Yesterday, Senate negotiators released bipartisan permitting reform legislation. BPC’s VP of Energy Xan Fishman breaks down what permitting is, why it takes so long, and what’s at stake when projects stall.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act could help create more housing options suitable for older Americans. We break down what the bill means for seniors:

The on-ramp into the workforce is narrowing. Hiring of workers ages 22 to 25 has fallen by a third since 2021 in AI-exposed jobs.

In The New York Times, BPC's Sean Murphy argues that our training and employment systems, built for the last century, need to catch up.

Read his letter below ⤵️

Good news! Last night, the Senate passed the Claiming Age Clarity Act, which will help Americans make better informed decisions about when to claim Social Security benefits. BPC’s retirement experts helped shape this bill, which is now on its way to the president’s desk.

Applications are open for the Bipartisan Policy Center’s spring 2027 internships.

Nine interns will help advance bipartisan solutions to the nation’s most pressing policy challenges. These spring internships run January 26 to April 1 with a $3,000 stipend for 18-20 hours of work a week.

A pre-approved home design could cut months off getting a house built and save money. Learn more about “pattern books” and how they can help close the housing shortage.

Midterm elections are coming. Stay on top of the policies shaping elections, congressional reform, and trust in government through BPC’s Governance newsletter.

Subscribe for the latest on elections and bipartisan leadership in your inbox: https://ow.ly/GaTX50ZSRBU

Answer: 20.7 million homeowners, a 15-year high, now spend 30%+ of their income on housing. Is your housing considered affordable? Use our calculator to find out:

🏠 What does the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act mean for HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program?

Join us now for a virtual discussion on streamlined inspections, housing provider participation, and expanding renter choice. #BPCHousing

Watch here ➡️ https://ow.ly/xgTY50ZSmx6

How many U.S. homeowners are now considered cost burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing?

1️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/SetG3d/1" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">8.5 million
2️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/SetG3d/2" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">35.2 million
3️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/SetG3d/3" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">20.7 million
4️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/SetG3d/4" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">14.1 million

📊 Show results

DYK: “Affordable housing” has a specific definition—and it’s not what many people think. Federal policy defines it as housing that costs no more than 30% of a household’s income. Read to find out more (we’ll quiz you later):

🏠 What does the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act mean for HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program?

Join us on September 28 for a virtual discussion on streamlined inspections, housing provider participation, and expanding renter choice. #BPCHousing

Register ➡️ https://ow.ly/aFRG50ZPlgz

The primary elections are over, and this election cycle continued the trend of rising participation in primaries. Nationally, 23.3% of eligible votes cast a primary ballot, with Oregon and California leading with the highest turnout.

Dig into the data and learn more: https://ow.ly/jNWy50ZRABB

🏠 What does the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act mean for HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program?

Join us on September 28 for a virtual discussion on streamlined inspections, housing provider participation, and expanding renter choice. #BPCHousing

Register ➡️ https://ow.ly/JBQz50ZPlg1

Five years ago this week, BPC launched the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy with one goal: a decent, affordable home for every American family. 🏠 Five summits. Landmark legislation. And a lot of work still ahead. We're just getting started. Stay with us.

The primary elections are over, and this election cycle continued the trend of rising participation in primaries. Nationally, 23.3% of eligible votes cast a primary ballot, with Oregon and California leading with the highest turnout.

Dig into the data and learn more:

Our board of directors met yesterday to talk about where our work goes next, and we were glad to have Dr. Brandon Tatum, CEO of the National Governors Association, in the room with us.

The American workforce is changing faster than our federal programs can keep up with.

We need a strategy. The National Talent Strategy Act of 2026 would coordinate 150+ education, workforce, and child care programs, and make workers exposed to automation a top priority.

"Just as we have a national security strategy and an economic strategy, we must develop a talent strategy for the nation.” –Margaret Spellings, President and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center

🏠 What does the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act mean for HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program?

Join us on September 28 for a virtual discussion on streamlined inspections, housing provider participation, and expanding renter choice. #BPCHousing

Register ➡️ https://ow.ly/RUG150ZPleo

Five years ago today, BPC launched the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy with one goal: a decent, affordable home for every American family. 🏠 Five summits. Landmark legislation. And a lot of work still ahead. We're just getting started. Stay with us.

Our $40 trillion national debt is too big to ignore—and it is already raising borrowing costs for businesses and consumers. Subscribe to our Economic Policy newsletter.

A rare September nor'easter is heading for the Northeast coast this weekend, and it could show up on next month’s utility bill.

During Winter Storm Fern, wholesale power in parts of Virginia topped $1,800/MWh. A normal spring morning in PJM: $44.

Most power outages don't start at the big transmission towers. They start on the low-voltage wire running down your street.

Utilities spend roughly $51 billion a year on distribution upgrades, and much of that network was built decades ago.

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act touches ~120,000 projects a year. It's also one of the hardest pieces of the permitting debate in Congress.

Where experts agree, where they split, and where reform could land: