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Federal Issues

Federal policy decisions in areas from health care to nutrition to the environment have a real impact on Minnesotans' daily lives. The federal government is also an important partner in funding public services at the state and local levels, and federal tax decisions influence our state tax system as well. Our analysis focuses on whether federal policies support or hinder Minnesota's progress toward building a broader prosperity for all.

Research

September 2008

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP): Keeping Minnesotans healthy

Why It Matters: SCHIP Keeps Minnesota's Children and Parents Healthy Nearly 40,000 Minnesotans, including children, pare...

September 2008

The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) debate: What's at stake

The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is a tax stop-gap, preventing wealthy taxpayers from completely avoiding income taxes by exploiting tax deductions, loopholes and exclusions. The AMT is not indexed for inflation, however, and so it is affecting a rapidly growing number of people. The AMT should be reformed, but that reform should be fully paid for, well-targeted and permanent.

September 2008

Federal appropriations: Impact on Minnesota

September 2008

Federal fiscal relief to Minnesota can help combat budget deficit and aid ailing economy

Amid numerous signs that the U.S. economy was faltering, Congress quickly passed a $168 billion federal economic s...

Federal Issues Blog Posts

May 23, 2024

Study: How much do profitable US companies pay in federal corporate taxes?

A recent report asserts that many profitable U.S. companies pay a lower effective corporate income tax rate than the federal tax rate of 21 percent, mainly because of the loopholes that have been left in place or introduced in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As components of the TCJA are due to expire in 2025, policymakers should reconsider whether profitable corporations are doing their part to fund crucial public services that everyday folks across the country value and count on.

May 03, 2024

Direct File could save Minnesotans time and money when filing income taxes

Paying taxes is how we come together to fund public services that Minnesotans value and count on, but with our current system, the majority of folks pay to meet their tax-filing responsibilities. Direct File is a free online tool to file and prepare income taxes, and Minnesota can build on positive federal progress on making this option available. Read our blog to learn about how a Direct File system would benefit Minnesotans by saving time, money, and improving access to tax credits.

January 25, 2024

Proposed federal Child Tax Credit expansion would boost the incomes of millions of families

Congress is considering passing an important expansion of the federal Child Tax Credit that would benefit about 16 million children in low-income families across the US. But it's not a sure thing yet. We've included a link in the blog to email your representatives today, urging them to pass an expanded CTC and reduce poverty among the nation's children.

January 25, 2023

Child poverty declines sharply thanks to federal Child Tax Credit expansion

Thanks in part to improvements policymakers made to the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC), recent U.S. Census data show that from 2019 to 2021, child poverty fell a remarkable 59 percent. Minnesota policymakers should build on that success and create a state Child Tax Credit.

Research Focus

Black man and boy smiling sm

American Rescue Plan Resources

The federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), signed in March 2021, brought about $8.5 billion to Minnesota state and local governments. Learn more about the ARP funding streams and how Minnesota policymakers allocated these resources.  

Issues