October 09, 2025
high
procedural
Continuing resolutions (CRs) are short-term funding measures used to keep government operations running.
Congressional appropriations can be enacted as standalone bills that fund specific parts of the federal government, such as a defense appropriations bill.
October 09, 2025
high
procedural
Appropriations are divided into separate bills that can be passed individually to fund distinct agencies or functions.
As of 2025, China processes around 90% of the world's rare earth elements.
October 09, 2025
high
statistical
Share of global processing capacity for rare earth elements.
Rare earth elements are critical inputs in technologies ranging from smartphones to advanced fighter jets.
October 09, 2025
high
descriptive
Uses and applications of rare earth elements across civilian and military technologies.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a short-term federal funding measure used to extend government funding, and because of the Senate filibuster, spending bills such as CRs typically require bipartisan support to pass the Senate.
October 09, 2025
high
temporal
Continuing resolutions are stopgap appropriations measures used when regular appropriations bills are not enacted on time.
Government shutdowns can lead to government offices being closed, hundreds of thousands of federal employees being placed on leave, and delays or threats to scheduled paydays.
October 09, 2025
high
temporal
General impacts of federal government funding lapses or shutdowns.
Rescissions by the executive branch are a mechanism to cancel or reduce previously approved budgetary allocations, and the use of such rescissions can disrupt bargaining dynamics with the legislative branch and be criticized as executive overreach.
October 09, 2025
high
temporal
Description of a budgetary tool (rescission) and its effects on executive-legislative relations.
As of 2025, the United States maintained a trade surplus with Brazil, and Brazil was one of only three G20 countries with which the United States had a trade surplus.
October 09, 2025
high
statistic
Statement about the U.S.-Brazil bilateral trade balance relative to other G20 countries.
About 24 million Americans who do not have job-based or public insurance, such as Medicaid, rely on Affordable Care Act marketplaces to purchase health coverage.
October 09, 2025
high
statistical
Scope of people using ACA (Obamacare) insurance marketplaces in the United States.
Federal subsidies in the form of tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans reduce premiums for enrollees, and the absence or expiration of those subsidies can lead to substantially higher premiums for people buying coverage on those marketplaces.
October 09, 2025
high
policy
Explains the causal relationship between ACA marketplace tax-credit subsidies and premium levels for enrollees.
Immigration enforcement operations can create a climate of fear that disrupts daily life and regional economies, including decreased workplace attendance, temporary or permanent business closures, and increased strain on schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
October 09, 2025
high
socioeconomic
Summarizes commonly reported social and economic impacts associated with immigration enforcement activities.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires permanent easements that grant government access in perpetuity to justify using federal taxpayer funds for beach renourishment projects, and the Corps has stated it will not construct projects that contain gaps caused by missing easements because engineered projects cannot provide the intended level of protection when constructed with gaps.
October 08, 2025
high
policy
Federal cost-sharing and construction standards for coastal beach renourishment projects.
Historically, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has funded about 65% of the costs of many beach restoration projects, with the remaining costs typically covered by local governments or nonfederal partners.
October 08, 2025
high
financial
Typical federal-local cost-sharing arrangements for coastal restoration.
Beach renourishment projects commonly involve dredging sand from offshore and pumping it onto the shore to widen beaches, and when private property owners refuse to grant permanent easements project sponsors may place new sand on the publicly owned seaward side of the beach, which can create gaps in protection and concentrate storm surge at unprotected private properties in future storms.
October 08, 2025
high
process
Typical engineering methods and risk implications for coastal nourishment when easements are not granted.
Gold is commonly regarded as a safe-haven asset that investors purchase during periods of financial or geopolitical turmoil.
October 08, 2025
high
descriptive
Describes a widely observed investor behavior and role of gold in markets.
National central banks can diversify foreign-exchange reserves by increasing allocations to gold, and large central-bank purchases can materially influence gold prices because of their substantial buying capacity.
October 08, 2025
high
descriptive
Explains a mechanism through which official demand can affect commodity prices.
U.S. Treasury securities have historically been regarded as a primary global safe asset, while gold serves as an alternative safe-haven asset that is not denominated in a fiat currency.
October 08, 2025
high
descriptive
Places two commonly used safe assets in comparative context.
Investors sometimes seek assets that are not tied to fiat currencies, such as gold and bitcoin, to hedge against risks like currency depreciation, sovereign debt concerns, and economic or policy uncertainty.
October 08, 2025
high
descriptive
Describes a motive for diversifying into non-fiat-denominated assets.
The Essential Air Service program subsidizes flights to many rural U.S. airports and serves roughly 170 communities.
October 08, 2025
high
temporal
Federal program that provides subsidized air service to small or remote communities.
Air traffic controllers are classified as excepted (essential) federal employees who are required to continue working during a U.S. federal government shutdown and may not receive pay until appropriations resume.
October 08, 2025
high
temporal
Employment classification for certain federal workers during funding lapses.
U.S. federal employees who are furloughed during a government shutdown are generally entitled to receive retroactive (back) pay once government funding is restored.
October 08, 2025
high
temporal
Legal and budgetary practice affecting federal employment during government shutdowns.
The H-1B visa is a U.S. nonimmigrant visa category for skilled workers employed in specialty occupations.
October 08, 2025
high
definition
Describes the purpose and classification of the H-1B visa.
The J-1 visa is a U.S. nonimmigrant visa for short-term cultural exchange programs and generally does not provide a pathway to permanent residency.
October 08, 2025
high
definition
General description of the J-1 immigration category and its limitations relative to permanent residency
Nearly three-quarters of approved H-1B beneficiaries are citizens of India, and large technology companies are the largest users of the H-1B program.
October 08, 2025
high
statistic
Share of H-1B approvals by country of origin and primary employer sector
Gold is commonly viewed as a "safe-haven" asset that investors often buy during periods of economic or geopolitical uncertainty.
October 08, 2025
high
general
Describes the typical role of gold in investor portfolios during times of market stress.
Gold prices tend to rise when the U.S. dollar weakens.
October 08, 2025
high
general
Relationship between gold price movements and dollar strength is a commonly observed market dynamic.
Physical gold does not pay dividends or interest and investing in physical gold typically incurs storage, security, and insurance costs, so returns depend on selling the metal at a higher price than the purchase price.
October 08, 2025
high
general
Describes structural characteristics and carrying costs of holding physical gold as an investment.
A continuing resolution is a temporary funding measure that Congress can use to fund the federal government short term when regular appropriations bills have not been enacted.
October 08, 2025
high
temporal
Explains the legislative mechanism used to avoid funding gaps.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary funding measure that Congress can pass to keep federal government operations funded until a specified future date when regular appropriations are enacted.
October 08, 2025
high
definition
Explains the purpose and function of a continuing resolution in federal budgeting.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), often called Obamacare, includes premium tax credits (subsidies) that lower health insurance premiums for people who purchase coverage through health insurance marketplaces.
October 08, 2025
high
definition
Describes the role of premium tax credits within the ACA marketplace framework.
Open enrollment for the federal ACA health insurance marketplaces typically begins on November 1 each year.
October 08, 2025
high
temporal
States the common annual start date for ACA marketplace open enrollment.
The Federal Reserve maintains an inflation target of 2%.
October 08, 2025
high
policy
Official inflation target used to guide U.S. monetary policy
Interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve can gradually lower borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, and business loans, which tends to encourage more consumer spending and business hiring.
October 08, 2025
high
economic_mechanism
Typical transmission mechanism of conventional monetary policy
The Federal Reserve relies on regular economic data releases such as the monthly jobs report and inflation report to inform its monetary policy decisions, and disruptions to those data releases can impede policy decision-making.
October 08, 2025
high
data_dependency
Monetary policymakers use incoming economic data to assess labor market and inflation conditions
Federal Reserve policymakers often differ in emphasis when setting interest-rate policy, with some prioritizing the risk of rising unemployment and others prioritizing the risk of persistent inflation above the 2% target.
October 08, 2025
high
governance
Divergent policy preferences among central bank officials influence the timing and size of rate changes
Many U.S. air traffic controllers are represented by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).
October 08, 2025
high
institutional
Labor representation for U.S. air traffic controllers.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) states that the United States is experiencing a national shortage of air traffic controllers and has called for accelerated training and hiring to address staffing vulnerabilities.
October 08, 2025
high
operational
Organizational assessment and recommended response to controller staffing shortfalls.
Research organizations that depend heavily on government grants but lack tuition or endowment revenue are vulnerable to financial shock from grant or contract terminations because they lack the buffering revenue sources that many universities have.
October 08, 2025
high
descriptive
Financial vulnerability of non-university research organizations reliant on government funding
The United States has experienced a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers.
October 07, 2025
high
temporal
Staffing levels in the air traffic control workforce.
The Beveridge Curve represents the relationship between job vacancies and unemployment, illustrating how combinations of vacancies and unemployment reflect labor market efficiency.
October 07, 2025
high
conceptual
Economic concept used to assess labor market tightness and matching efficiency between workers and jobs.
The U.S. Federal Reserve's statutory dual mandate directs it to pursue price stability (low and stable inflation) and maximum (full) employment.
October 07, 2025
high
conceptual
Guiding objectives that frame Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.
In so-called jobless recoveries, accommodative monetary policy can support growth in employment provided inflation is not rising.
October 07, 2025
high
conceptual
Describes a historical pattern where recovery in output does not immediately translate into employment gains and policy can help support labor market recovery when inflation is under control.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, federal agencies typically send home (furlough) workers whose roles are not considered essential.
October 07, 2025
high
process
Describes common administrative action taken by federal agencies during funding lapses.
Furloughs of federal employees during U.S. government shutdowns are typically temporary, and once Congress resolves the funding standoff employees generally return to work and receive back pay.
October 07, 2025
high
process
Describes the usual outcome for federal workers furloughed during funding gaps.
U.S. federal government shutdowns can disrupt or delay the regular release of key economic data.
October 07, 2025
high
process
When federal agencies suspend operations or reduce staffing during shutdowns, scheduled economic statistics and reports are often postponed or interrupted.
Advances in artificial intelligence have the potential to displace or eliminate certain jobs across sectors.
October 07, 2025
medium
trend
AI-driven automation and machine learning can substitute for human labor in some tasks, affecting employment composition and demand for certain skills.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, some federal employees continue to work but do not receive pay while the shutdown is in effect.
October 07, 2025
high
process
Describes the status of some federal employees during shutdowns who perform work without immediate compensation.
The Rystad Energy 'green energy index' comprises 83 publicly traded companies focused on clean energy.
October 07, 2025
high
temporal
Definition of the index used to track public clean-energy companies in Rystad Energy analysis.
Rystad Energy reported that the green energy index was up 40% year-to-date in 2025, outperforming the S&P 500 total return by 25 percentage points in 2025.
October 07, 2025
high
temporal
Year-to-date performance comparison between a clean-energy-focused index and the broad market in Rystad Energy analysis.
A 2025 U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report found that U.S. coal exports fell 14% in JanuaryâSeptember 2025 compared to JanuaryâSeptember 2024.
October 07, 2025
high
statistical
EIA trade and production data comparing year-over-year export volumes for the JanuaryâSeptember period.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is an $8 billion federal program that provides vouchers for infant formula, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk, and other healthy staple foods.
October 06, 2025
high
statistical
Program description and budget scale
As of 2025, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) serves more than 6 million low-income mothers and young children.
October 06, 2025
high
statistical
Program reach
A White House webpage listed total investment commitments at $8.8 trillion in 2025.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
Government-published aggregate of reported investment commitments
In 2025, the U.S. economy continued to grow while hiring slowed and inflation remained elevated.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
General macroeconomic conditions described for 2025.
As of 2025, the U.S. federal budget deficit was nearly $2 trillion on an annual basis.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
Statement about fiscal sustainability referenced for 2025.
A 15-year mortgage typically has higher monthly principal-and-interest payments than a 30-year mortgage for the same loan amount, but it pays off the loan in about half the time and generally results in substantially lower total interest paid over the life of the loan.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
Comparison of common fixed-rate mortgage term lengths and their typical financial trade-offs.
Standard quoted monthly mortgage payments usually cover only principal and interest; property taxes, homeowners insurance, and private mortgage insurance (PMI) are additional costs that increase the actual monthly housing payment.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
Components of a borrower's total monthly housing payment beyond principal and interest.
A decline in mortgage interest rates lowers the monthly principal-and-interest payment for a given loan amount and can improve housing affordability and a borrower's chances of qualifying for a mortgage.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
How changes in mortgage interest rates affect monthly payments and loan qualification.
A 2025 report from the Internal Revenue Service Office of Inspector General found that key IRS filing-season functions had lost 17% to 19% of their workforce, including an 18% reduction in fraud-detection staff and a 25% reduction in information-technology services staff.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
Workforce levels in IRS units that support tax filing and implementation of tax-law changes.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (2025) included tax-law changes that require the Internal Revenue Service to implement new deductions for overtime and tips.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
Tax-law provisions created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that affect IRS filing rules and taxpayer deductions.
A federal government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to enact funding by the statutory deadline, which leads to suspension of non-essential federal services and furloughs while many essential federal employees and active-duty service members may be required to continue working without pay.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
General description of how U.S. federal funding lapses affect operations and staffing.
As of 2025, about 24 million people who do not have employer-based insurance or coverage through public programs such as Medicaid use the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces to buy health plans.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of enrollment in ACA marketplaces among people without employer or public program coverage.
The U.S. federal budget deficit was nearly $2 trillion annually as of 2025.
October 06, 2025
medium
statistic
Reported magnitude of the U.S. annual federal budget deficit referenced in coverage of fiscal sustainability.
Federal officials have warned that terminating or furloughing federal employees during a government funding lapse can violate U.S. appropriations law.
October 05, 2025
high
legal
Appropriations law governs use of federal funds and can constrain personnel actions taken during a government shutdown or funding lapse.
Labor unions representing federal employees may sue the government over alleged unlawful threats or actions to use federal employees as leverage during budget or funding negotiations.
October 05, 2025
high
litigation
Unions can pursue legal remedies when they allege that executive actions during funding disputes unlawfully target federal workers.
When the U.S. federal government shuts down, agencies typically furlough employees who are not considered essential.
October 05, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a standard administrative outcome of federal government shutdowns.
Furloughed federal employees typically return to work and receive back pay once Congress resolves a government shutdown.
October 05, 2025
high
temporal
Typical practice following resolution of past U.S. federal government shutdowns.
Past U.S. federal government shutdowns have tended to cause temporary disruptions rather than prolonged economic shocks, with markets and jobs generally rebounding relatively quickly after resolution.
October 05, 2025
high
temporal
Summary observation about economic impacts from historical U.S. federal government shutdowns.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a short-term funding measure used to keep the federal government open temporarily while Congress completes the appropriations process.
October 05, 2025
high
procedural
Explains the purpose and use of continuing resolutions in federal budgeting.
Agrofert is a conglomerate composed of about 200 companies operating in agriculture, food, chemical, and media sectors.
October 05, 2025
high
descriptive
Agrofert is a major Czech corporate group historically associated with Andrej BabiÅĄ.
A rescission is an action to revoke previously enacted congressional appropriations, i.e., to claw back funding that Congress has already approved.
October 05, 2025
high
definition
Rescissions are a budgetary mechanism for reversing or reducing prior appropriations.
Congressional reconciliation is a legislative procedure used to advance budget-related bills and can be used to pursue deficit reduction, modify tax credits, and change entitlement programs such as Medicaid.
October 05, 2025
high
procedural
Reconciliation is commonly employed to enact fiscal and entitlement changes that are tied to the budget process.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a stopgap legislative measure used by the U.S. Congress to temporarily extend existing federal spending levels for a specified period when regular appropriations bills have not been enacted.
October 03, 2025
high
temporal
Defines the CR mechanism as a temporary funding measure when regular appropriations are not passed.
The U.S. federal government's fiscal year ends on September 30 and federal appropriations are organized around that fiscal year.
October 03, 2025
high
temporal
Provides the baseline calendar timing for federal budgeting and appropriations.
Regular federal funding is typically enacted through twelve annual, singleâsubject appropriations bills (the regular appropriations process).
October 03, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the standard structure of the U.S. appropriations process.
Continuing resolutions can be structured to extend federal funding for a range of durations, from short interim extensions measured in weeks to longer measures that can cover an entire fiscal year.
October 03, 2025
high
temporal
Explains the possible temporal scopes for CRs as stopgap funding instruments.
As of 2025-10-01, the average home equity level was reported to be over $300,000.
October 01, 2025
high
statistical
High-level national average home equity reported in October 2025.
A home equity line of credit (HELOC) typically carries a variable interest rate that can change monthly based on market conditions.
October 01, 2025
high
definition
General description of HELOC interest-rate behavior.
During the draw period of a HELOC, borrowers are generally required to make payments only on amounts they have actually drawn, and repayment of the drawn balance is typically required after the draw period ends.
October 01, 2025
high
procedural
Typical repayment structure for HELOCs.
A $150,000 HELOC amortized over 10 years at a 7.89% interest rate yields a monthly payment of approximately $1,811.21, and amortized over 15 years at the same rate yields a monthly payment of approximately $1,423.97 (example figures cited in October 2025).
October 01, 2025
high
statistical
Illustrative monthly-payment calculations for a $150,000 HELOC at 7.89% interest.
Variable-rate home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) track short-term benchmark rates such as the prime rate, and those benchmarks often move with the Federal Reserve's federal funds rate, so a Federal Reserve rate cut can quickly lower monthly payments on variable-rate HELOCs.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the typical linkage between HELOC pricing and short-term benchmark rates influenced by Federal Reserve policy.
Home equity lending rates are influenced by Federal Reserve policy, inflation data, bond yields, overall demand for credit, national unemployment statistics, and local housing market conditions.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Enumerates common macroeconomic and local factors that shape home equity interest rates.
The University of Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment index was 55.0 in October 2025, a 0.1% decline from 55.1 in September 2025.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Monthly consumer sentiment measure from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.
The net percentage of U.S. households expecting the unemployment rate to rise over the next year was 48% in October 2025, down from 53% in September 2025.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Measure of households' one-year unemployment expectations from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.
A CBS News poll found that 59% of respondents said the U.S. economy was getting worse in October 2025, up from 54% in July 2025.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Public perceptions of the U.S. economy from a CBS News poll.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, many federal employees are furloughed and non-essential operations such as access to offices, laboratories, email accounts, research projects, and grant-making activities are commonly paused.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes typical operational effects of U.S. federal government funding shutdowns on research and administrative functions.
Universities commonly provide temporary "bridge" funding to keep research groups afloat between grant awards, and institutions' ability to provide such bridge funding can be constrained by volatility in federal research funding.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a recurring institutional practice and its dependence on stable federal funding.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) delivers participants' monthly benefits electronically via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the standard method states use to distribute SNAP benefits to recipients.
In 2025, approximately 42 million individuals in the United States were cited as recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Reported estimate of SNAP caseload size referenced in October 2025.
Economists estimated in 2025 that tariffs increased annual U.S. inflation by roughly 0.4 percentage points.
October 01, 2025
medium
temporal
Estimates of the inflationary impact of tariffs are model-based and reflect aggregate effects on consumer prices.
The Conference Board reported its Consumer Confidence Index was 94.6 in October 2025; the Conference Board's short-term expectations subindex was 71.5 in October 2025 (below the 80 level commonly cited as a potential recession signal); and the Conference Board's present-situation subindex was 129.3 in October 2025.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Monthly consumer confidence and subindex readings from The Conference Board for October 2025.
In October 2025, aviation analytics firm Cirium reported strong on-time performance at most major U.S. airports despite isolated staffing problems throughout the month.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Monthly performance finding from an aviation analytics firm about airport punctuality.
Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that announced job cuts surged 175% in October 2025 compared with October 2024.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year change in announced job cuts as reported by an outplacement firm.
Federal employees deemed essential, such as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, are required to continue working during lapses in government funding and can face missed paychecks, which can lead to staffing shortages and disruptions to services like airline travel.
October 01, 2025
high
process
Typical operational and labor consequences of a government funding lapse
The U.S. federal government collected roughly $215 billion in tariffs in fiscal year 2025 (October 1, 2024âSeptember 30, 2025), according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Total tariff revenue collected by the U.S. federal government for fiscal year 2025.
The U.S. Treasury Department reported that the U.S. federal government collected roughly $215 billion in tariffs during the 2025 fiscal year, which ran from October 2024 to September 30, 2025.
September 30, 2025
high
statistical
Aggregate tariff revenue reported for the U.S. federal government's 2025 fiscal year.
A full federal government shutdown occurs when the federal fiscal year ends on September 30 and none of Congress's 12 single-subject appropriations bills have been enacted by both the House and Senate.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Definition of what constitutes a full U.S. federal government shutdown
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that consumer prices rose 3.0% year-over-year in September 2025.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year consumer price inflation as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for September 2025.
A 2025 PowerLines report found that utility rate increase requests and approvals totaled more than $34 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, nearly double the $16 billion in requests and approvals in the first three quarters of 2024.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
PowerLines is a nonprofit that tracks utility rate increase requests and approvals.
A 2025 PowerLines report estimated that utility rate hikes were expected to show up on the bills of over 124 million customers in 2025.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Estimate of the number of customers projected to be affected by utility rate increases in 2025.
A 2025 PowerLines report stated that utility rate hikes can create additional economic hardship for customers already struggling to make ends meet and potentially affect the wider economy.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
PowerLines' assessment of the economic impacts of utility rate increases on households and the broader economy.
The U.S. Congress can repeal presidential tariff actions by passing joint resolutions.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Legislative mechanism whereby Congress can overturn or modify executive trade actions.
U.S. senators representing states with significant cattle industries often oppose import decisions perceived to harm domestic cattle producers and related agricultural interests such as soybean farmers.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Domestic agricultural economic interests frequently shape senators' positions on trade and import policy.
A 2025 analysis by Redfin found that about 28 out of every 1,000 U.S. homes changed hands between January and September 2025, the lowest turnover rate going back to at least the 1990s.
September 30, 2025
high
statistic
Measured home turnover for the JanuaryâSeptember 2025 period.
A 2025 analysis by Redfin found that the U.S. home sales turnover rate through the first nine months of 2025 was about 30% lower than the average rate for the same period during 2012â2022.
September 30, 2025
high
statistic
Comparison of 2025 turnover through September with the 2012â2022 period average for the same months.
McDonald's same-store sales (sales at locations open at least one year) increased 3.6% in the third quarter (JulyâSeptember) of 2025.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Company same-store sales metric for Q3 2025
McDonald's U.S. same-store sales increased 2.4% in the third quarter (JulyâSeptember) of 2025.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
U.S. same-store sales metric for Q3 2025
McDonald's consolidated revenue for the third quarter (JulyâSeptember) of 2025 increased 3% year-over-year to $7.08 billion.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Quarterly revenue result for Q3 2025
McDonald's reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.22 in the third quarter (JulyâSeptember) of 2025 after excluding one-time items including $39 million in restructuring charges.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Adjusted EPS and one-time charge detail for Q3 2025
The U.S. federal government generated $195 billion in tariff-related revenue in fiscal year 2025, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
September 30, 2025
high
statistical
Annual tariff receipts reported by the U.S. Treasury for fiscal 2025.
Tax Foundation economist Erica York estimated that making a tariff-funded dividend available to all U.S. individuals earning $100,000 or less would cover about 150 million people and would cost roughly $300 billion.
September 30, 2025
high
statistical
Estimate of population coverage and gross cost for a proposed tariff-funded dividend limited by an income threshold.
Erica York estimated that each dollar of tariff revenue offsets about $0.24 of income and payroll tax revenue, and after accounting for that offset tariffs had produced about $90 billion in net revenue compared with a hypothetical $300 billion rebate.
September 30, 2025
high
statistical
Estimate of the broader budgetary impact of tariffs, including reduced tax receipts and resulting net revenue.
U.S. tariff collections in fiscal year 2025 totaled about $195 billion.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Federal government revenue from tariffs for fiscal year 2025.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides benefits that allow non- or low-income individuals and families to purchase groceries using an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card similar to a debit card.
September 30, 2025
high
definition
Program design and benefit delivery mechanism
More than 42 million Americans relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as of September 2025.
September 30, 2025
high
statistic
Program enrollment/beneficiary count
A 2025 U.S. presidential proclamation signed on 2025-09-29 set tariffs on imported bathroom vanities and kitchen cabinets at 25% through December 31, 2025 and scheduled the rate to increase to 50% starting January 1, 2026.
September 29, 2025
high
temporal
Tariff schedule for certain finished wood products as set by a 2025 presidential proclamation.
A 2025 U.S. presidential proclamation imposed a 10% import tax on softwood timber and lumber in 2025; softwood lumber (from evergreen trees such as pine and cedar) is often used to make furniture and for wood-frame construction.
September 29, 2025
high
temporal
Definition of softwood lumber and its common uses alongside the import tax established by the 2025 proclamation.
Approximately 42 million people in the United States used the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in 2025.
September 29, 2025
high
temporal
SNAP is the federal program that provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families.
SNAP benefit payments require about $8 billion per month to fund nationwide distributions (figure reported in 2025).
September 29, 2025
high
temporal
This is an aggregate monthly funding requirement for the SNAP program across all states.
SNAP funding is provided by the federal government while administration and benefit issuance are carried out by state agencies.
September 29, 2025
high
temporal
Federal funds finance SNAP benefits, but states manage enrollment, distribution schedules, and local administration.
China controls the vast majority of global rare earth mineral production and can use that control as geopolitical leverage.
September 29, 2025
high
geopolitical
Rare earth minerals are critical for many high-tech and defense supply chains, giving producing countries strategic leverage.
The United States is unlikely to be self-sufficient in rare earth minerals in the near term, creating a need for diversified supply chains for those materials.
September 29, 2025
medium
economic
Diversification can reduce dependency on a single dominant supplier and mitigate geopolitical risk to technology and manufacturing sectors.
U.S.âChina bilateral relations commonly involve disputes and negotiations over access to strategic commodities and trade issues such as rare earth minerals, soybean exports, illicit fentanyl flows, and export restrictions on advanced U.S. technologies like artificial intelligence chips.
September 29, 2025
high
geopolitical
These topics are recurring points of contention in trade and national security discussions between the two countries.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in 2025 that spending to build data centers is not especially interest-rate sensitive and is based on longer-run assessments that such investment will drive higher productivity.
September 29, 2025
high
temporal
Economic assessment of data-center capital expenditures and their sensitivity to interest rates.
Vanguard global chief economist Joe Davis said in 2025 that large-scale spending on AI-related infrastructure has served as an important backstop for the economy and supported stronger growth.
September 29, 2025
high
temporal
Macroeconomic impact of AI and related infrastructure investment.
Flight delays can increase when adverse weather coincides with air traffic control staffing shortages, producing compounded disruptions to air travel.
September 27, 2025
high
causal
Common interacting factors that disrupt airline operations
Approximately 42 million Americans receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
September 27, 2025
high
statistical
Order-of-magnitude estimate of SNAP enrollment
A 2025 National Association for Business Economics (NABE) survey of 40 economists projected U.S. real gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 1.8% in 2025 and 1.7% in 2026.
September 25, 2025
high
temporal
Forecasts of U.S. GDP growth from a 2025 NABE survey.
By 2025, U.S. soybean farmers had lost access to their largest export market, China, as a result of the U.S.âChina trade war.
September 25, 2025
high
economic
Describes the impact of trade tensions on agricultural export access.
By 2025, the export market lost to U.S. farmers after China closed its market was estimated at approximately $13 billion.
September 25, 2025
high
statistical
Monetary estimate of the value of lost agricultural exports due to China's market closure.
Economists commonly identify persistent trade wars and fragile trade negotiations as key risks that raise economic uncertainty.
September 23, 2025
high
general
Economic risk assessment related to international trade policy
When governments and trading partners fail to reach a trade agreement, higher tariffs can be imposed on exports destined for the partner country.
September 23, 2025
high
general
Mechanism linking trade negotiation outcomes to tariff policy
Official visits between national leaders are often used as signals that countries are attempting to ease or reset bilateral trade tensions.
September 23, 2025
medium
general
Diplomatic signaling in the context of trade relations
A 2025 Job Outlook survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers of 183 employers found that more than half of respondents rated the job market for the Class of 2026 as "poor" or "fair".
September 22, 2025
high
temporal
Survey-based assessment of employer expectations for graduate hiring for the Class of 2026.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers' Job Outlook survey is widely regarded as an early indicator of graduate hiring trends.
September 22, 2025
high
contextual
Describes the typical use and reputation of the Job Outlook survey in signaling graduate hiring conditions.
The Head Start program provides early childhood education and childcare funding targeted to low-income families with young children.
September 18, 2025
high
temporal
Head Start is a federal program focused on early childhood development for disadvantaged children.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a short-term legislative measure that temporarily extends current federal funding levels for a defined period when regular appropriations bills have not been enacted.
September 18, 2025
high
temporal
CRs are used to avoid gaps in federal funding pending passage of full appropriations.
The Federal Reserve's minutes from its September 16â17, 2025 policy meeting reported that a few participants favored keeping the federal funds rate unchanged at that meeting while almost all participants supported a subsequent rate cut.
September 16, 2025
high
temporal
Summarizes participants' voting preferences and division of views reported in the Federal Reserve's meeting minutes.
The Federal Reserve's 2025 meeting minutes indicated that most participants judged it likely would be appropriate to implement further interest rate cuts over the remainder of 2025.
September 16, 2025
high
temporal
Officials' forward guidance on the potential path of interest rate policy.
The Federal Reserve's 2025 meeting minutes reported that some officials said progress toward the Committee's 2 percent inflation objective had stalled in 2025 and that this year's tariff increases had contributed to higher inflation readings and the risk of more persistent inflation expectations.
September 16, 2025
high
temporal
Officials' assessment of inflation dynamics and the influence of tariff increases on inflation readings and expectations.
The Federal Reserve's 2025 meeting minutes recorded that several participants viewed continued adoption of artificial intelligence as potentially reducing labor demand.
September 16, 2025
high
temporal
Officials' assessment of structural forces affecting the labor market.
The October 2025 ICE Mortgage Monitor report found that 30-year mortgage rates averaged 6.26% in mid-September 2025.
September 15, 2025
high
temporal
Interest-rate level reported by a mortgage market monitor.
China accounts for the majority of global production and processing capacity for rare earth elements.
September 08, 2025
high
geopolitical
Analyses of global supply chains indicate China holds dominant share in both mining output and downstream processing of rare earths.
U.S. export controls implemented during the Trump administration restricted China's access to advanced semiconductor chips and related high-end chipmaking technologies.
September 08, 2025
high
policy
U.S. technology export controls were used as policy tools to limit the transfer of advanced semiconductors and chipmaking equipment to China.
Building commercial-scale processing facilities for rare earth elements requires significant time and capital investment, which limits how quickly processing capacity can be expanded.
September 08, 2025
medium
technical
Establishing downstream processing infrastructure for rare earths involves complex chemical processing, environmental controls, and capital expenditure.
The United States has smaller commercially exploitable reserves and processing capacity for rare earth minerals compared with China.
September 08, 2025
medium
resource_distribution
Relative reserve sizes and existing processing capacity affect national supply security for rare earth minerals.
A 2025 Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults found that 32% reported having a will, 31% reported having a living will or advance health care directive, and 20% reported having made arrangements for their own burial or funeral.
September 08, 2025
high
temporal
Findings from a national survey about estate planning and end-of-life preparations.
A 2025 Pew Research Center survey of 8,750 U.S. adults, including 2,582 adults ages 65 and older, found that 18% of U.S. adults were ages 65 and older.
September 08, 2025
high
statistical
National survey of U.S. adults conducted by Pew Research Center in 2025.
A 2025 Realtor.com analysis using First Street data found that approximately 18.3% of U.S. homes were at severe or extreme risk from hurricane wind damage, representing roughly $8 trillion in property value.
September 07, 2025
high
temporal
National estimate of hurricane wind exposure and associated property value from a Realtor.com analysis using First Street data.
A September 2025 Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll found that 37% of U.S. adults approved of President Donald Trump's handling of the economy.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Public opinion polling on presidential economic performance
According to Bankrate in 2025, the average 5-year home equity loan interest rate was 8.21%.
September 01, 2025
high
statistical
Reported average interest rate for 5-year fixed home equity loans.
According to Bankrate in 2025, average home equity line of credit (HELOC) interest rates were below 8%.
September 01, 2025
high
statistical
Reported average interest rate range for variable-rate HELOC products.
A Bank of America report found that credit and debit card spending per household increased 2.0% year-over-year in September 2025, up from a 1.7% year-over-year increase in August 2025.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year household card spending growth reported by Bank of America.
China's global exports rose 8.3% in September 2025 compared with September 2024, representing the strongest six-month growth.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Year-on-year monthly export growth reported by Chinese customs for September 2025
China's exports to the United States fell 27% in September 2025 compared with September 2024.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Year-on-year decline in exports from China to the United States for September 2025
The Congressional Budget Office estimated in 2025 that under a lapse in discretionary funding for fiscal year 2026 about 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Estimate from the Congressional Budget Office regarding a potential lapse in discretionary funding for FY2026.
Kelley Blue Book reported that the average transaction price for a new vehicle in September 2025 was $50,080, the highest average on record.
September 01, 2025
high
statistical
Industry price-tracking data for new vehicle purchases.
Kelley Blue Book reported that new auto prices increased 3.6% year-over-year as of September 2025.
September 01, 2025
high
statistical
Year-over-year change in average new vehicle prices.
The U.S. Consumer Price Index (headline CPI) increased 3.0% year-over-year in September 2025, according to the U.S. Labor Department.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Headline inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on an annual basis.
U.S. core inflation (CPI excluding food and energy) rose 3.0% year-over-year in September 2025, according to the U.S. Labor Department.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Core CPI excludes the volatile food and energy components to provide a measure of underlying price trends.
On a monthly basis, U.S. consumer prices rose 0.3% in September 2025, while core CPI rose 0.2% in the same month, as reported by the U.S. Labor Department.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Month-over-month changes in headline and core CPI measure short-term price movement.
Within the September 2025 CPI data, U.S. gasoline prices rose 4.1% month-over-month, grocery prices rose 0.3% month-over-month, and grocery prices were 2.7% higher year-over-year.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Component-level CPI changes identify which categories contributed to overall monthly and annual inflation.
The U.S. consumer price index (CPI) rose 3.0% year-over-year in September 2025, up from 2.9% year-over-year in August 2025.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Monthly headline inflation as measured by the CPI, showing year-over-year change and comparison to the prior month.
U.S. gasoline prices rose 4.1% month-over-month in September 2025.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Gasoline is a major volatile component of the CPI and can materially affect short-term headline inflation movements.
The U.S. Labor Department reported that the consumer price index (CPI) increased 3.0% year-over-year in September 2025 and increased 2.9% year-over-year in August 2025.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year monthly CPI inflation rates reported by the U.S. Labor Department for August and September 2025.
An Institute of International Education (IIE) report found that international student enrollment at U.S. colleges for the fall 2025 semester dropped by 17%.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
IIE data on international student enrollment changes for U.S. colleges.
An Institute of International Education (IIE) survey of 825 U.S. institutions found that about half of those institutions reported declines in international student enrollment for the fall 2025 semester.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
Scope and institutional response reported in IIE survey data.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators estimated in 2025 that a 17% decline in international student enrollment would represent about a $1 billion loss to the U.S. economy.
September 01, 2025
high
temporal
NAFSA's economic estimate relating enrollment changes to economic impact.
U.S. inflation data showed that prices for living room, kitchen, and dining room furniture rose 9.5% from August 2024 to August 2025.
August 31, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year change in consumer prices for specific furniture categories.
U.S. inflation data showed that furniture and bedding prices rose 4.7% from August 2024 to August 2025.
August 31, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year change in consumer prices for furniture and bedding.
U.S. inflation data showed that the cost of household furnishings and supplies rose 2.8% from August 2024 to August 2025.
August 31, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year change in consumer prices for household furnishings and supplies.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported in 2025 that U.S. residential electricity prices were up 11% in August 2025 compared with January 2025.
August 31, 2025
high
temporal
Month-to-month change in residential electricity prices within 2025 as reported by the federal energy agency.
A 2025 analysis by Harris Search Associates found that among 76 members of the Association of Independent Research Institutes (AIRI), 18 institutes had at least one grant or contract terminated through 2025-08-01.
August 01, 2025
high
statistical
Findings from a 2025 analysis of canceled federal grants and contracts affecting AIRI members
In August 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average retail price of ground beef was about $6.63 per pound, approximately $2.00 higher than the price in August 2021.
August 01, 2025
high
temporal
Retail ground beef price and multi-year comparison from Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In August 2025, the United States government imposed a 39 percent tariff on imports from Switzerland, a tariff level described as the highest applied to any Western nation.
August 01, 2025
high
temporal
A specific high tariff level applied by U.S. trade policy to Swiss imports in 2025.
The hiring rate, defined as the number of people hired in a given month as a percentage of those employed, was 3.2% in August 2025, matching the lowest figure outside the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2013.
August 01, 2025
high
temporal
Monthly hiring rate as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor; comparison to pre-pandemic historical low.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.3% in August 2025.
August 01, 2025
high
temporal
Official unemployment rate reported for August 2025.
The Internal Revenue Service employed 74,299 people as of July 24, 2025, representing a decline in staffing compared with the end of 2024.
July 24, 2025
high
temporal
Reported mid-2025 IRS employment level and the change from end-2024.
In July 2025, about 69% of U.S. flights were on time and 2.5% of U.S. flights were canceled.
July 01, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline on-time and cancellation rates for U.S. flights prior to the 2025 government shutdown.
TransUnion's 2025 U.S. gaming report found that overall betting activity rose to 30% of consumers in Q2 2025, up from 25% of consumers in Q2 2024.
June 30, 2025
high
temporal
Share of consumers engaging in any betting activity as measured by TransUnion.
TransUnion's 2025 U.S. gaming report found that total monthly debt payments increased 20% for millennial consumers and 27% for Gen Z consumers, compared with an inflation rate of 6% and wage growth of 8%.
June 30, 2025
high
temporal
Change in average monthly debt obligations for younger generations relative to inflation and wage growth.
A 2025 National Association of Realtors report found that first-time homebuyers accounted for about 20% of homes sold in the 12 months ending June 30, 2025, a record low.
June 30, 2025
high
temporal
Share of sales attributable to first-time buyers from the NAR annual report covering the 12 months ending June 2025.
A 2025 analysis by The Century Foundation and Protect Borrowers found that average past-due balances to U.S. utility companies increased 9.7% year over year to $789 between the AprilâJune 2024 and AprilâJune 2025 periods.
June 30, 2025
high
temporal
Year-over-year change in average past-due utility balances from a 2025 analysis.
The 2025 Social Security and Medicare Trustees report projected that Social Security trust funds would be unable to pay full scheduled benefits beginning in 2034 and that benefits would be payable at about 81% of scheduled benefits at that time.
June 01, 2025
high
temporal
Projection of Social Security trust fund solvency from the Social Security and Medicare Trustees' annual report.
At the end of the first quarter of 2025 (March 31, 2025), France's public debt stood at âŦ3.346 trillion, equivalent to 114% of gross domestic product (GDP).
March 31, 2025
high
statistical
Baseline public finance statistic for France
A stopgap spending bill (also called a continuing resolution) can fund the government at existing spending levels for a specified short-term period to provide additional time to negotiate full-year appropriations.
January 30, 2025
high
process
Function of temporary appropriations measures in federal budgeting
A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 960,000 of the United States' Indian population of 4.9 million (approximately 20%) lived in California.
January 01, 2025
high
statistical
Population distribution of Indian Americans by state according to a 2025 Pew survey.
Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) typically have variable interest rates that track the Federal Reserve's benchmark interest rate.
January 01, 2025
high
process
Describes the common pricing mechanism for HELOCs used by lenders.
Fixed-rate home equity loans are typically influenced primarily by longer-term borrowing costs such as bond yields rather than the Federal Reserve's short-term benchmark rate.
January 01, 2025
high
process
Explains the factors that commonly determine fixed home equity loan pricing.
Using home equity via a HELOC or a home equity loan generally offers lower interest rates than unsecured borrowing options such as credit cards or personal loans, making home equity borrowing often more affordable for larger sums or multi-year repayment.
January 01, 2025
high
comparative
Compares typical interest-rate levels and affordability between secured home-equity borrowing and unsecured consumer credit.
A 2025 Congressional Budget Office projection estimated that without Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, 3.8 million Americans would be unable to afford health insurance by 2035, including about 2.0 million Americans by 2026.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
CBO projection of the affordability impact if ACA premium tax credits were removed.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that roughly 750,000 nonessential federal employees could be furloughed and that estimated back pay for those furloughed employees could cost up to $400 million per day.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate of potential furlough scope and back-pay costs during a U.S. federal government shutdown.
A 2025 VantageScore study found that auto loan delinquency rates increased by more than 50% over the 15-year period ending in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Long-term trend in auto loan credit performance reported by VantageScore.
A 2025 VantageScore study found that the average auto loan amount increased by 57% over the 15-year period ending in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Comparison of loan-size growth across consumer credit products reported by VantageScore.
The U.S. Congress typically funds the federal government through 12 single-subject annual appropriations bills that authorize discretionary spending for agencies and programs.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Standard appropriations structure used to fund discretionary federal programs
Federal agencies and programs that rely on discretionary funds appropriated annually by Congress are typically paused, reduced, or otherwise altered during a full government shutdown.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Typical operational impact of a full federal government shutdown on discretionary-funded activities
A 2025 United States Department of Agriculture outlook estimated wholesale prices for frozen turkeys at $1.32 per pound in 2025, a 40% increase from 2024's average wholesale price of $0.94 per pound.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
USDA wholesale price estimates for frozen turkeys reported in an outlook.
In 2025, United States Department of Agriculture data indicated that more than 3 million turkeys were impacted by avian influenza.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
USDA reporting of avian influenza impacts on turkey populations.
The United States Department of Agriculture forecasted that farmers raised about 195 million turkeys in 2025 compared with about 200 million turkeys in 2024, representing approximately a 3% decrease.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
USDA turkey production forecasts and year-over-year comparison.
Social Security beneficiaries received cost-of-living adjustments of 8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024, and 2.5% in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Historical annual COLA percentages applied to Social Security benefits reflect prior years' inflation adjustments.
Enhanced premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were scheduled to expire in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Policy timeline note referenced in discussions about legislative negotiations over government funding.
As of 2025, there were an estimated 7,700 vacant federal buildings in the United States and an additional 2,265 federal buildings that were largely sitting empty.
January 01, 2025
high
statistical
Estimate of vacant and largely unused federal real estate nationwide.
A 2025 General Services Administration (GSA) report estimated deferred maintenance and repair backlogs for federal buildings exceeded $6 billion in 2025 and projected those backlogs could grow to more than $20 billion within five years.
January 01, 2025
high
statistical
GSA estimate and projection of deferred maintenance and repair backlogs for federal buildings.
A 2025 Visa Business and Economic Insights holiday spending outlook forecasts U.S. consumers to spend an average of $736 each on holiday gifts in 2025, a 10% increase from $669 in 2024.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Holiday spending projection from Visa's 2025 holiday spending outlook.
The 2025 Visa Business and Economic Insights holiday spending outlook uses U.S. Department of Commerce retail sales data that excludes automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants for its holiday spending projections.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Methodological detail describing the data sources used in Visa's 2025 holiday spending outlook.
A 2025 Visa Business and Economic Insights analysis found that the historical correspondence between changes in consumer spending and consumer sentiment, which was stronger in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, has weakened in recent years.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Finding on the changing relationship between consumer sentiment and actual spending reported in Visa's 2025 analysis.
China is a dominant producer of mature-technology semiconductors that are widely used in automobiles.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Refers to China's large share of global production for older-generation semiconductor technologies commonly used in automotive applications.
The global automotive industry relies on magnets (including those produced from rare earth elements) and mature-technology semiconductor chips, creating vulnerability to supply constraints of those inputs.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the types of inputs critical to vehicle production and the resulting supply-chain exposure.
National export controls can be used to restrict shipments of strategic materials or components and thereby influence international production and supply chains.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a durable policy tool whereby governments limit exports to achieve strategic or economic objectives, affecting global industries.
A 2025 analysis by nonprofit health research firm KFF found that the average monthly premium for a mid-level (silver) Affordable Care Act marketplace plan increased 26% in 2025 to $625 per month.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Average monthly premium for ACA mid-level (silver) plans reported by KFF.
A 2025 KFF analysis identified main drivers of recent ACA premium increases as increased demand for costly treatments including GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, higher prices from hospitals and other providers, and insurer assumptions that enrollment could decline if premium tax credits expire.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Reported contributors to rising ACA marketplace premiums.
An IRS evaluation reported that 296,531 taxpayers submitted accepted tax returns through IRS Direct File for the 2025 tax season.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Submission counts come from an IRS evaluation of the IRS Direct File program.
The National Retail Federation's 2025 holiday forecast projects total U.S. holiday sales will exceed $1 trillion for the first time.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Annual holiday sales forecast issued by the National Retail Federation (NRF).
Simple, ubiquitous semiconductor components can be critical to automotive manufacturing, and shortages of such parts can threaten to halt or significantly disrupt vehicle production.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Semiconductor shortages have been linked to major disruptions in auto production when common components are unavailable.
The enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credit is structured to be available to people with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level (the 400% threshold corresponds to about $62,000 for an individual), and individuals with incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level can qualify for the tax credit if their insurance premiums exceed 8.5% of their income.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Eligibility criteria and income thresholds for ACA premium tax credits
A JPMorgan analysis using Euromonitor data projected retail sales of hemp-derived beverages of about $1.4 billion in 2025 and about $4.1 billion in 2028 if the 2018 Farm Bill loophole allowing intoxicating hemp products remained open.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
These are market-sales projections for hemp-derived beverage products under a scenario in which federal restrictions on intoxicating hemp products were not tightened.
A 2025 Bank of America Institute analysis defines "living paycheck to paycheck" as households spending more than 95% of their income on necessities such as housing, gasoline, groceries, utility bills, and internet service.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Operational definition used by the Bank of America Institute to classify households' financial strain.
A 2025 Bank of America Institute estimate found that nearly a quarter of all U.S. households were living paycheck to paycheck in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Aggregate estimate of household financial strain in the United States.
A 2025 Bank of America Institute analysis found roughly 29% of lower-income households were living paycheck to paycheck in 2025, up from 27.1% in 2023.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Income-segmented finding showing an increase in financial vulnerability among lower-income households.
In 2025 U.S. annual inflation was about 3%, which was above the Federal Reserve's 2% target; U.S. inflation was 2.3% in April 2025 and peaked at 9.1% in 2022.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Comparison of recent inflation rates with the Federal Reserve's target and the 2022 peak.
A 2025 Yale Budget Lab analysis estimated that providing $2,000 tariff-funded checks to every individual with income under $100,000 would cost about $450 billion.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Estimate of the fiscal cost of a proposed $2,000 per-person payment funded by tariff revenue.
A 2025 AidData report found that China's state-owned banks channeled approximately $200 billion to U.S. businesses over a 25-year period, often routing funds through shell companies in jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and Delaware to obscure the loans' origins.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Findings from an AidData research report on lending by Chinese state banks to foreign entities.
A 2025 AidData report found that China's state lenders provided more than $2 trillion in loans worldwide between 2000 and 2023, about double the previous highest estimates.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Aggregate global lending totals reported by AidData covering 2000â2023.
A 2025 AidData report found that much of China's lending to wealthy countries was concentrated on critical minerals and high-tech assets, including rare earths and semiconductors used in fighter jets, submarines, radar systems, precision-guided missiles, and telecommunications networks.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Sectoral focus of lending identified by AidData as having strategic and defense-related applications.
China's state-owned banks are controlled by China's central government and the Communist Party's Central Financial Commission and are directed to advance China's strategic goals.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Description of governance and policy direction for China's state-owned banking institutions.
A proposed policy design introduces a new class of investment accounts called "Trump accounts" for children born between 2025 and 2028 that would be seeded with $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury and would allow parents to contribute up to $5,000 per year.
January 01, 2025
high
policy
Design features described for the proposed child savings accounts.
A 2025 CBS News poll found that ratings for the overall U.S. economy and President Trump's handling of the economy and inflation hit their lowest marks for the year; more than two-thirds of Americans disapproved of Trump's handling of inflation, most Americans said prices were increasing, and a majority said President Trump's policies were making the cost of food and groceries go up.
2025
high
temporal
Public attitudes in 2025 about the U.S. economy, inflation, and perceived effects of presidential policies on prices and groceries.
In 2024, China purchased $12.6 billion worth of soybeans from the United States, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
December 31, 2024
high
temporal
Annual value of U.S. soybean exports to China for calendar year 2024.
The Internal Revenue Service employed about 100,000 people at the end of 2024.
December 31, 2024
high
temporal
Baseline staffing level for the IRS at the end of 2024.
In 2024, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) assisted nearly 42 million people, approximately two-thirds of whom were families with children.
December 31, 2024
high
temporal
Annual participation statistics for SNAP.
As of December 2024, the Biden administration had canceled nearly $180 billion in federal student loan debt for approximately 4.9 million borrowers.
December 31, 2024
high
temporal
Aggregate federal student loan cancellation totals reported by the administration.
Starbucks employed approximately 200,000 retail workers.
December 01, 2024
high
baseline
Scale of Starbucks' retail workforce.
A 2024 Oxford Economics analysis estimated that taxpayers could save an additional $50 billion through larger refunds or reduced 2026 taxes, representing an 18% increase over the $275 billion in refunds the IRS sent for 2024 federal tax returns.
October 21, 2024
high
temporal
Estimate and comparison from an Oxford Economics report quantifying projected additional taxpayer savings associated with new federal tax provisions.
International shipping and shipbuilding have been sources of trade friction between the United States and China, including reciprocal port fees imposed on each other's vessels.
October 14, 2024
high
contextual
Describes an ongoing area of bilateral trade tension affecting maritime sectors.
Lowering a central bank's policy interest rate reduces borrowing costs for consumer and business loans, which can make it cheaper for businesses to expand and hire and for consumers to purchase houses, automobiles, and other goods.
October 14, 2024
high
temporal
General monetary policy transmission mechanism
Allowing Treasury securities and mortgage-backed securities to mature without replacing them is a tool the Federal Reserve uses to shrink its balance sheet (quantitative tightening), and this runoff can be implemented as a monthly cap on maturities not reinvested.
October 14, 2024
high
temporal
Description of a balance-sheet reduction (quantitative tightening) technique used by central banks
Federal Reserve projections released in September 2024 showed the median Fed policymaker projected three interest rate cuts in 2025; 10 of 19 policymakers projected three or more cuts while nine projected fewer.
September 01, 2024
high
temporal
Summary of Federal Reserve participants' interest-rate projections (dot plot) released with FOMC projections.
A 2024 Tax Policy Center analysis found that 60% of the new tax breaks from the 2024 tax law would go to the top 20% of households, defined as households with incomes over $217,000 per year.
July 01, 2024
high
temporal
Distributional finding describing which income groups capture the majority of tax break value from the 2024 tax law.
Federal Reserve data reported that auto loan delinquency rates, defined as the portion of loan balances at least 30 days past due, were 3.8% in June 2024, the highest level since June 2010.
June 01, 2024
high
temporal
Official delinquency-rate measure for auto loans from the Federal Reserve.
In April 2024, the U.S. Trade Representative launched a Section 301 trade investigation into China's growing dominance in global shipbuilding.
April 01, 2024
high
temporal
A U.S. trade policy action targeting alleged competitive pressures from China's shipbuilding industry.
Roughly 322,000 U.S. properties entered foreclosure in 2024.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
Annual count of U.S. properties that went into foreclosure during 2024.
The federal government spent more than $7 billion on the WIC program during fiscal 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
Federal expenditure on WIC for fiscal year 2024
China was responsible for mining roughly 60% of the world's rare earth minerals and processing nearly 90% of them as of 2024, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
Provides 2024 share estimates of global rare-earth mining and processing by China, indicating concentration of supply and processing capacity.
The KFF 2024 Employer Health Benefits Survey found that workers typically contribute between 16% and 25% of the total cost of employer-sponsored health insurance in 2024, depending on whether they have single or family coverage.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
Employee share of employer-sponsored insurance costs from a 2024 survey.
A 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation report estimated the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people at $58 in 2024 and reported the average retail cost of a 16âpound frozen turkey at $25 in 2024.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
American Farm Bureau Federation cost estimates for Thanksgiving meal components.
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, the poverty rate among seniors was 15% in 2024, up from 14% in 2023.
January 01, 2024
high
statistical
Reported year-over-year change in the senior poverty rate from recent U.S. Census data.
Korea International Trade Association data from 2024 showed that China's purchases of South Korean goods exceeded purchases by the United States by less than one percentage point.
January 01, 2024
high
statistical
Trade share comparison between China and the United States as purchasers of South Korean goods.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provided funding that tasked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to explore creating a 'direct file' electronic tax filing system, and the IRS rolled out IRS Direct File as a pilot program in 2024.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
The Inflation Reduction Act included funding and directives related to IRS modernization and tax filing options.
Subsea internet and data cables carry large volumes of global internet traffic and support daily financial transactions worth trillions of dollars.
January 01, 2024
high
descriptive
Role of undersea data cables in global internet traffic and financial transaction flows.
A 2024 estimate from Purdue University's Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability found that 12.5% of U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2024.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
Annual prevalence estimate of household food insecurity.
A 2024 proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation would have required airlines to pay passengers $200â$300 for domestic flight delays of at least three hours and up to $775 for flight delays of at least nine hours.
January 01, 2024
high
regulatory
Details of a federal regulatory proposal specifying minimum passenger compensation amounts tied to delay durations.
United States federal airline consumer protections entitle passengers to refunds for cancelled flights but do not mandate comparable compensation for flight delays.
January 01, 2024
high
policy
Describes baseline U.S. consumer-protection coverage for cancellations versus delays.
The Federal Reserve prohibits top officials and their close family members from buying and selling individual stocks and generally bans short-term trades by requiring that investment holdings be retained for at least one year.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
Federal Reserve ethics and trading rules governing holdings and transaction timing for senior officials and their close family members.
The Federal Reserve maintains blackout periods during which top Fed officials are banned from trading ahead of Federal Reserve interest rate decisions.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
Temporary pre-decision windows intended to prevent trading based on nonpublic information about upcoming policy actions.
The Federal Reserve's ethics office can refer disclosure or trading matters to an independent external watchdog for further investigation.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
Oversight process for potential ethics or disclosure violations by Federal Reserve officials.
The Federal Reserve enacted a total of 11 interest-rate increases during 2022 and 2023.
December 31, 2023
high
temporal
Cumulative count of federal funds rate hikes implemented by the Federal Reserve across the years 2022 and 2023.
Federal Reserve data showed that the average monthly auto loan payment increased by about $130 from January 2020 to January 2023, reaching approximately $600 in January 2023.
January 01, 2023
high
temporal
Trend in average monthly auto loan payments over a three-year period.
A 2023 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) estimate put the annual cost of operating federal buildings classified as 'underutilized' at $81.346 million.
January 01, 2023
high
statistical
OMB estimate of yearly operating costs for underutilized federal properties.
In 2023, the Republican Party had a 12-percentage-point advantage over the Democratic Party on public agreement with economic policy.
January 01, 2023
high
temporal
Survey-based comparison of the share of Americans who agreed with each party's positions on economic policy.
In 2023, 26% of Americans said they agreed with neither the Republican nor the Democratic Party on economic policy.
January 01, 2023
high
temporal
Survey measure of the share of Americans who did not agree with either major party on economic policy.
A study analyzing 2018â2022 data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study by the National Council on Aging and the University of Massachusetts Boston's LeadingAge LTSS Center found that low-income people aged over 60 die an average of nine years earlier than high-income older Americans.
December 31, 2022
high
temporal
Quantifies an association between income level and mortality among older Americans using longitudinal survey data.
The National Council on Aging and the University of Massachusetts Boston's LeadingAge LTSS Center found, using 2018â2022 Health and Retirement Study data, that about 15% of seniors in households with annual incomes of roughly $60,000 died during the four-year study period compared with about 11% of seniors in households with annual incomes of around $120,000.
December 31, 2022
high
temporal
Four-year mortality rates by approximate household income brackets among older Americans.
A report by the National Council on Aging based on 2018â2022 data stated that about 80% of people aged over 60 have few or zero financial assets and would struggle to cope with a financial shock such as the loss of a spouse or the need for long-term care.
December 31, 2022
high
temporal
Prevalence of limited financial assets among older adults and vulnerability to financial shocks.
From 2020 through 2022, the Federal Reserve purchased nearly $5 trillion of U.S. Treasury securities and mortgage-backed securities to stabilize financial markets during the COVID-19 pandemic and to help keep longer-term interest rates low.
December 31, 2022
high
statistical
Quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve during the pandemic period.
The Federal Reserve's securities holdings grew to about $9 trillion following its 2020â2022 asset purchases.
December 31, 2022
high
statistical
Aggregate size of the Fed's balance sheet after pandemic-era asset purchases.
U.S. food price inflation peaked at 11.4% in 2022 according to federal data.
December 31, 2022
high
temporal
Peak annual food inflation rate reported in federal consumer price statistics.
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage has been above 6% continuously since September 2022.
September 01, 2022
high
temporal
Multi-year threshold indicating elevated mortgage rate environment beginning in 2022.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) reached 9.1% year-over-year in June 2022, constituting a 40-year high in U.S. inflation.
June 01, 2022
high
temporal
Historic peak in U.S. year-over-year CPI inflation.
U.S. consumer inflation reached an annual rate of 9.1% in June 2022, a 40-year high.
June 01, 2022
high
temporal
Peak inflation rate during the post-2020 period that prompted significant monetary policy tightening.
The ratio of job openings to unemployed Americans peaked at over 2.0 in March 2022.
March 01, 2022
high
temporal
A historical peak in job openings per unemployed person that contrasts with later lower ratios.
The Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, extended the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits through 2025.
January 01, 2022
high
policy
Legislative extension of ACA premium subsidies
Purdue University Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability data indicate that an average of 15.4% of U.S. households were food insecure in 2022.
January 01, 2022
high
temporal
Reported national average of household food insecurity during 2022.
Lisa Cook became the first Black woman to serve on the Federal Reserve's governing board when she was appointed in 2022.
January 01, 2022
high
biographical
Representation milestone on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
The Federal Reserve purchased longer-term Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities in 2020 and 2021 with the stated objective of lowering longer-term interest rates and supporting the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 31, 2021
high
temporal
Historical U.S. Federal Reserve asset purchase program during the pandemic
The Federal Reserve purchased longer-term Treasury securities and mortgage-backed securities in 2020 and 2021 to lower longer-term interest rates and support the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 31, 2021
high
temporal
Pandemic-era large-scale asset purchases conducted as economic support measures.
The Federal Reserve ended its pandemic-era asset purchases in 2021 and subsequently raised policy interest rates to combat rising inflation.
December 31, 2021
high
temporal
Sequence of monetary policy normalization following the pandemic-support phase.
U.S. federal spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) totaled $128 billion in 2021.
December 31, 2021
high
temporal
Annual federal expenditure on the SNAP food assistance program.
An October 2021 AP-NORC poll found that 41% of U.S. adults approved of how President Joe Biden was handling the economy in October 2021, including about 73% approval among Democrats and about 29% approval among independents.
October 01, 2021
high
temporal
October 2021 national AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll measuring approval of presidential economic performance.
AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom that includes cooperation on supplying Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.
September 15, 2021
high
policy
Multilateral defense agreement focused on cooperation in advanced military capabilities and Indo-Pacific security.
In 2021 China enacted an anti-foreign sanctions law that authorizes Chinese agencies to deny visas and freeze the assets of targeted individuals and businesses, providing powers analogous to those of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
January 01, 2021
high
policy
A legal measure enabling reciprocal actions against foreign sanctions and individuals/entities subject to them.
The Biden administration enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits in 2021 with the stated goal of making healthcare more available to a wider swath of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
January 01, 2021
high
policy
Policy change to ACA premium subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic
Labor shortages in 2021 prompted many employers to retain more workers than usual (often described as 'hoarding' workers).
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
Describes employer behavior during the postâpandemic 2021 period that influenced later labor market dynamics.
Congress enacted federal emergency subsidies in 2021 to reduce Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) health insurance premiums as part of the COVID-19 response.
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
These emergency measures expanded premium tax credits under the ACA.
Federal premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) operate as subsidies that lower health insurance premium costs for eligible policyholders.
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
Premium tax credits are a mechanism within the ACA to reduce out-of-pocket premium payments.
The enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans were introduced in 2021 through the American Rescue Plan Act.
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
Legislative origin of the temporary enhancement to ACA premium tax credits
A 2021 expansion of the Affordable Care Act established enhanced premium tax credits for people purchasing health insurance through ACA marketplaces.
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
Policy change expanding subsidies for ACA marketplace enrollees.
In 2021, the Federal Reserve tightened its trading rules to reduce the risk or perception that officials could financially benefit from inside information.
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
Rule changes implemented following earlier trading-related controversies involving Fed officials.
The United StatesâMexicoâCanada Agreement (USMCA) went into effect on 2020-07-01.
July 01, 2020
high
temporal
Trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
The 2020 United StatesâMexicoâCanada Agreement (USMCA) is a trade agreement among the United States, Mexico, and Canada that entered into force on 2020-07-01 and provides rules that can result in many goods being exempt from new bilateral tariffs among the three countries.
July 01, 2020
high
temporal
The USMCA replaced NAFTA and establishes tariff- and market-access-related rules among the three North American partners.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's WARN-notice tracking data show that WARN notices across the 21 states it tracks reached a peak of more than 550,000 in March 2020.
March 01, 2020
high
statistical
Peak level of WARN notices recorded in the Cleveland Fed dataset
China's Unreliable Entity List, established in 2020 by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, resembles the U.S. Commerce Department's 'entity list' that restricts certain foreign companies from doing business with the United States.
January 01, 2020
high
policy
A Chinese export-control/sanctions-style mechanism created as a counterpart to an existing U.S. tool.
A National Bureau of Economic Research study of the 2020 CARES Act stimulus payments found that 40% of payments were spent, 30% were used to pay down debt, and 30% were saved.
January 01, 2020
high
statistical
Breakdown of how recipients used 2020 CARES Act stimulus payments.
A National Bureau of Economic Research study found that recipients of the 2020 CARES Act stimulus payments spent 40% of the payments, used 30% to pay down debt, and saved 30%.
January 01, 2020
high
statistical
Breakdown of how households used 2020 CARES Act stimulus payments.
On 2019-01-25, GEFTA was amended to state that compensation for furloughed workers shall be provided 'subject to the enactment of appropriations Acts', making back pay contingent on subsequent Congressional appropriations rather than an automatic entitlement.
January 25, 2019
high
temporal
Clarifies that the amendment conditions payment to furloughed employees on the enactment of appropriations by Congress.
The longest U.S. federal government shutdown lasted 35 days, occurring from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019, during President Donald Trump's first term.
January 25, 2019
high
temporal
Historical record of U.S. federal government shutdown durations.
After the January 2019 lapse in appropriations, the U.S. Congress enacted a law guaranteeing that federal employees receive back pay at the earliest possible date after a lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates.
January 25, 2019
high
legal
Legislative guarantee concerning federal employee pay following funding lapses
The American Alliance of Museums reported that the 2018â2019 U.S. federal government shutdown resulted in an estimated $5 billion in losses to museums and cultural institutions.
January 25, 2019
high
temporal
Aggregate economic impact of the 2018â2019 U.S. federal government shutdown on museums and cultural institutions, as reported by the American Alliance of Museums.
The American Alliance of Museums reported that, in relation to the 2018â2019 U.S. federal government shutdown, the Smithsonian Institution's gift shops, concessions, and IMAX film screenings experienced roughly $3.4 million in lost revenue.
January 25, 2019
high
temporal
Component of the reported economic losses tied to the 2018â2019 shutdown.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA) is a U.S. federal law signed on 2019-01-15 that addresses compensation of federal employees for wages lost, work performed, or leave used during a government shutdown.
January 15, 2019
high
temporal
Defines the statutory purpose of GEFTA regarding federal employee compensation during shutdowns.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA) is a federal law enacted in 2019 that addresses pay and benefits for federal employees affected by government shutdowns.
January 01, 2019
high
temporal
GEFTA was enacted in response to a previous government shutdown to clarify treatment of federal employees during funding lapses.
A 2019 U.S. federal law addresses whether federal employees can receive back pay following a government shutdown.
January 01, 2019
high
temporal
Legal framework concerning federal employee compensation after government shutdowns.
A 2019 United States federal law requires that federal employees furloughed during a government shutdown receive back pay for the period of their furlough.
January 01, 2019
high
temporal
Federal law codifying retroactive pay for furloughed federal workers after a government shutdown.
A 2019 U.S. federal law is intended to ensure federal employees receive compensation after a government shutdown.
January 01, 2019
high
temporal
Statutory protection designed to provide back pay to federal workers following funding lapses.
A law signed by President Donald Trump in 2019 guarantees that furloughed federal employees receive back pay after a government shutdown ends.
January 01, 2019
high
legal
Legal guarantee regarding compensation for furloughed federal workers following a lapse in appropriations.
A 2019 U.S. law requires that federal employees furloughed during a lapse in funding be compensated with back pay once the funding lapse ends.
January 01, 2019
high
temporal
Legal requirement governing pay for furloughed federal employees after a funding lapse.
Private flood insurance has been widely available in the United States since 2019.
January 01, 2019
high
general
Private-market flood insurance expanded access to alternatives to the government-backed program starting in 2019.
Private-sector workers employed by government contractors are not covered by the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 and therefore do not have a statutory guarantee of retroactive pay for lapses in federal appropriations.
January 01, 2019
high
temporal
Scope of the 2019 statute excludes contractor employees from guaranteed back pay.
Since 2000, there have been three Federal Reserve meetings with dissents in opposite directions at the same meeting, with the most recent occurrence in 2019.
January 01, 2019
high
temporal
Historical frequency of formally recorded opposing dissents among Federal Reserve policymakers at a single meeting.
The 2019 U.S. federal government shutdown, centered on a dispute over funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, was the longest U.S. shutdown on record prior to 2025.
January 01, 2019
high
historical
Historical record about the length and cause of the 2019 federal government shutdown.
A 2019 law established that federal workers furloughed during a federal government shutdown should receive backpay.
2019
high
temporal
Legislative change following a prolonged shutdown
The longest U.S. federal government shutdown lasted 34 days and began in December 2018; that shutdown involved a demand for funds to pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
December 01, 2018
high
temporal
Historical record of the longest federal shutdown and its central funding dispute.
In 2018, the U.S. government provided more than $20 billion in aid to American farmers in response to retaliatory tariffs imposed by China during the U.S.-China trade dispute.
January 01, 2018
high
historical-statistic
Aggregate size of federal aid delivered to U.S. farmers amid the 2018 U.S.-China tariff exchanges.
The longest U.S. federal government funding lapse in modern history lasted 34 days, occurring from late 2018 into early 2019.
January 01, 2018
high
historical
Historical record of federal funding lapses by duration.
The 2018 Farm Bill includes provisions that have been described as allowing certain hemp-derived products to be sold with intoxicating THC levels, a policy outcome some lawmakers seek to reverse.
January 01, 2018
medium
policy
Characterizes an interpretation of the 2018 Farm Bill's effect on hemp-derived cannabinoid products and related regulatory concerns.
The 2018 Farm Bill included a legal framework that allowed hemp-derived products containing low doses of intoxicating THC to be sold.
January 01, 2018
high
temporal
The 2018 U.S. federal Farm Bill legalized hemp and created regulatory conditions that enabled some hemp-derived, low-dose THC products to be marketed legally.
Legal hemp products commonly marketed across U.S. states include food and beverage products, topical balms or lotions, tinctures, and pills.
January 01, 2018
high
descriptive
State regulatory frameworks vary, but these product categories are typical forms of consumer hemp products.
Industry sources have estimated that roughly 300,000 jobs have emerged in the U.S. hemp sector since hemp was legalized in 2018.
January 01, 2018
medium
temporal
This is an industry estimate of cumulative employment growth in the hemp sector following federal legalization in 2018.
The longest federal government shutdown lasted 35 days and began in 2018.
2018
high
temporal
Historical maximum duration of a U.S. federal government shutdown.
Raphael Bostic became the first Black and openly gay president of a regional Federal Reserve Bank when he was first appointed in June 2017.
June 01, 2017
high
temporal
Historical milestone regarding diversity in leadership of the regional Federal Reserve banks.
The Food and Drug Administration published a biosimilars approval pathway in 2015 that recommends comparative studies demonstrating similar patient responses between proposed biosimilars and reference biologic drugs.
January 01, 2015
high
regulatory
Core element of the FDA's regulatory approach to approving biosimilar products.
United States Department of Agriculture data shows China purchased $12.6 billion in U.S. soybeans in 2014, while the European Union purchased $2.45 billion in U.S. soybeans in 2014.
January 01, 2014
high
statistical
Historical U.S. agricultural export values by destination country.
Walmart's stock price increased approximately fourfold since Doug McMillon became CEO in November 2013.
November 01, 2013
high
temporal
Share-price performance measured from the start of Doug McMillon's CEO tenure.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 7.5% in March 2013 during the economy's recovery from the 2008-2009 Great Recession.
March 01, 2013
high
temporal
Historical unemployment rate cited as a reference point for post-Great Recession recovery.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget estimated that the 2013 U.S. government shutdown cost $2 billion in lost worker productivity.
January 01, 2013
high
statistical
Estimated economic cost reported by a federal agency for the 2013 shutdown
The Affordable Care Act established tax credits to help consumers pay health insurance premiums and expanded health coverage to tens of millions of Americans.
March 23, 2010
high
temporal
Describes key provisions and impacts of the Affordable Care Act enacted in 2010.
Enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act are subsidies intended to reduce the cost of health insurance premiums for enrollees.
January 01, 2010
high
definition
Describes the purpose of ACA premium tax credits.
A 2010 U.S. federal health reform law directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish an approval pathway for biosimilar drugs.
January 01, 2010
high
legal
Legislative origin of the U.S. biosimilars pathway.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland began tracking Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice data in January 2006.
January 01, 2006
high
temporal
Start date of the Cleveland Fed's WARN notice dataset
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Survey was conducted annually beginning in 2001 and historically surveyed about 30,000 people per year.
January 01, 2001
high
temporal
Historical scope and sample size of the USDA's annual national food-security survey.
Regional Federal Reserve bank presidents rotate voting slots on the Federal Open Market Committee, so the collective voting influence of regional presidents varies from year to year.
January 01, 2000
high
temporal
Institutional rule governing FOMC composition and voting participation by regional reserve bank presidents.
The dotâcom bubble around 2000 burst and was followed by roughly a 50% decline in the S&P 500 index.
January 01, 2000
high
historical
Historical market downturn associated with the end of the lateâ1990s technology stock bubble.
In 1995, the United States provided major financial assistance to Mexico during the Mexican peso crisis.
January 01, 1995
high
temporal
Historical precedent for large U.S. financial support to another country during a currency crisis.
President Ronald Reagan delivered a "Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade" dated April 25, 1987.
April 25, 1987
high
temporal
Historical presidential radio address concerning trade policy.
In a 1987 Presidential Radio Address, President Ronald Reagan stated that tariffs "work only for a short time" and "hurt every American worker and consumer," and that high tariffs "inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars."
January 01, 1987
high
temporal
Quotation from Ronald Reagan's 1987 Presidential Radio Address expressing a position on the economic effects of tariffs.
During a federal government shutdown, some essential 'excepted' federal employees are typically required to continue working but usually do not receive pay until after the government reopens.
January 01, 1980
high
operational
Typical treatment of essential federal workers during funding lapses.
U.S. federal government shutdowns in their current administrative and legal form began in 1980.
January 01, 1980
high
temporal
Describes the historical start of the contemporary federal shutdown mechanism.
In 1980 the U.S. attorney general issued legal opinions concluding it was illegal for federal agencies to continue spending without authorization from Congress, which led to the modern form of U.S. federal government shutdowns.
January 01, 1980
high
temporal
Historical origin of the contemporary federal government shutdown practice
Litigants have asserted that, in the roughly 50 years since the International Emergency Economic Powers Act's enactment, U.S. presidents had not used IEEPA to impose tariffs.
December 28, 1977
medium
historical
Claim about historical usage of IEEPA in relation to tariff imposition.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), enacted in 1977, authorizes the U.S. president, after declaring a national emergency, to regulate the importation of "any property in which any foreign country or a national thereof has any interest."
January 01, 1977
high
temporal
Statutory text and scope of presidential emergency economic authority under IEEPA.
Since its enactment in 1977, U.S. presidents have used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) dozens of times to impose economic sanctions on foreign actors.
January 01, 1977
high
legal
Historical usage pattern of IEEPA for imposing sanctions.
The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 requires the president to report to Congress any decision to withhold, delay, or rescind appropriated funds (impoundments).
July 12, 1974
high
temporal
Statutory constraints on executive-branch withholding or delaying of funds appropriated by Congress.
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 authorizes the U.S. president to impose import duties on grounds of national security.
January 01, 1962
high
legal
Section 232 is a statutory national-security-based authority for imposing tariffs or trade restrictions.
The first U.S. food stamp pilot program began in West Virginia in the 1960s.
1960s
high
temporal
Historical origin of the U.S. food stamp pilot program.
Economic growth was broadly stagnant for millennia and then experienced a pronounced and sustained acceleration around 1800 associated with the Industrial Revolution.
January 01, 1800
high
temporal
Describes the long-run pattern of economic growth and the historical inflection point linked to the Industrial Revolution.
The U.S. Constitution assigns to Congress the authority to levy tariffs and regulate import duties.
September 17, 1787
high
temporal
Constitutional allocation of tariff-setting power to the legislative branch.
Trade conflicts between major economies can reduce export demand for agricultural commodities and contribute to increased financial distress among farmers, including higher rates of farm bankruptcies.
high
economic
General relationship between international trade disputes and agricultural sector financial outcomes
Retaliatory tariffs on agricultural products can force farmers to sell crops at steep losses when access to major export markets is reduced.
high
trade_policy
Mechanism by which trade retaliation affects farm incomes
Mortgage interest rates are influenced by multiple factors including inflation, employment conditions, and expectations about central bank (Federal Reserve) policy.
high
temporal
Macroeconomic data and monetary policy expectations shape mortgage rate movements.
Mortgage interest rates tend to follow movements in the 10-year Treasury yield more closely than movements in the federal funds rate.
high
temporal
Long-term Treasury yields are a key benchmark for long-term lending rates such as 30-year fixed mortgages.
Markets often price in anticipated Federal Reserve policy moves, so mortgage rates can change based on expectations of future Fed actions rather than on the Fed's actual policy changes.
high
temporal
Interest-rate markets incorporate forward-looking expectations, which can cause rates to move before policy changes occur.
A certificate of deposit (CD) has a fixed interest rate that is guaranteed for the CD's term and does not change until the account reaches its maturity date.
high
descriptive
Describes how CDs deliver interest over their fixed term.
High-yield savings accounts have variable interest rates that can adjust over time and often decline when the Federal Reserve lowers benchmark interest rates.
high
descriptive
Explains the relationship between variable deposit rates and central bank policy.
Splitting funds between fixed-rate instruments such as CDs and variable-rate high-yield savings accounts lets savers obtain a guaranteed baseline return from the CD while retaining liquidity and the ability to make deposits and withdrawals via the savings account.
high
descriptive
General savings strategy to balance guaranteed returns and access to funds.
International trade disputes that involve tariffs or other restrictions can reduce export markets for crops such as soybeans and cause significant financial harm to soybean farmers.
high
economic
Describes how international trade conflicts can affect commodity crop markets and farm incomes.
Governments may deploy large-scale financial relief programs, including multi-billion-dollar packages, to compensate agricultural producers for income losses stemming from trade disruptions.
high
policy
General policy mechanism used to mitigate income losses in agriculture due to trade shocks.
Tariffs on imports can provoke retaliatory tariffs from affected trading partners.
high
trade-policy
General dynamic observed in international trade disputes where one country's tariffs prompt counter-tariffs.
Tariffs and related trade disruptions can raise production costs for domestic farmers by increasing prices for inputs such as fertilizer and farm equipment.
high
economic-impact
Mechanism by which trade policy can affect agricultural production costs.
China has been the largest buyer of U.S. agricultural exports.
high
trade
Relative importance of China as an export market for U.S. agricultural products.
Air traffic controllers are classified as essential federal workers in the United States and are required to continue working during federal government shutdowns without pay, with the expectation of receiving back pay after the shutdown ends.
high
policy
General U.S. federal government practice for essential employees during shutdowns
Staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities can lead to flight delays.
high
temporal
Operational impact of staffing levels at air traffic control on flight operations.
Inflationary pressures and geopolitical instability are macroeconomic and geopolitical factors that are commonly associated with upward pressure on gold prices.
high
economic_driver
Gold is often viewed as a store of value and hedge, causing its price to react to inflation expectations and geopolitical risk.
The United States imposed a 40% tariff on certain Brazilian exports covering sectors such as petroleum, soybeans, sugar, coffee, and iron and steel products.
high
statistical
Describes the magnitude and targeted sectors of a U.S. tariff measure on Brazilian exports.
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 authorizes U.S. investigations into alleged unfair or discriminatory trade practices, and such investigations have historically been used as a prelude to imposing tariffs or broader economic sanctions.
high
legal
Explains the legal mechanism the U.S. can use to investigate and potentially respond to foreign trade practices.
Brazil is the United States' third-largest foreign supplier of meat, behind Australia and Canada.
high
statistical
Places Brazil's role in U.S. meat imports in a ranking context relative to other foreign suppliers.
HELOCs commonly include an initial draw period (often up to 10 years) during which borrowers can elect interest-only payments, which produce lower monthly payments than fully amortizing repayments but defer principal repayment.
high
general
Explains standard repayment options and the trade-off between lower near-term payments and deferred principal.
Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) generally carry interest rates that are substantially lower than unsecured credit card interest rates, making HELOC borrowing typically less expensive per dollar borrowed than credit cards.
high
general
Compares the typical cost of secured borrowing via home equity to unsecured consumer credit.
The United States Congress can pass special appropriations or standalone bills to provide pay or funding for specific groups or services.
high
procedural
Congressional appropriations authority allows targeted funding measures for particular categories of employees or functions through separate legislation.
Farm payment programs in the United States affect agricultural acreage measured in the tens of millions of acres.
medium
statistical
U.S. farm support and payment programs are administered at scale and influence planting, incomes, and land use across large acreages.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years.
high
temporal
Describes the statutory update cycle for the federal dietary guidance.
A U.S. government shutdown occurs when appropriations lapse and federal operations lack enacted funding.
high
temporal
General definition of a federal government shutdown
Furloughed federal employees typically return to their jobs once a government shutdown ends.
high
temporal
Common personnel practice surrounding the end of funding lapses
Government shutdowns can lead to furloughs of federal employees and prompt consideration of workforce reductions or other personnel actions by agencies or the executive branch.
high
temporal
Typical operational and personnel impacts associated with funding lapses
Investors commonly use gold as a safe-haven asset during periods of economic turmoil and as a hedge against rising inflation.
high
temporal
Describes typical investor behavior toward gold in adverse economic conditions.
Lower nominal interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets like gold, making gold relatively more attractive compared with interest-bearing government bonds such as Treasuries.
high
temporal
Explains a general monetary mechanism that can influence gold demand.
Purchases of gold by central banks tend to increase during periods of heightened geopolitical tensions, supporting overall gold demand.
medium
temporal
Links geopolitical risk to central-bank behavior and demand for gold.
The Federal Reserve's official inflation target is 2 percent.
high
policy
Inflation-targeting objective used to guide U.S. monetary policy
Reductions in a central bank's policy interest rate generally lead over time to lower borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, and business loans, which tends to encourage consumer spending and business investment.
high
mechanism
Transmission mechanism of monetary easing to the broader economy
Monetary policymakers commonly balance a trade-off between lowering interest rates to support economic activity and keeping rates higher to control inflation.
high
principle
General policymaking consideration in setting interest rates
Policymakers typically consider labor market conditions and recent inflation trends when assessing whether additional policy easing is appropriate.
high
principle
Factors commonly weighed in decisions about interest-rate changes
Government-owned enterprises are a hallmark of socialist-oriented economies, including China.
high
descriptive
Describes a common characteristic of socialist-oriented economic systems.
Capitalist-oriented democracies sometimes retain ownership stakes in private companies deemed strategic; for example, France, Germany, and Spain hold stakes in Airbus.
high
descriptive
Explains that state ownership of strategic firms occurs even in market-oriented democracies.
A 'golden share' is a form of government shareholding that can grant the government veto power over critical corporate decisions.
high
descriptive
Defines a corporate ownership mechanism used to preserve government influence after a sale or takeover.
Critics of state ownership argue it can produce favoritism, cronyism, capital misallocation, and expose taxpayers to future losses if government-backed companies fail.
high
descriptive
Summarizes common criticisms leveled by free-market advocates against government equity ownership in firms.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary appropriations measure that the United States Congress can pass to provide short-term funding for federal agencies and avoid a government shutdown.
high
process
Describes the legislative tool used to temporarily fund the federal government when regular appropriations are not enacted.
During a lapse in federal appropriations (a government shutdown), Congress must provide funding before payroll processing cutoffs to avoid service members missing scheduled paychecks.
high
temporal
Payroll processing for the U.S. military is tied to federal funding; missing appropriations by processing deadlines can delay or prevent paychecks.
Social Security Administration benefit verification letters function as official income-verification documents that recipients use to apply for aid such as housing assistance, fuel assistance, and services from nonprofit organizations.
high
definitional
Describes the purpose and common uses of benefit verification letters issued by the Social Security Administration.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, nonessential federal employees are typically placed on furlough rather than being terminated.
high
procedural
Describes the common administrative response to lapses in appropriations for the federal government.
Subsidies associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
high
descriptive
Policy changes to ACA-related tax subsidies implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
China has established a dominant global position in the production and supply of rare earth minerals and permanent magnets over recent decades.
high
general
Describes the structural market position of China in rare earths and magnets relevant to global supply chains.
Rare earth minerals and permanent magnets are critical components used in electronics and other technologies worldwide.
high
general
Explains the importance of these materials to global electronics supply chains and technological applications.
A "reduction in force" (RIF) is a personnel action that refers to the laying off or permanent elimination of employees' positions.
high
definition
Human-resources term used in government and private-sector employment contexts to describe formal layoffs.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is an executive-branch office that is involved in federal budget and workforce decisions and can announce or implement federal personnel actions.
high
process
OMB's role encompasses oversight of federal budget priorities and related workforce actions.
A reduction-in-force (RIF) is a plan used to reduce the size of the federal government workforce.
high
definition
Personnel-management tool used by federal agencies to eliminate positions or cut staff.
The usual practice during a U.S. government shutdown is to furlough federal workers and restore them to their jobs once the shutdown ends.
high
temporal
Describes typical treatment of federal employees when funding lapses during a shutdown.
Lowering a central bank's main interest rate can increase inflationary pressure because cheaper borrowing costs tend to raise aggregate demand and push up prices.
high
causal
Monetary policy affects inflation through its influence on borrowing costs, demand, and spending.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a short-term appropriations measure that keeps the federal government open for a set period while congressional negotiators complete longer-term appropriations bills, and CRs often maintain funding roughly at prior fiscal-year levels for that period.
high
temporal
Defines the purpose and typical effect of continuing resolutions in the U.S. appropriations process.
During a federal government shutdown, service members and other federal employees who continue working can experience delayed paychecks if Congress has not enacted funding or passed legislation to provide pay on the regular schedule.
high
temporal
Explains a common personnel and payroll consequence of a lapse in federal appropriations.
U.S. federal government shutdowns can cause federal agencies to issue layoff notices and to furlough or terminate federal employees when appropriations lapse.
high
process
Describes the general consequence of a lapse in appropriations on the federal workforce.
Federal government shutdowns can prompt federal agencies to issue reduction-in-force notices and to furlough or lay off federal employees.
high
temporal
Describes a common operational consequence of federal government shutdowns.
During a federal government shutdown, administrations commonly prioritize maintaining essential services while curtailing or pausing nonessential functions.
high
temporal
Explains how governments typically allocate operations and services during shutdowns.
Labor unions can file lawsuits to challenge layoffs or reduction-in-force actions taken by federal agencies during a government shutdown.
high
temporal
Describes a legal recourse that unions may use in response to workforce actions during shutdowns.
Rare earth elements are critical inputs used in a wide range of consumer and military products.
high
general
Rare earths have both civilian and military applications, making them strategically important in global supply chains.
Governments deploy tariffs and export controls as policy tools to influence trade relations and protect national security by restricting exports or raising import costs for critical materials.
high
general
Tariffs and export controls are commonly used levers in international trade disputes and strategic supply-chain decisions.
Amazon commonly hires large numbers of additional part-time and full-time workers for the holiday shopping period (October through December), often at scales of roughly a quarter-million workers in busy seasons.
high
temporal
Describes a recurring staffing pattern by Amazon for the OctoberâDecember holiday shopping period.
Amazon reported that its seasonal roles pay an average of over $19.00 per hour, while its regular full- and part-time employee wages average about $23.00 per hour, plus benefits.
high
temporal
Company-reported average wage levels for seasonal versus regular employees.
Retailers commonly hire temporary seasonal workers during the holiday selling season to staff distribution centers, serve shoppers in stores, and construct holiday displays.
high
timeless
Describes typical retail labor practices around the holiday sales period.
Economic uncertainty and import tariffs can lead retailers to delay, reduce, or time hires more closely to when staff are actually needed for seasonal work.
high
timeless
Macroeconomic and trade policy conditions influence firms' staffing decisions for seasonal periods.
U.S. federal government shutdowns can cause federal employees to be furloughed or to work without pay until appropriations are restored.
high
impact
Describes a recurring consequence of federal funding lapses in the U.S. government.
U.S. federal government shutdowns can produce economic ripple effects that disrupt services and have broader impacts beyond the federal workforce.
high
impact
Summarizes common secondary economic and service disruptions associated with federal funding gaps.
Governments may use tariffs, sanctions, and export controls as policy tools to restrict another country's access to markets or technology.
high
temporal
Describes common economic and national-security tools available to states in bilateral trade disputes.
Countries can impose export restrictions on strategic resources such as rare-earth minerals as leverage in trade or geopolitical disputes.
high
temporal
Export controls on critical commodities are a recurring instrument of economic statecraft.
Policymakers can limit foreign companies' ability to invest domestically and may use executive actions to strengthen or protect critical infrastructure from perceived foreign incursions.
high
temporal
Investment restrictions and executive measures are commonly proposed tools to manage national-security risks associated with foreign economic activity.
A regulatory approach to address risks from foreign firms listed on domestic stock exchanges is to strengthen the audit review and financial disclosure requirements those firms must meet.
high
temporal
Enhancing audit and disclosure standards is a policy lever used to increase transparency and oversight of foreign-listed companies.
Rare-earth elements are used in products such as electric vehicles, household appliances, lithium-ion batteries, and camera lenses.
high
descriptive
Describes common civilian uses of rare-earth elements across consumer and industrial products.
Reductions in force (RIFs) refer to workforce reductions that go beyond typical furloughs during a federal government shutdown.
high
definition
Terminology describing a more permanent or extensive reduction of federal personnel compared with temporary furloughs during shutdowns.
Annual appropriations bills passed by the U.S. Congress are required to fund federal government operations, and failure to pass those appropriations by the start of the fiscal year can result in a federal government shutdown.
high
temporal
Background on how federal funding is provided and what triggers a shutdown.
During a lapse in appropriations, federal employees can be furloughed or receive layoff notices, and agencies together with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) can designate which employees are exempt from furlough and continue to be paid.
high
temporal
Typical personnel and pay outcomes when appropriations lapse.
Executive-branch actions to reallocate or prioritize available funds during a funding lapse (for example to continue some programs while suspending others) can be subject to legal challenges asserting those reallocations are unlawful.
high
temporal
Legal risks associated with executive reprogramming or prioritization of funds during shutdowns.
Some federal programs are funded by dedicated revenues or mandatory appropriations and can continue operating during a lapse in annual appropriations, whereas programs that rely on annual discretionary appropriations may be paused or result in furloughs.
high
temporal
Distinction between mandatory/dedicated funding streams and annual discretionary appropriations during government funding lapses
Federal government shutdowns can cause federal employees to be furloughed and can interrupt pay for federal workers and service members when appropriations lapse.
high
operational
Consequence of lapses in appropriations during funding gaps
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance marketplaces begins on November 1 each year.
high
policy
Annual schedule for enrollment in ACA marketplace health plans.
A federal government shutdown can halt pay for federal employees and disrupt services provided by troops, air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, and Border Patrol officials.
high
impact
Typical operational and workforce impacts resulting from lapses in federal appropriations.
Swap lines provided by a treasury or central bank are tools used to provide foreign-currency liquidity to support a country's currency during episodes of currency stress.
high
process
Describes a durable monetary/financial policy tool for managing currency stress.
Financing facilities can be structured to combine sovereign wealth funds and private banks to mobilize capital focused on a country's debt market as a complement to official swap lines.
high
process
Describes a common private-sector financing mechanism that can accompany public liquidity support.
The Gateway Project is an infrastructure initiative to build a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River connecting New Jersey and New York.
high
descriptive
General description of the Gateway Project as a cross-Hudson rail tunnel initiative.
The rail corridor under the Hudson River between New Jersey and New York is among the busiest train corridors in the United States.
medium
descriptive
Characterization of the corridor's traffic levels relative to other U.S. rail corridors.
Plant-derived proteins such as soy, pea, and wheat are relatively inexpensive and scalable but often lack the flavor and texture of conventional meat.
high
descriptive
Describes typical sensory and economic characteristics of common plant protein sources used in alternative-protein foods.
Mycelium, the root-like network of fungi, can mimic the fibrous texture and chew of meat and is used to improve texture in hybrid protein foods.
high
technical
Mycelium is utilized in food product formulation to replicate meat-like mouthfeel.
Cultivated animal cells (cultivated meat) can provide authentic meat flavor and nutrition but tend to have high production costs that challenge large-scale economic feasibility.
high
economic
Cultivated meat offers sensory and nutritional similarity to conventional meat but faces scalability and cost barriers.
Microbial fermentation using yeast or bacteria can produce proteins, vitamins, and natural flavors that help foods resemble meat and can reduce reliance on additives.
high
technical
Microbial fermentation is a production method applied to generate functional food ingredients for alternative-protein products.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages infrastructure projects with aggregate funding measured in the billions of dollars.
high
general
Describes the scale of projects overseen by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Federal agencies can issue reduction-in-force (RIF) notices to lay off employees as an administrative action during prolonged government shutdowns.
high
general
Describes a recurring administrative procedure used by federal agencies in extended funding lapses.
Vehicle weight classifications Class 3 through Class 8 refer to medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
high
definition
Truck classification by class (3â8) is commonly used to distinguish medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
Tariff policy can be designed to incentivize domestic vehicle manufacturing by imposing duties on imported vehicles and parts while offering credits to manufacturers that import parts for use in domestic assembly, with credit amounts tied to the proportion of parts imported.
high
policy_mechanism
Governments use tariffs and targeted credit mechanisms to influence sourcing and encourage domestic production.
The U.S. foreign direct product rule extends the reach of U.S. law to foreign-made products and has been used to restrict access to certain U.S. technologies manufactured outside the United States.
high
policy
Description of a long-standing U.S. export-control/legal doctrine that applies extraterritorially to products made abroad.
Beijing has adopted expanded export controls and foreign investment review mechanisms as part of a broader toolkit to respond to foreign sanctions and trade restrictions.
high
policy
General description of recent Chinese regulatory trends in trade and investment policy.
Critical minerals are elements necessary for modern technology and include metals such as lithium and silicon.
high
definition
Defines what is meant by 'critical minerals' in technology and industrial contexts.
Rare earth elements are used to manufacture permanent magnets that are employed in defense and aerospace applications.
high
technical
Describes a primary industrial use of rare earth elements.
Export-control policies can require foreign companies to obtain government approval to export products that contain trace amounts of domestically-originated materials or that were produced using domestic technology.
high
policy
Describes a mechanism of trade/export regulation relevant to controlling supply chains for sensitive materials.
Premium tax credits created under the Affordable Care Act can be enhanced by legislation and those enhancements can be made temporary or set to expire.
high
policy
Explains that changes to tax credits within the ACA are subject to legislative action and can include time-limited provisions.
During federal government funding lapses (shutdowns), many federal civilian employees and U.S. military service members may continue to perform duties while pay can be delayed until funding is restored or special legislation is passed.
high
labor
Operational effect of federal funding lapses on federal workforce and military personnel.
Congress can consider individual annual appropriations bills that fund specific federal departments or programs, such as a year-long appropriations bill to fund the Department of Defense.
high
procedural
Appropriations process allows department-specific, year-long funding bills.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a short-term measure that extends federal funding, generally by maintaining existing federal spending levels to temporarily keep the government funded.
high
definition
Federal budget/funding process
The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index is a widely used gauge of inflation.
high
descriptive
PCE is an inflation measure produced by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and commonly used by economists and policymakers.
Core PCE is a version of the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index that excludes volatile energy and food prices.
high
descriptive
Core measures are used to assess underlying inflation trends by removing highly volatile components.
Importers typically bear the initial legal cost of tariffs but commonly pass at least some of those added expenses onto consumers through higher prices.
high
descriptive
Pass-through of tariff costs from firms to consumers varies by industry, market structure, and firm pricing strategies.
Tariffs can exert upward pressure on consumer prices and thereby contribute to higher measured inflation.
high
descriptive
Tariffs raise the cost of imported goods directly and can lead firms to raise prices, affecting headline and core inflation measures.
About one-third of households in Chicago's South Shore have annual incomes under $25,000.
high
economic
Income distribution statistic describing the prevalence of low-income households in the South Shore neighborhood.
Jobs for the Future's The American Job Quality Study defined a "quality job" using five indicators: financial well-being (fair pay and stable employment), workplace culture and safety (freedom from discrimination or harassment), growth and development opportunities (skills building and advancement), agency and voice (ability to influence decisions that affect one's job), and work structure and agency (stable, predictable schedule and a manageable workload).
high
definition
Framework used to assess job quality in the Jobs for the Future study
The Affordable Care Act (commonly called Obamacare) includes premium assistance subsidies that can expire and require congressional action to extend.
high
policy
Describes the nature of ACA premium subsidies and their dependence on legislative action for continuation.
A continuing resolution is a temporary appropriations measure that Congress can pass to fund the federal government for a specified short-term period.
high
procedural
Continuing resolutions are used when regular appropriations lapses would otherwise interrupt government operations.
Manhattan's Canal Street in New York City has a longstanding outdoor market where vendors sell counterfeit or knock-off designer goods such as handbags, watches, perfumes, and electronics.
high
descriptive
Describes durable commercial activity and product types commonly associated with Canal Street.
Gold is priced in U.S. dollars, so a stronger U.S. dollar tends to make gold more expensive for non-U.S. buyers and can reduce international demand for gold.
high
general
Explains how currency strength influences global demand for dollar-priced commodities.
Gold is commonly used as a hedge against geopolitical instability, trade disruptions, inflation, and policy uncertainty, and demand for gold typically increases during periods of elevated perceived risk.
high
general
Describes gold's role as a safe-haven asset.
U.S. government shutdowns can increase national debt because they delay economic activity, postpone fiscal decisions, pause federal programs, and can raise costs when programs are stopped and restarted.
high
causal
General relationship between government shutdowns and fiscal outcomes
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that cargo thefts account for up to $35 billion in losses in the United States each year.
high
statistical
Estimate of annual economic losses from cargo theft in the U.S.
The federal government counts shutdown days as starting after the final day on which budget authority was available and ending the day before new budget authority is enacted.
high
procedural
Definition of how federal shutdown days are measured for official counts.
Shutdowns are attributed to the year in which they started according to U.S. House of Representatives reporting conventions.
high
attribution
Conventional year attribution used in historical shutdown listings.
Former President Ronald Reagan presided over eight federal funding lapses (government shutdowns), which is the highest number of shutdowns recorded for any U.S. president.
high
statistical
Count of distinct funding lapses attributed to a president historically.
The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) is the federal program that provides nutrition benefits to eligible low-income individuals and households and was formerly known as 'food stamps'.
high
definition
Describes the program's identity and former name.
Federal government shutdowns can disrupt federally funded benefit programs such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), potentially causing short-term interruptions or depletion of benefits for recipients.
high
process
General consequence of lapses in federal government funding on benefit distribution.
State governments can declare states of emergency to mobilize state resources and provide food assistance to residents when federal benefit programs are disrupted.
high
policy
General use of state emergency powers to address interruptions in federal benefits.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures price changes in a basket of goods and services typically bought by consumers.
high
definition
Basic description of the CPI as a consumer price measure.
The Social Security Administration bases its annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on the inflation rate measured over the July-through-September period.
high
process
Rule for how the SSA determines the yearly COLA for benefits.
A Goldman Sachs analysis found that U.S. importing companies passed on as much as 55% of import tariff costs to consumers through higher prices.
medium
statistical
Estimated pass-through rate of import tariffs to consumer prices from a financial-institution analysis.
A furlough is a temporary leave status in which an employee is not working.
high
definition
General definition of 'furlough' as used for federal employees.
