Environment
What happens when the president issues a disaster declaration?
Whether it's a new release of government data or news stories that need historic metrics for context, find articles that dive deep into the issues here. The Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Congressional Budget Office, and more: USAFacts is here to provide bias-free context and visuals to help Americans understand the numbers behind the news. USAFacts is always digging into data on employment in America, why people immigrate to the US, how much Congress is spending, and more, so check back often for new reports.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) responded to a near-record number of disasters last year, including the coronavirus.
Jobs & Unemployment
The unemployment rate fell to 6%. Since the start of the pandemic, Black and Hispanic women and those without a high school degree have lost the most jobs and struggled the most to recover.
The CDC also estimates that as of mid-March, more than a quarter of recent US cases were caused by the B.1.1.7 strain first detected in the United Kingdom.
Only Idaho and Utah have met or surpassed total employment levels from February 2020. Leisure and hospitality employment remains down by 52% in Washington, DC and 40% in Hawaii.
The pandemic led to months of remote learning and closed daycares. Data shows that childcare is keeping women — especially those who are low-income — out of the workforce more often than men.
US coal usage has declined since 2007. Coal production and employment are also falling.
The wealth of the middle 20% of income earners has grown 68% since 1990. However, middle class wealth is growing more slowly than overall wealth — middle class families went from owning 12% of wealth in 1990 to 7% in 2020.
Around 61,000 people died from influenza in the 2017-2018 flu season, the most in the last 10 years. Almost 529,000 people have died of COVID-19 as of mid-March.
World Happiness Day is March 20. After more than a year of grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated economic impact, there’s still plenty to be happy about. In honor of World Happiness Day, here’s some good news and uplifting data after a tough 2020.
Immigration
The House is expected to vote on a pair of immigration bills a month after the unveiling of a wide-ranging package — addressing topics including visas and border security — backed by President Joe Biden.