RIF stands for 'reductions in force' and refers to workforce reductions or layoffs.
high
definition
Acronym and meaning used in federal human-resources contexts.
When there is a lapse in congressional appropriations for the U.S. federal government (a government shutdown), some civilian federal employees are typically placed on furlough and do not work while other employees designated as essential continue to work; employees in both groups can be without pay during the lapse in appropriations.
high
policy
Describes the typical operational and pay effects of a federal government lapse in appropriations.
Higher interest rates can reduce inflation because they raise borrowing costs for households and businesses, which tends to lower spending and aggregate demand.
high
mechanism
General monetary policy mechanism linking interest rates to inflation.
Tariffs on imported goods can cause businesses to raise consumer prices by passing some or all of the import tax costs onto consumers.
high
mechanism
General effect of import tariffs on consumer prices via cost pass-through.
The Social Security Administration determines the program's annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each fall using changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) measured over the July through September period.
high
temporal
Describes the recurring method used to calculate annual Social Security COLAs.
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) tracks the average change in prices paid by urban wage earners and clerical workers for a basket of commonly purchased goods and services.
high
definition
Definition of the CPI-W index used to measure inflation for certain labor cohorts.
The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is intended to prevent Social Security beneficiariesâincluding retirees and disabled Americansâfrom losing purchasing power because of inflation.
high
policy
Explains the purpose of the COLA within Social Security program design.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
high
administration
Federal oversight of SNAP is handled by the USDA, which communicates with state agencies about program operations and funding.
SNAP benefit payments rely on federal appropriations, so a lapse in federal funding can lead to insufficient funds to pay scheduled SNAP benefits.
high
process
Because SNAP is funded through federal appropriations, interruptions in appropriations can affect states' ability to disburse benefits to recipients on schedule.
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index is a monthly index that gauges Americans' outlook on the job market, wages, inflation, business conditions, and personal finances.
high
temporal
Description of what the consumer sentiment index measures and its reporting frequency.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a federal economic measure of price changes and inflation used by markets and policymakers.
high
temporal
Roles and purpose of the CPI in economic measurement and policy.
The U.S. Federal Reserve targets an annual inflation rate of 2 percent as its policy objective for price stability.
high
temporal
The Federal Reserve's stated long-run objective for inflation.
During U.S. federal government funding shutdowns, agencies can furlough nonessential civilian employees, placing those employees on unpaid leave.
high
procedural
Describes a recurring administrative response used by federal agencies during funding gaps.
During U.S. federal government funding shutdowns, some federal employees may be required to continue working without immediate pay if their positions are designated as necessary for national security, public safety, or other essential functions.
high
procedural
Explains a common classification of federal employees and pay treatment during funding gaps.
Commercial banks sometimes offer short-term financial assistance to customers affected by missed federal paychecks during U.S. federal government shutdowns, including measures such as zero-interest loans or temporary fee waivers.
high
economic
Describes a common private-sector response to income disruptions caused by government funding lapses.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides one in eight people in the United States with money to buy food.
high
definition
Program coverage statistic describing the share of the U.S. population receiving SNAP benefits.
SNAP benefits average about $187 per month per recipient.
high
statistical
Typical monthly benefit amount for SNAP recipients.
SNAP benefits cost the federal government about $8 billion per month.
high
statistical
Aggregate monthly federal expenditure on SNAP benefits.
SNAP maintains a contingency reserve estimated at about $5 billion intended to help cover emergencies and shortfalls, and U.S. Department of Agriculture contingency funding for SNAP is intended to provide food assistance in disasters and emergencies such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods.
high
policy/statistical
Description of SNAP's reserve funds and the intended uses of USDA contingency funding.
Insufficient staffing at air traffic control facilities such as towers, TRACONs, or centers can lead to deliberate air traffic delays and flight cancellations as a safety measure.
high
operational
Operational response to staffing shortfalls in air traffic control that affects flight operations.
Employers and regulators often discourage workers in safety-sensitive roles, including air traffic controllers, from taking second jobs in order to avoid distractions and maintain operational safety.
high
policy
Workplace and regulatory practice aimed at preserving safety in critical occupations.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, federal employees can miss scheduled paychecks.
high
temporal
Describes a common fiscal consequence of a U.S. federal government shutdown.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, air travel can be disrupted because air traffic controllers and other aviation staff may continue working without pay.
high
temporal
Shutdowns can affect operational continuity in federally overseen transportation services.
During U.S. federal government shutdowns, federally funded food assistance programs can face interruptions or reductions in aid distribution.
high
temporal
Federal funding disruptions can put social safety-net programs at risk during shutdowns.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summits serve as venues for member economies to conduct multilateral discussions and hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the main meeting.
high
structural
APEC's format commonly allows leaders to pursue separate bilateral talks in addition to plenary sessions.
U.S. federal government shutdowns can cause federal workers to miss paychecks, disrupt flights when air traffic controllers work without pay, and threaten the continuity of federally supported food assistance to states.
high
causal
A lapse in appropriations can force unpaid furloughs or continued unpaid work by essential personnel and interrupt federally funded programs.
Tariffs and retaliatory tariffs are common tools in international trade policy that governments use to exert economic pressure or respond to trade measures taken by other countries.
high
general
Tariffs and counter-tariffs are frequently deployed during trade disputes and negotiations between countries.
The United States graduates more Ph.D. students than any other country.
high
trend
Relative global output of doctoral graduates
Increased graduate student unionization has raised labor costs for universities, contributing to financial pressures that can lead some graduate programs to shrink.
medium
trend
Unionization can increase salary and benefit obligations for universities, affecting program budgets
The Exchange Stabilization Fund is a U.S. Treasury fund that can be used to provide currency swap lines and other balance-of-payments support.
high
temporal
Describes a U.S. Treasury facility used for international currency interventions and liquidity support.
Currency swap lines are financial arrangements in which one country's central bank or treasury provides another country with foreign-currency liquidity to support its currency or stabilize its exchange rate.
high
temporal
Defines a common international financial-stability tool used in sovereign support operations.
Governments or treasuries can intervene in foreign-exchange markets by purchasing a country's currency in the open market to attempt to support that currency's exchange rate.
high
temporal
Describes a standard market intervention technique used to influence exchange rates.
Ford Motor Company builds more than 80% of the vehicles it sells in the United States in U.S. manufacturing facilities, the highest share among Detroit automakers.
high
statistical
Refers to the share of U.S.-sold Ford vehicles that are manufactured within the United States.
Automakers that manufacture a large share of their vehicles domestically can still import many parts and thus remain exposed to tariffs on imported auto components.
high
economic
Describes the supply-chain dynamic where domestic vehicle assembly can coexist with reliance on imported components, creating vulnerability to import tariffs.
Rare earth elements are materials used as inputs in advanced technologies, including components for computer chips and other high-tech devices.
high
general
Supply of rare earth elements is critical for manufacturing advanced electronic and defense technologies.
Precursor chemicals for fentanyl are internationally traded substances that can be targeted by export controls and other measures to reduce illicit fentanyl production and supply.
high
general
Controlling cross-border trade in precursor chemicals is a policy tool used to limit illegal opioid manufacturing.
Tariffs and export controls are common policy tools used by countries to influence trade relationships and to apply economic pressure during trade disputes.
high
general
Governments employ tariffs and export restrictions to protect domestic industries or to gain leverage in negotiations.
Approximately one in eight Americans receives SNAP benefits to help purchase groceries.
high
statistic
Baseline statistic describing the proportion of the U.S. population served by SNAP.
U.S. Department of Agriculture guidance indicates that SNAP contingency funds are reserved for disaster assistance and are not legally available to cover regular monthly benefits, and that states would not be reimbursed for temporarily covering those benefits.
high
policy
USDA interpretation of the allowable use of SNAP contingency funds and reimbursement for states.
Businesses, investors, and policymakers rely on government economic data (for example, jobs reports) to set wages, make hiring, pricing and investment decisions, and to inform policy actions; investors' reactions to such data can drive significant stock market movements.
high
general
Government-produced economic statistics are considered gold-standard inputs for private- and public-sector decision-making.
The Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is tied to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
high
general
CPI-based inflation measures are used to calculate annual Social Security benefit adjustments.
APEC is an acronym for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, a regional economic forum for Pacific Rim countries.
high
definition
APEC organizes summits and meetings among Pacific Rim economies to discuss trade and economic cooperation.
Tariffs are a policy tool used by governments to tax imports in order to boost domestic manufacturing or to seek more favorable trade terms.
high
descriptive
Tariffs are commonly used as part of trade and industrial policy.
The scope of a U.S. president's unilateral authority to impose tariffs can be legally contested and may be limited or clarified by U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
high
descriptive
Legal challenges can affect executive trade authorities and how tariffs are implemented.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as the food stamp program, covers approximately 40 million Americans.
high
statistical
Scope of SNAP recipient population
Government shutdowns can cause federal employees to miss paychecks and can disrupt federally funded services such as air traffic control operations and food assistance programs.
high
process
General operational effects associated with federal funding lapses
It takes about $8 billion to $9 billion per month to cover all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in the United States.
high
temporal
Estimated monthly federal cost to provide full SNAP benefits nationwide.
The SNAP contingency fund is approximately $5 billion in size.
high
temporal
Designated reserve funding associated with the U.S. federal SNAP program.
Federal SNAP contingency funds are designated to supplement regular monthly SNAP benefits only when appropriations for regular benefits exist but are insufficient, and the contingency fund is intended to support contingencies such as the Disaster SNAP program that provides food-purchasing benefits in disaster areas (for example, areas affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, or floods).
high
temporal
Legal/policy purpose and intended use of the SNAP contingency fund and Disaster SNAP.
Governments can apply tariffs as an enforcement measure against imports that do not meet the rules of a freeâtrade agreement; for example, the United States applied a 25 percent tariff on Mexican imports that the United States said did not comply with the U.S.-Canada-Mexico free trade agreement.
high
policy
Describes a policy mechanism whereby tariffs are used to enforce compliance with free-trade agreement requirements.
Non-tariff barriers to trade are measures other than tariffs that can restrict trade and can include issues such as disputes over intellectual property.
high
definition
Defines a category of trade restrictions commonly cited in trade negotiations.
The United States and China have repeatedly engaged in cycles of escalating trade measures and subsequently walking back those measures, a pattern that has harmed companies conducting cross-Pacific trade.
high
temporal
Describes a recurring pattern in US-China trade relations where escalation is followed by de-escalation.
Governments can use licensing systems and export controls for rare earth minerals as instruments of trade policy and may expand those systems in response to foreign trade restrictions.
high
temporal
Licensing regimes for strategic minerals are a policy tool available to states during trade disputes.
Trade agreements commonly address a range of policy areas including intellectual property, banking, and agriculture.
high
temporal
Comprehensive bilateral or multilateral trade deals typically cover financial, IP, and agricultural provisions.
"Escalating to de-escalate" is a policy approach in which a government increases pressure or punitive measures with the intention of inducing the other side to make concessions and thereby enabling a subsequent rollback.
high
temporal
Describes a strategic pattern in which escalation is used instrumentally to achieve later de-escalation.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) reported that 4,800 small businesses were blocked from receiving $2.5 billion in capital during a government funding lapse.
medium
temporal
SBA data describing the impact of a government shutdown or lapse in appropriations on small-business capital disbursements.
During a U.S. federal government shutdown, some federal employees may be furloughed or have their pay delayed, while certain essential personnelâsuch as military service members and air traffic controllersâgenerally continue working even if pay is deferred until funding is restored.
high
operational
A lapse in appropriations forces agencies to follow contingency plans that categorize employees as "excepted" (essential) or "non-excepted" (furloughed) for work and pay purposes.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act is a U.S. federal law that presidents can cite when declaring national emergencies to authorize economic measures such as sanctions or tariffs.
high
procedural
Describes the legal basis presidents may invoke to take economic actions during declared national emergencies.
Airlines can coordinate with federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Aviation Administration to provide meals or other support to transportation-sector federal workers during staffing or pay disruptions.
high
temporal
Describes a recurring operational response and interagency coordination option used by airlines to support federal transportation workers during disruptions.
Personnel shortages among air traffic controllers contribute to flight delays.
high
temporal
Identifies a durable causal factor affecting airline on-time performance and airport operations.
Tariffs are taxes imposed on imported goods (an import tax).
high
definition
General definition of a tariff in trade and public finance.
Tariffs on imports tend to raise the prices paid by domestic consumers who purchase those imported goods.
high
economic
Typical economic effect of import tariffs on domestic prices.
The Origination Clause of the U.S. Constitution requires revenue-raising bills to originate in the U.S. House of Representatives.
high
legal
Constitutional rule governing where tax and revenue legislation must be introduced.
SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance to low-income individuals and families.
high
definitional
Definition of the federal nutrition assistance program commonly referred to as SNAP.
U.S. presidential administrations from Bill Clinton through Barack Obama pursued a policy of engagement with the government of the People's Republic of China.
high
temporal
Characterizes U.S. foreign-policy approach toward China across multiple administrations prior to the Trump era.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organizes CEO Summits that bring together leaders and business executives from member economies.
high
temporal
APEC-hosted events aimed at economic dialogue and private-sector engagement among member economies.
A full-year appropriations bill provides funding for the federal government for an entire fiscal year and replaces temporary continuing resolutions when enacted.
high
definition
Contrasts full-year appropriations with temporary continuing resolutions.
If Congress does not enact either appropriations bills or a continuing resolution by a funding deadline, the federal government can enter a shutdown during which nonessential federal operations are suspended.
high
procedural
Explains the consequence of failing to meet funding deadlines.
Approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers work across the United States.
high
statistic
Baseline workforce size for U.S. air traffic control
There are about 10,800 certified air traffic controllers operating in the U.S. system while a fully staffed level is cited as 14,633 controllers.
high
statistic
Reported operational staffing versus a cited full staffing target for the U.S. air traffic control system
The federal funds rate is the interest rate that banks charge each other for short-term overnight loans.
high
definition
Defines the benchmark rate that guides U.S. short-term interbank lending and influences broader monetary policy transmission.
The Federal Reserve's statutory 'dual mandate' requires monetary policymakers to pursue both low inflation and low unemployment.
high
policy
Governs the Federal Reserve's objectives for U.S. monetary policy.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is the Federal Reserve panel responsible for setting U.S. monetary policy, including decisions on the target federal funds rate.
high
institutional
Identifies the FOMC as the decision-making body for interest-rate policy in the United States.
It is common for companies to implement workforce reductions as part of post-merger restructuring and cost-cutting efforts.
high
general
Describes a general business practice observed after mergers and acquisitions.
Companies that complete mergers and acquisitions often seek opportunities to streamline operations, which can include organizational restructuring.
high
general
Generalizable corporate strategy following a merger or acquisition.
Biologic drugs are medicines produced from living cells rather than by chemical synthesis.
high
definitional
Defines what distinguishes biologic drugs from traditional small-molecule drugs.
Biosimilar competition can lead to lower prices for biologic medicines and can prompt originator manufacturers to reduce list prices or offer larger rebates, while the magnitude of patient savings depends on insurance coverage decisions and whether a biosimilar is placed on a pharmacy benefit manager's formulary.
high
economic
Typical market and insurance mechanisms affecting patient-level savings from biosimilars.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act can be invoked by the U.S. president to exercise emergency economic authorities that have been used to impose tariffs on foreign goods.
high
temporal
Describes a statutory mechanism by which a U.S. president can assert emergency economic powers to regulate international commerce.
Tariffs can be used as leverage in trade negotiations to attempt to obtain more favorable trade deals.
high
temporal
Describes a policy rationale for employing duties on imports as a negotiating tool in international trade.
Imposed tariffs typically raise costs for domestic consumers and can negatively affect domestic producers and sectors such as agriculture and distilling.
high
temporal
Summarizes common economic effects of import duties and retaliatory tariffs on domestic prices and industry sectors.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) includes provisions that result in a large share of goods between the U.S. and Canada being exempt from certain tariffs.
high
legal
Trade agreements can include tariff exemptions that limit the scope of unilateral tariffs between partner countries.
About 67% of women in the United States with children under age five are in the labor force, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
high
statistical
National labor force participation among women with young children
An assertion by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham states that in 41 U.S. states average child care payments exceed average mortgage payments.
medium
statistical
Comparison of child care costs and mortgage costs across U.S. states as claimed by a public official
China holds the vast majority of the world's supply of rare earth minerals and related magnets, which are critical inputs for manufacturing in technology areas such as semiconductors and missiles.
high
descriptive
Rare earth minerals and magnets are essential raw materials for advanced electronics, defense systems, and semiconductor manufacturing.
Busan is a major city on South Korea's southeastern coast and is the country's second-most populous city after Seoul; it is known as an educational and cultural center.
high
descriptive
Geographic and demographic description of Busan within South Korea.
SNAP benefits are issued on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) prepaid cards, and unused benefit balances remain on those cards and can be used in subsequent months.
high
temporal
Operational detail about how SNAP benefit delivery and balances work.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves on the order of tens of millions of people, approximately 42 million beneficiaries.
high
temporal
Baseline scale statistic describing program participation.
SNAP recipients receive average monthly benefits on the order of a few hundred dollars, about $187 per month on average.
high
temporal
Typical per-household monthly benefit amount for SNAP recipients.
Rare earth elements are used across many industries, including electronics, renewable energy, and defense-related manufacturing, and are considered strategically important in global supply chains.
high
descriptive
General description of the industrial importance of rare earth elements
U.S. administrations under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden implemented export controls restricting foreign access to advanced computer chips, including chips used for artificial intelligence applications.
high
policy
Context about U.S. export-control policy affecting semiconductor sales
Tariff measures can materially influence agricultural trade flows; changes in tariff policy have been associated with shifts in purchases of commodities such as soybeans and beef between major trading partners like the United States and China.
high
descriptive
General relationship between tariffs and agricultural export patterns
U.S. presidents can use declarations of national emergency as a basis to impose tariffs.
high
legal
Legal mechanism connecting national emergency declarations to trade policy actions such as tariffs.
Tariffs and retaliatory tariffs can raise consumer prices and can reduce agricultural incomes and exports.
high
economic
Commonly observed economic effects of imposing tariffs and of trading partners' retaliatory measures.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) is a U.S. federal law that authorizes the President to regulate economic transactions and to impose economic measures, such as trade restrictions, during a declared national emergency.
high
legal
Statutory authority used by presidents to enact economic measures in national emergencies.
Tariffs are a policy tool that governments use as economic leverage in international trade negotiations and to create incentives for domestic production and investment.
high
economic
General economic rationale for imposing tariffs.
A federal government shutdown can cause some federal employees, including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, to miss paychecks until appropriations are restored.
high
operational
Impact of lapses in federal appropriations on payroll for certain federal workers
A federal government shutdown can disrupt distribution of federal food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.
high
operational
Effect of government funding lapses on federal benefit programs
Rare-earth magnets are used in technologies including semiconductor chips and missiles.
high
contextual
Describes common applications of rare-earth magnets across civilian and military technologies.
China is typically the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans.
high
contextual
Describes typical trade patterns in the global soybean market between China and the United States.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary measure used by the U.S. Congress to extend existing federal funding when regular appropriations bills have not been enacted, allowing additional time to complete the appropriations process.
high
definition
U.S. federal budgeting and appropriations process
U.S. federal government shutdowns can halt distribution of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits and cause federal workers to miss paychecks when agencies lack appropriated funding.
high
impact
Common effects of lapses in federal appropriations
Approximately 42 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help buy food.
high
statistical
Program participation estimate
SNAP benefits are delivered on a prepaid card and recipients receive an average of $187 per month.
high
statistical
Typical benefit delivery method and average monthly benefit amount
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) provide or insure financing for health projects such as short-term rehabilitation, long-term skilled nursing care, and other facilities that serve senior citizens and Medicare recipients.
high
operational
Describes the roles of HUD and FHA in financing health care facilities that serve elderly and Medicare populations.
FHA-insured financing can provide lower-cost capital and refinancing savings that are used to fund renovations, facility improvements, and loan refinancings for skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers.
high
financial
Describes typical uses and benefits of FHA-insured financing for health care facilities.
A U.S. presidential declaration of a national emergency can be asserted as legal justification for imposing import tariffs or other economic levies under statutory authority.
high
policy
Legal disputes can arise over whether statutory authority supports using a declared national emergency to impose trade measures.
Tariffs can negatively impact industries such as aluminum, steel, automotive, and lumber.
high
economic
General economic effect of import tariffs on specific manufacturing and resource sectors.
High tariffs can provoke retaliation by foreign countries and trigger trade wars.
high
economic
Describes a common international-trade dynamic where protectionist measures elicit countermeasures.
Over three-quarters of Canada's exports are destined for the United States, and roughly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars (about US$2.7 billion) in goods and services cross the CanadaâU.S. border each day.
medium
statistical
Baseline trade dependence statistic describing the volume and direction of CanadaâU.S. cross-border trade.
Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees is administered through state laws and state processing systems, so eligibility rules, benefit amounts, and processing vary by state.
high
process
General description of how unemployment benefits for federal employees are handled.
Roughly half of U.S. states have a maximum weekly unemployment-benefit amount under $600, according to U.S. Department of Labor data.
high
statistical
Comparative statistic on state maximum weekly unemployment benefit levels.
States typically issue unemployment benefit payments within two to three weeks after a claimant's claim is approved.
high
process
Typical timeline for state unemployment benefit disbursement after approval.
Most states have an initial 'waiting week' during which unemployment benefits are not paid up front; beneficiaries commonly receive payment for that waiting week later only if they exhaust all weeks of benefits allotted, according to the National Employment Law Project.
high
process
Common rule about initial unpaid waiting week in state unemployment programs.
Tariffs are trade policy tools that governments can use to exert economic leverage, influence trade negotiations, or pursue national security objectives.
high
policy
Summarizes common uses and rationales for imposing tariffs in international trade policy.
The U.S. federal government funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by providing money to state governments, and states oversee and administer SNAP benefits for their residents.
high
structural
Funding and administrative structure of SNAP
SNAP benefits are typically issued on a monthly basis and are delivered to recipients through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards or EBT systems.
high
temporal
Describes the usual timing and delivery mechanism for SNAP benefits
State agencies administer SNAP benefits at the state level and must coordinate with EBT vendors and adjust state procedures and systems when changes to benefit delivery (such as partial or emergency payments) are implemented.
high
temporal
Explains the role of state agencies and EBT vendors in SNAP benefit disbursement and system changes
An omnibus appropriations bill consolidates all 12 regular federal appropriations bills into a single legislative package and often includes additional spending provisions and policy riders.
high
procedural
Definition and typical composition of an omnibus funding bill in the federal appropriations process.
There are approximately 1.6 million veteran-owned small businesses in the United States.
high
statistical
Baseline size of the veteran-owned small business sector in the U.S.
Veteran-owned small businesses generate more than $1 trillion in annual sales in the United States.
high
statistical
Annual economic contribution of veteran-owned small businesses to the U.S. economy.
The Small Business Administration organizes National Veterans Small Business Week as an annual program to honor and support veteran-owned small businesses.
high
organizational
Purpose and frequency of the National Veterans Small Business Week program.
The Small Business Administration provides services for small businesses including small business lending programs, in-person and virtual training sessions, capital access workshops, and government contracting resources.
high
operational
Types of programs and support the SBA offers to small businesses.
SNAP benefits are loaded onto Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which beneficiaries use like debit cards to purchase food and eligible goods.
high
process
How benefit delivery works
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports typical annual nationwide funding for SNAP is about $99.8 billion, which corresponds to roughly $187.20 per participant per month.
high
statistical
Program funding and per-participant average
Tariffs imposed on imports are generally borne by the importer rather than by the foreign exporter.
medium
economic
Incidence of import tariffs commonly falls on the party that brings goods into the imposing country, affecting domestic pricing and costs.
Tariff uncertainty and changes in import levies commonly cause businesses to adjust pricing strategies, reduce costs (including layoffs), re-evaluate supply chains, and explore alternative manufacturing locations.
high
economic
Businesses respond to changes in trade policy and import costs by altering operations, sourcing, and pricing decisions.
Enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were implemented as a COVID-19 pandemic-era measure to temporarily increase premium assistance for enrollees.
high
policy
Temporary expansion of ACA premium subsidies tied to pandemic relief efforts.
State agencies administer SNAP benefits by calculating benefit amounts for eligible households and disbursing payments to program recipients.
high
temporal
Typical administrative process for SNAP benefit calculation and disbursement.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides states with information and guidance needed to calculate and distribute SNAP benefits.
high
temporal
Role of the federal agency in supporting state administration of SNAP.
During lapses in federal funding, agencies can use contingency funds to continue certain benefit payments, including partial disbursements of programs like SNAP.
medium
temporal
Operational mechanism used to maintain benefit payments amid federal funding interruptions.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the authority to halt flights at an airport in response to security threats.
high
operational
Federal aviation safety and security procedures empower the FAA to suspend airport flight operations when security threats are identified.
The longest United States federal government shutdown lasted 35 days.
high
temporal
Length of the historical record for U.S. federal government shutdowns.
A tariff is a tax or duty imposed on imported goods.
high
definitional
General definition of what a tariff is
Tariffs are used by governments as a policy tool for economic leverage and can be justified on national security grounds.
high
policy
Common rationales governments cite when imposing tariffs
Tariffs are taxes imposed on imported goods.
high
temporal
Definition of tariffs in international trade and taxation.
Tariff costs are initially paid by importing companies and can be passed on to consumers through higher prices.
high
temporal
Typical economic incidence and pass-through of import duties.
The major questions doctrine is a legal principle that requires Congress to speak clearly when authorizing actions on matters of vast economic and political significance.
high
temporal
Judicially developed limitation on agency or executive authority in highâstakes policy areas.
Workers United was founded in upstate New York in 2021.
high
organizational
Labor union organizing Starbucks workers
Workers United represents more than 9,500 baristas across 550 Starbucks cafes.
high
statistical
Membership scale of the labor union
Starbucks has roughly 240,000 employees working in about 10,000 stores across North America.
high
statistical
Company workforce and store footprint
Starbucks refers to its store managers as "coffeehouse leaders," and those roles are salaried.
high
organizational
Job titling and compensation structure at Starbucks
Tariffs are a form of tax imposed on imported goods and can raise revenue for the federal government.
high
economic
General description of the fiscal nature and function of tariffs.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) contains language permitting the president to "regulate âĻ nullify [and] void âĻ importation" but does not expressly use the word "tariff".
high
statutory
Description of the IEEPA's operative language regarding importation regulation.
No president has historically used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs.
high
historical
Historical usage of IEEPA in relation to tariff imposition.
Tariffs function as a form of taxation that generate revenue, and the power to tax is a congressional power rather than a presidential power.
high
constitutional
General characterization of tariffs and the allocation of taxing power between Congress and the president.
The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) can boost business productivity across multiple industries while reducing demand for some types of workers.
high
general
AI-driven automation and efficiency gains can change labor demand profiles across sectors.
Payroll processor ADP's employment dataset tracks only private-sector hiring and does not include public-sector employment.
high
general
ADP data are commonly used as an alternative employment measure but are limited to private employers.
National labor force participation can decline due to retiring members of the baby boom generation and reduced immigration, which can help keep unemployment rates lower even when hiring slows.
high
general
Demographic shifts and immigration policy can materially affect labor supply and macro unemployment metrics.
Higher import tariffs increase the retail price of affected foreign goods in the importing market, reducing those exporters' competitiveness relative to suppliers from countries facing lower tariffs.
high
process
General economic effect of import tariffs on prices and international competitiveness.
Exchange-rate movements alter the effective burden of tariffs: a weaker currency in the importing market or a stronger currency in the exporting country raises the local-currency price of imports and can amplify the competitive impact of a tariff on exporters.
high
process
Interaction between currency fluctuations and the practical impact of tariffs on trade competitiveness.
Rapid or large changes in tariff rates can cause importers and manufacturers to change sourcing and production locations, accelerate shipments to meet customs or tariff deadlines, and incur additional logistics and compliance costs.
high
economic
General business response to volatile trade policy
Manufacturers of consumer goods commonly rely on factories in countries such as China and Vietnam for assembly and for sourcing materials, which can make reshoring production to the United States impractical or cost-prohibitive for many products.
high
supply_chain
Structural characteristics of global manufacturing and supply chains
Legal challenges to executive-branch tariff actions typically raise the legal question of whether the president has statutory authority to impose tariffs on a foreign country to address declared national emergencies such as drug crises, illegal migration, or persistent trade deficits.
high
legal
Common legal issue in litigation over executive tariff use
Continuing resolutions are commonly used to prevent government shutdowns when Congress has not enacted full-year appropriations legislation.
high
temporal
Describes a routine legislative practice in U.S. budgeting to maintain government funding continuity.
COVID-19 pandemic-era legislation included temporary enhancements to Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies that were designed as time-limited measures to reduce out-of-pocket health insurance costs for enrollees.
high
temporal
Characterizes the nature of pandemic-era changes to ACA subsidy policy as temporary enhancements to premium tax credits.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues ground delays and ground stops for flights due to staffing shortages, and such events are recorded in Air Traffic Control System Command Center Advisories.
high
operational
Describes FAA operational mechanisms for managing air traffic when staffing is limited.
Travelers can consult FAA advisories to identify which airports are affected by delays or closures.
high
procedural
Guidance on publicly available FAA information for travel planning.
Shortages of air traffic controllers can lead some controllers to take second jobs to make up for lost pay.
medium
causal
Describes an employment response by some controllers to reduced or interrupted pay.
Most-favored-nation drug pricing is an approach that aims to obtain drug prices in one country that are the same as or lower than prices in other developed countries.
high
definition
This pricing approach is used in policy proposals to reduce domestic drug costs by referencing prices in other developed countries.
During federal government shutdowns, certain federal employees, including air traffic controllers, can be required to continue working without pay.
high
temporal
Describes a recurring personnel and payroll consequence of federal government shutdowns that affects aviation operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can direct airlines to reduce scheduled flights at airports as a measure to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers and preserve safety.
high
temporal
Describes an operational tool available to the FAA for managing controller workload and system safety.
A 10% reduction in scheduled flights at the busiest U.S. airports corresponds to a reduction of dozens of flights and can affect thousands of travelers per day at each airport, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
high
temporal
Quantifies the typical passenger and flight-volume impact scale of a 10% capacity cut at major airports.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides premium tax credits for people who obtain coverage through the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace to reduce monthly premiums and make coverage more affordable.
high
policy
Describes the purpose and effect of premium tax credits under the ACA.
SNAP maintains contingency or reserve funds that the USDA can use to provide or partially provide benefits to eligible households when regular appropriations or normal funding are interrupted.
high
process
Explains a durable funding mechanism used to maintain benefit payments during funding disruptions.
Congress can structure appropriations to fully fund specific agencies or accounts (for example: military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the legislative branch) so that those agencies and related programs remain operational even if other parts of the government are in a funding lapse.
high
policy
Appropriations can be targeted to exempt certain programs from the effects of a broader government shutdown.
Common consequences of a prolonged U.S. federal government shutdown include missed paychecks for federal employees, interruptions or reductions in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, and reductions in airport operations.
high
impact
These are typical operational and service impacts reported during extended federal funding lapses.
Approximately 42 million Americans participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help pay for groceries each month.
high
statistical
Participation size of SNAP as a federal food assistance program.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is a U.S. federal program that provides nutrition and food assistance benefits to eligible individuals and households.
high
descriptive
Federal food assistance program referenced in discussions of benefits and public assistance.
Temporary or interim federal spending legislation funds government operations only through a specified end date, requiring additional legislation to extend funding beyond that date to avoid a lapse in funding.
high
procedural
Budget and appropriations process for maintaining federal government funding.
The H-1B visa program permits U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for 'specialty occupations'.
high
definition
General description of the H-1B immigration category used by U.S. employers.
U.S. employers filing a Labor Condition Application (LCA) for H-1B workers are required to give notice to U.S. workers, accurately describe the job, and specify the employee's wage.
high
policy
LCA requirements are part of the regulatory process for hiring H-1B workers.
Listing non-existent worksites on a Labor Condition Application or assigning H-1B employees to jobs different from those described in the LCA constitutes a compliance issue with H-1B program requirements.
high
compliance
Worksite accuracy and job assignment consistency are enforcement considerations for LCAs.
In U.S. federal government shutdowns, federal employees designated as "essential" typically continue working without pay while other federal employees are furloughed.
high
procedural
Describes typical personnel and pay status for federal workers during a government shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can issue emergency orders to limit or reduce air traffic at airports in order to maintain safety amid staffing shortages.
high
regulatory
FAA authority to manage the National Airspace System when safety risks arise from reduced staffing.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) data report that more than 41 million Americans participate in SNAP, with participation rates highest in the states of New Mexico, Oregon, and Louisiana.
high
statistical
Breakdown of SNAP participation levels and states with the highest participation rates according to USDA data.
ADP, a private payroll processor, reports measures of private-sector employment that exclude government employment.
high
temporal
Describes how a commonly cited private employment data source is constructed and its coverage limitations.
State-reported weekly initial unemployment insurance claims are commonly used as a short-term indicator of layoffs and labor market stress.
high
temporal
Explains the role of weekly UI claims data in monitoring near-term changes in the labor market.
Job postings data from job-listing platforms such as Indeed are used to gauge labor demand, and year-over-year posted wage growth below the inflation rate indicates a decline in real (inflation-adjusted) wages.
high
temporal
Links job postings and posted wage growth metrics to assessments of demand for workers and real wage trends.
Surveys of consumer expectations such as the New York Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Expectations include measures of the expected unemployment rate one year ahead, and increases in those expectations are interpreted as worsening perceptions of future labor market conditions.
high
temporal
Describes how consumer expectation surveys capture perceived future labor market outcomes.
After a government shutdown ends, air travel operations can take several days to about a week to return to normal because authorities must assess air traffic controller staffing at facilities and towers and airlines must restore flights and reopen bookings.
high
temporal
Operational impact and recovery timeline for commercial aviation following a government shutdown.
A 'minibus' in U.S. federal budgeting refers to a package that combines multiple spending bills into a single legislative vehicle to fund portions of the government.
high
procedural
Legislative strategy for combining appropriations measures.
Congress can extend expiring tax credits or subsidies, such as the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) premium tax credits, by attaching a time-limited extension to government funding legislation like a continuing resolution (CR).
high
procedural
Mechanism for maintaining or temporarily continuing existing benefit or subsidy programs during appropriations processes.
Estimates of the weekly economic cost of a U.S. federal government shutdown range from $7 billion to $16 billion per week, with the White House Council of Economic Advisers projecting a $15 billion weekly loss.
high
temporal
Estimates and projections of economic losses associated with U.S. federal government shutdowns, reported by economic analysts and a White House advisory body.
The Bipartisan Policy Center has estimated that at least 670,000 federal workers can be furloughed and roughly 730,000 federal workers can be required to work without pay during a U.S. federal government shutdown.
high
temporal
Estimates of federal workforce status (furloughs and unpaid work) during U.S. federal government shutdowns.
The U.S. Small Business Administration can distribute approximately $170 million in federally guaranteed loans per day to small businesses.
high
temporal
Daily scale of federally guaranteed loan distributions administered by the Small Business Administration.
A 'minibus' is a congressional appropriations package that bundles multiple individual spending bills into a single legislative package.
high
definition
Used in appropriations to combine several spending bills for consideration together.
Retailers commonly hire seasonal workers to handle increased holiday shopping demand, typically concentrating hiring in the period from November 1 to December 31.
high
temporal
Typical timing and purpose of seasonal retail hiring for the holiday shopping season.
Companies sometimes pass a portion of import tariffs onto consumers, contributing to higher retail prices.
high
economic
Pricing behavior in response to import duties within retail supply chains.
The Federal Aviation Administration can impose flight reductions at busy airports to reduce workload on air traffic controllers.
high
operational
FAA uses traffic-volume limits as a tool to manage controller workload and overall airspace capacity.
Airlines typically decide which flights to cancel or adjust based on factors such as aircraft size, load factor (how full a flight is), and the availability of alternative routes to re-accommodate affected passengers.
high
operational
Carriers prioritize minimizing overall disruption when making schedule adjustments.
During widespread operational disruptions, airlines commonly offer increased ticketing flexibility such as allowing changes or refunds without standard fees and advise travelers to use airline apps with notifications enabled for timely updates.
high
consumer_advice
Customer-service measures and traveler practices aimed at reducing inconvenience during large-scale flight disruptions.
Drought and prolonged low cattle prices can reduce the size of the United States cattle herd, and smaller herd sizes can contribute to higher beef prices.
high
temporal
Supply-side drivers of beef price increases
Brazil is a major global exporter of beef.
high
temporal
Identifies a major supplier in international beef markets
Tariffs imposed by an importing country on a major exporter can reduce imports of that commodity into the importing country.
high
temporal
General effect of trade tariffs on import volumes
Policymakers from multiple U.S. political parties have proposed increasing competition within the meat industry as a strategy to reduce food prices.
high
temporal
Policy approaches to addressing rising food prices
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides federal food benefits to roughly 42 million people in the United States.
high
statistical
Baseline participation level for the federal food assistance program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers and oversees the distribution of federal food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
high
organizational
Administrative responsibility for federal food benefit distribution.
Government employment reports can be delayed, creating temporary gaps in official labor market data.
high
temporal
Official government releases of employment statistics are sometimes postponed, which can limit timely access to benchmark labor-market measures.
Private payroll reports are used as alternative sources to assess labor market conditions when official government jobs data are delayed or provide unclear signals.
high
temporal
Private-sector employment surveys and payroll tallies are commonly referenced by analysts to estimate job creation in periods without up-to-date official data.
Independent tallies of job cuts (mass layoff counts) can diverge from payroll-based job-creation measures and thus provide a different signal about labor market strength.
high
temporal
Measures that count job cuts or layoffs capture employer separations and may move differently than measures of net job creation from payroll surveys.
The Biden administration modified and temporarily enhanced Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) premium subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
high
policy
Describes a pandemic-era change to health insurance premium assistance implemented by the executive branch.
During federal government shutdowns, unpaid air traffic controllers have higher rates of calling in sick, which can exacerbate existing staffing shortages in air traffic control.
high
process
Describes a recurring staffing dynamic observed during federal shutdowns when pay is interrupted.
During prolonged unpaid periods, air traffic controllers may work mandatory overtime (for example up to six days per week) and some may take second jobs to cover living expenses.
high
process
Describes labor and schedule responses by controllers when pay is interrupted for extended periods.
Flight tracking services such as FlightAware compile and publish data on flight cancellations and disruptions for airlines and airports.
high
definition
Describes the role of commercial flight-tracking websites in reporting operational disruptions.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
high
administrative
SNAP is a federal nutrition assistance program administered and funded via the USDA.
Nearly 42 million Americans receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits; SNAP was formerly known as food stamps.
high
statistical
Baseline participation level for the U.S. federal food assistance program
SNAP benefits can be used to purchase food at grocery stores and farmers' markets in the United States.
high
operational
Typical authorized redemption locations for SNAP benefits
Under SNAP rules, an individual can receive a monthly maximum food benefit of nearly $300 and a family of four can receive up to nearly $1,000, although many households receive smaller amounts under a formula that considers their income.
high
statistical
Typical maximum monthly benefit levels and income-based reduction mechanism for SNAP
Virginia is home to over 147,000 government workers, which is the third-highest concentration of government workers of any U.S. state, according to records from the Library of Congress.
high
statistical
State-level count and ranking of government workers by state as recorded by the Library of Congress.
In U.S. federal appropriations, a "minibus" is a package that combines multiple individual spending (appropriations) bills into a single legislative package.
high
definition
Term used in congressional appropriations to bundle several appropriations bills together for consideration.
A continuing resolution (CR) is temporary legislation used to extend government funding and thereby prevent or delay a federal government shutdown until a specified date.
high
definition
Continuing resolutions are used when regular appropriations bills have not been enacted by the start of a fiscal period.
Approximately 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, including about 14 million children.
medium
statistic
Approximate scale of SNAP enrollment and child recipients
Federal government shutdowns can force the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reduce or cut flights, which can cause widespread flight delays and cancellations.
high
temporal
Describes a typical operational effect of federal government shutdowns on air travel operations.
The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is a federal nutrition assistance program that provides supplemental foods and nutrition services to low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children.
high
temporal
Definition of WIC as a federal nutrition assistance program
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes premium subsidies for people who purchase health insurance through ACA marketplaces to help lower their insurance costs.
high
temporal
Description of ACA marketplace premium subsidy policy
When regular appropriations are not enacted, Congress can use stopgap funding measures (continuing resolutions) to temporarily fund federal government operations.
high
temporal
General description of stopgap funding as a temporary appropriations mechanism
The Federal Aviation Administration has had a pre-existing shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.
high
capacity
Longstanding staffing shortfalls within air traffic control operations.
Staffing shortages among air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel can produce widespread flight delays and cancellations that affect large numbers of passengers.
high
operational
Operational impacts of reduced personnel on aviation system performance.
Staffing shortages among aviation-related federal personnel, including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, can contribute to increased flight cancellations and delays.
high
temporal
Explains a general link between federal staffing levels and air travel disruptions.
Federal employees designated as essential during funding lapses may face financial hardship that can lead them to seek additional employment or miss shifts.
high
temporal
Describes common economic and labor consequences for essential federal workers during shutdowns.
Widespread federal staffing shortages can prompt government agencies to reduce or limit operations at major airports.
high
temporal
General operational response by agencies to constrained staffing affecting aviation infrastructure.
Rebates and stimulus payments in the United States are typically issued through the tax code and require Congress to pass legislation authorizing the U.S. Department of the Treasury to disburse checks to individuals.
high
procedural
Describes the standard legislative and administrative mechanism used to deliver rebate or stimulus payments in the U.S.
An estimate from the Tax Foundation indicates that one dollar of tariff revenue offsets about $0.24 of federal income and payroll tax revenue.
high
statistical
Estimate reflecting how tariff receipts interact with other federal revenue streams according to the Tax Foundation.
The U.S. Congress' annual federal appropriations process is composed of 12 individual appropriations bills that can be combined into larger legislative vehicles commonly referred to as 'minibuses'.
high
institutional
Describes the structure of the congressional appropriations process and the use of combined legislative vehicles.
Congress can temporarily extend prior fiscal-year federal funding levels to provide negotiators additional time to reach longer-term appropriations agreements.
high
procedural
Continuing extensions of prior-year funding levels are a common procedural tool used during budget negotiations.
The Affordable Care Act included enhanced premium subsidies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic; those enhanced subsidies were temporary and require further legislation to be extended beyond their original expiration.
high
policy
Explains the temporary nature of pandemic-era subsidy increases under the Affordable Care Act and the need for legislation to continue them.
Extending mortgage terms can raise buyer demand by lowering monthly costs, but increased demand without a corresponding increase in housing supply can push home prices higher and negate affordability gains.
high
economic
Interaction between financing terms, demand, supply, and price in housing markets
A continuing resolution (CR) is a legislative funding measure that can temporarily extend federal funding and thereby reopen federal agencies until a specified date.
high
policy
Describes the general function of a continuing resolution in federal budgeting and government funding.
Legislation related to government shutdowns can include provisions to reverse involuntary terminations of federal employees, provide back pay to furloughed workers, and establish future protections for federal workers during shutdowns.
high
policy
Typical types of provisions lawmakers may include when negotiating funding measures to end shutdowns.
Premium tax credits and other subsidies enacted under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) can be time-limited and require congressional action to be extended beyond their statutory expiration.
high
policy
Explains the legislative nature of extending health insurance subsidies tied to the ACA.
A continuing resolution is a legislative measure that temporarily funds the federal government to prevent a government shutdown.
high
process
Definition of a common congressional funding mechanism used to avoid lapses in appropriations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, subsidies for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly called 'Obamacare,' were enhanced.
high
policy
Describes a policy change to ACA premium subsidies that occurred in the COVID-19 pandemic period.
Government shutdowns can suspend or delay federal benefit payments, including food assistance, and can produce operational disruptions in federally managed services such as air travel when staffing shortages (for example, of air traffic controllers) occur.
high
temporal
Summarizes typical service and program impacts associated with federal funding interruptions.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is a U.S. interagency committee that reviews and vets large foreign investments and global transactions for national security concerns.
high
procedural
U.S. national security review mechanism for foreign investment into the United States.
SNAP benefits are typically distributed electronically to recipients using Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
high
procedural
EBT is the common mechanism for delivering SNAP payments to individual beneficiaries.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issues guidance and directives regarding SNAP benefit issuance, while individual U.S. states administer and implement the distribution of SNAP benefits to residents.
high
administrative
USDA oversees federal SNAP policy and can direct states on implementation; states operate the program at the level of benefit issuance to participants.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) refers to the federal food assistance program commonly known as food stamps.
high
definition
Clarifies terminology used in discussions of federal nutrition assistance programs.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury reported that cumulative federal tariff collections totaled about $195 billion through September of the reporting period.
high
temporal
Federal tariff receipts reported by the Treasury, including preexisting and newly imposed tariffs.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data indicate that newly imposed tariffs generated about $117 billion in collections for the Treasury during the reporting period.
high
temporal
Collections attributed specifically to tariffs newly imposed in the reporting period, as reported by CBP.
The Tax Foundation estimated that all U.S. tariffs would raise about $2.4 trillion in federal revenue over the following decade.
high
temporal
A decade-long projection of tariff revenues produced by the Tax Foundation.
The Tax Foundation estimated that tariffs would reduce U.S. economic output by about 0.6 percent, result in more than 600,000 fewer full-time jobs, and impose an average annual burden on U.S. households of approximately $1,200 to $1,600.
high
temporal
Estimated macroeconomic and household impacts of existing tariffs according to the Tax Foundation.
Approximately 42 million Americans use monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to buy groceries.
high
statistical
Estimated number of SNAP beneficiaries using benefits for food purchases
A U.S. federal government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to enact appropriations or a temporary continuing resolution, causing suspension of non-exempt federal operations.
high
temporal
Defines the triggering condition and immediate administrative consequence of a federal shutdown.
Short-term continuing resolutions are temporary federal funding bills that extend funding at existing fiscal year spending levels for a limited period to delay or prevent a government shutdown.
high
temporal
Describes a common legislative mechanism used to maintain government funding when full appropriations are not enacted.
Enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to lower healthcare costs for individuals enrolled in marketplace plans.
high
temporal
Summarizes a policy change introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic affecting ACA marketplace affordability.
During major operational disruptions (for example, workforce shortages or government shutdowns), airlines may cancel a portion of scheduled flights at busy airports to adjust capacity and maintain safety.
high
operational
General airline operational response to significant disruptions that affect staffing or air traffic management.
The Federal Reserve System includes 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is a 19-member committee that meets eight times a year to decide whether to change the key short-term interest rate that influences borrowing costs in the U.S. economy.
high
temporal
Describes the institutional structure and meeting cadence of the U.S. central bank's policy committee.
At each Federal Open Market Committee meeting, 12 of the 19 participants have voting rights on interest-rate decisions, and regional Federal Reserve Bank presidents rotate as voting members.
high
temporal
Explains the voting composition and rotation system used for FOMC interest-rate decisions.
Regional Federal Reserve Banks were established to ensure that voices outside Washington, D.C., and New York have input into Federal Reserve policy decisions.
high
temporal
States the founding purpose of the regional Federal Reserve banks within the U.S. central banking system.
The Federal Aviation Administration has experienced a staffing shortfall of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.
high
statistical
Baseline staffing shortage in the U.S. air traffic control workforce.
Widespread staffing shortages among air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel can disrupt air travel operations, producing large numbers of flight delays and cancellations and affecting millions of passengers.
high
causal
General relationship between aviation workforce capacity and passenger travel disruptions.
Some retailers, including McDonald's and Kwik Trip, round cash transaction totals to the nearest five cents when pennies are unavailable.
high
general
Retailers may implement rounding policies for cash payments in response to shortages of one-cent coins.
Some franchise operators, including GoTo Foods (owner of Auntie Anne's, Cinnabon, Jamba, and Carvel), recommend rounding cash transactions in the customer's favor when pennies are scarce.
high
general
Franchise-level guidance can direct how individual locations handle cash rounding during coin shortages.
Some restaurant chains, such as Wendy's, instruct their locations to round cash transactions down to the nearest nickel when experiencing penny shortages.
high
general
Rounding down is one operational policy companies may use to manage lack of pennies while maintaining customer fairness.
Retailers may encourage cashless payments as a response to coin shortages and may run promotions or exchange programs to collect pennies for making change (example actions reported by Sheetz and Giant Eagle).
high
general
Encouraging electronic payments and running coin-collection promotions are operational responses to limited coin supply.
Federal government shutdowns can leave thousands of federal workers without pay and disrupt government services across the country.
high
impact
Describes typical consequences of a federal funding lapse (government shutdown).
The U.S. Congress can pass temporary funding legislation that funds the federal government through a specified date and can reverse federal layoffs that occurred during a shutdown.
high
process
Describes a legislative mechanism used to end or mitigate the effects of a government shutdown.
Cities that offer relatively generous state or local film production tax incentives have attracted substantial film and television production growth over multi-year periods, as exemplified by Atlanta's film industry expansion.
medium
economic
Link between film tax incentives and local film industry growth
The United States Congress can pass short-term funding measures (continuing resolutions) to temporarily extend funding for federal agencies while longer-term appropriations are negotiated.
high
policy
Legislative mechanism used to prevent immediate funding lapses and keep government operations running temporarily.
Federal museums and related institutions can use prior-year appropriations to temporarily continue operations after current-year funding lapses.
high
financial
Short-term continuity practice for federally funded cultural and research institutions when new appropriations are not yet available.
Federal government shutdowns can cause federal workers to miss paychecks and experience financial stress.
high
causal
Describes a common economic impact of federal funding lapses on public employees.
Federal government shutdowns can disrupt air travel and strand travelers at airports.
high
causal
Shutdowns can interrupt transportation services and staffing that support commercial air travel.
Federal government shutdowns can increase demand for emergency food assistance, producing long lines at food banks.
high
causal
Economic hardship from missed pay can raise reliance on food banks and charitable services.
Purdue University's Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability defines food insecurity as some members of a household at times not being able to afford a balanced meal, occasionally having to skip a meal, or eating less for financial reasons.
high
temporal
Operational definition used in a recurring national food-security survey.
SNAP recipients in the United States include a large proportion of children and elderly people and a substantial share of people with disabilities.
high
demographic
Describes the demographic composition of households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Households typically spend their monthly SNAP allotments within the same month the benefits are received.
high
behavioral
Describes common spending patterns among SNAP benefit recipients.
The nationwide issuance and processing of SNAP benefit disbursements in the United States is handled by two private companies.
medium
operational
Describes the centralized administrative processing structure for distributing SNAP benefits.
Biosimilars can cost up to 90% less than the brand-name biologic drugs they replicate.
high
statistical
Relative pricing difference between biosimilars and originator biologics.
In the United States, biologic drugs constitute about 5% of prescriptions but account for more than half of the approximately $600 billion spent annually on medicines.
high
statistical
Distribution of prescription volume versus share of total drug spending.
Walmart serves about 270 million customers and members globally each week and operates more than 10,750 stores and clubs across 19 countries, in addition to multiple e-commerce sites.
high
statistical
Operational scale and global footprint of Walmart.
Walmart employs over 2 million people (more than 2 million jobs).
high
statistical
Workforce size for Walmart.
Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million workers.
high
statistical
Workforce size reported for the retailer.
Housing First is a homelessness policy approach that prioritizes placing people into permanent housing first and then providing treatment and supportive services.
high
policy
Describes the Housing First policy model used in U.S. homelessness programs.
Transitional housing is a temporary form of housing, often lasting around 18 months, designed to help people achieve sobriety or recovery and to prepare them for independent living, and such programs commonly require participation in work activities or addiction treatment.
high
program_definition
General description of the goals, typical duration, and common requirements of transitional housing programs.
The S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nasdaq Composite are major U.S. stock market indices widely used to measure overall U.S. equity market performance.
high
structural
Common benchmark indices for U.S. equity markets
The FTSE 100, Germany's DAX, and France's CAC 40 are major European stock market indices widely used to measure equity performance in the U.K., Germany, and France (or broader European markets).
high
structural
Common benchmark indices for European equity markets
Price movements in AI-linked stocks can be driven by investor emotion, producing volatile short-term price action even when underlying industry fundamentals remain strong.
medium
market_behavior
Describes a durable relationship between investor sentiment and stock price volatility in sector-linked equities
High import tariffs can impose significant economic burdens on export-dependent economies.
high
economic_consequence
Trade barriers such as tariffs affect countries whose economies rely heavily on exports by raising costs and reducing competitiveness.
High import tariffs can incentivize firms to relocate manufacturing to markets with lower trade barriers or to the market imposing the tariffs to avoid those barriers.
high
economic_behavior
Firms may change production location decisions in response to trade policy to minimize tariff costs or access markets more easily.
Higher import tariffs tend to raise the prices of imported goods because retailers often pass some of the additional tariff costs onto consumers.
high
causal
Economic pass-through mechanism between tariffs and consumer prices.
When retailers face higher input costs such as increased tariffs, they are likely to be more selective in discounting by reducing the number of items discounted and the depth of discounts to preserve margins.
medium
causal
Anticipated retailer pricing and promotional strategies under higher cost pressure.
Stocks linked to artificial intelligence often exhibit volatile price movements driven by investor sentiment, while underlying industry fundamentals can remain strong.
high
general
Describes a common market dynamic where emotion-driven trading in AI-related stocks can produce pronounced short-term volatility despite solid sector fundamentals.
Earnings reports and other corporate announcements from major chipmakers such as Nvidia frequently act as catalysts that can influence technology sector stock prices.
high
general
Major semiconductor companies' financial results or guidance are commonly viewed by market participants as material information that can move tech stocks.
The CME FedWatch Tool is commonly used to quantify market-implied probabilities of Federal Reserve interest-rate changes.
high
general
Market participants use the CME FedWatch Tool to monitor the likelihood of future Fed policy moves as implied by futures prices.
U.S. presidents can use executive orders to modify tariff policy on imported goods.
high
process
Executive orders are a mechanism available to the U.S. executive branch to adjust trade policy, including tariffs.
Framework agreements between countries can be used to ease import levies on agricultural products.
high
trade_policy
Trade frameworks or agreements are commonly used tools to reduce or restructure tariffs and other import levies on agricultural goods.
The Trump administration has maintained the policy position that tariffs do not increase consumer prices.
medium
policy_position
Some administrations publicly assert that import tariffs do not translate into higher prices for consumers.
The food industry association FMI states that multiple factors influence retail food prices, including weather and crop yields, energy and transportation costs, packaging, labor, and tariffs.
high
economic
Industry association summary of common drivers of grocery-store food prices.
The Consumer Brands Association states that manufacturers of major U.S. consumer brands source approximately 90% of their ingredients and inputs from American farms and suppliers.
medium
sourcing
Trade group claim about the domestic sourcing share for ingredients and inputs used by large U.S. consumer brands.
Economic studies and evidence indicate that tariffs generally increase consumer prices.
high
economic
Empirical research on trade policy shows import taxes are often passed through to retail prices.
A tariff is a government-imposed import levy on goods.
high
definition
Tariffs are a common trade policy tool used to raise revenue or protect domestic producers.
Lowering tariffs generally increases imports of the affected goods.
high
economic
Reducing import levies makes foreign goods relatively cheaper, which tends to raise import volumes.
Nations and companies sometimes use lavish gifts and flattery, including high-value items such as gold, as a strategy to seek favor from political leaders.
high
process
Describes a recurring diplomatic and lobbying tactic where material gifts are used to influence leaders' decisions.
When formal diplomatic or leader-to-leader negotiations are stalled, countries may deploy delegations of business leaders as an alternative channel to pursue trade or tariff outcomes.
high
process
Business delegations can function as a lobbying mechanism separate from official government-to-government talks.
Corporate leaders and CEOs sometimes present symbolic commemorative gifts to heads of state to recognize large investments or to attempt to influence trade and tariff decisions.
high
process
Corporate gift-giving can be used to highlight investments or build goodwill with political leaders as part of economic strategy.
Starbucks Workers United is a labor union that represents workers employed by the Starbucks coffee company.
high
definition
Organizational identification of the union involved in labor actions at Starbucks.
Starbucks' Red Cup Day is typically one of the company's busiest retail days of the year.
high
recurring_event
Annual promotional event tied to Starbucks' holiday marketing.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) aggregates prices for hundreds of distinct goods and services to measure inflation.
high
general
Definition of an inflation measure used to track price changes across a broad basket of goods and services.
Tariffs on imported goods can contribute to higher consumer prices for the affected products.
high
causal
Trade-policy mechanism by which import duties can raise costs passed on to consumers.
Removing or reducing tariffs can increase the supply of imported goods entering a market and can potentially lower consumer prices for those goods.
high
causal
Trade-policy change that affects import supply and consumer prices.
Weather events and disease outbreaks are common external factors that can drive price increases for agricultural commodities such as beef, coffee, and cocoa.
high
general
Supply-side shocks in agricultural markets that can affect commodity prices.
Expediting approval of generic drugs and biosimilars is a policy approach intended to increase competition in pharmaceuticals and lower prescription drug costs.
high
policy
Generalizable policy mechanism to reduce drug prices by increasing availability of lower-cost alternatives.
Reforming pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices is proposed as a way to address contributors to higher prescription drug and overall health care costs.
high
policy
PBM-related reforms are discussed as part of longer-term strategies to lower health care spending.
Rare earth magnets are vital components used in automobile manufacturing and other industries.
high
technical
Highlights the industrial importance of rare earth magnets across sectors including automotive manufacturing.
Schools across the United States have experienced declines in enrollment of students from immigrant families.
high
temporal
Multiple U.S. school districts have reported fewer newcomer/immigrant students entering their systems.
Reduced arrivals from other countries, including fewer people crossing the U.S. border, have contributed to lower numbers of newcomer students enrolling in U.S. school districts.
high
temporal
International migration flows affect the number of newly arrived students available for enrollment.
Declines in enrollment of immigrant students are driven by multiple mechanisms, including deportations or voluntary returns to home countries and internal migration to other parts of the United States.
high
temporal
Both enforcement-related departures and domestic relocation affect newcomer student counts.
Declines in newcomer or immigrant student enrollment can reduce per-pupil funding for school districts and may force districts to cover budget shortfalls and reduce staffing.
high
temporal
Per-pupil funding mechanisms make district revenue sensitive to changes in student enrollment composition.
Wegovy and Ozempic are weight-loss drugs marketed by Novo Nordisk that belong to the GLP-1 class of medications.
high
definition
Identifies the therapeutic use, manufacturer, and pharmacological class of the drugs mentioned in the article.