Economy

President-elect Joe Biden's pick to lead the Treasury Department, Janet Yellen, here in 2019, is urging greater federal spending to cope with the pandemic and to help boost the struggling economy.

Yellen Urges Congress To 'Act Big' To Prop Up Pandemic-Scarred Economy

5:57pm January 19, 2021

by Scott Horsley

At her confirmation hearing Tuesday, Treasury Secretary-designate Janet Yellen warned that without more federal help, the recession would last longer and be more painful than necessary.

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Members of the New York National Guard stand guard along the fence that surrounds the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 14, the day after the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Trump for the second time.

Why Nations Fail, America Edition

5:43pm January 19, 2021

by Greg Rosalsky

We talk with the authors of Why Nations Fail about whether the Capitol insurrection is a sign that our nation is failing and, if so, whether there's anything we can do about it.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Vision For Economic Justice

4:19pm January 18, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Michael Tubbs, Stockton, Calif., ex-mayor and founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, on how Martin Luther King Jr. impacted the fight for universal basic income.

People walk in Wuhan on Jan. 10, the eve of the first anniversary of China confirming its first COVID-19 death. Chinese officials said on Monday that its economy managed to grow 2.3% in 2020.

China Says Its Economy, Recovering From The Pandemic, Grew 2.3% Last Year

3:42pm January 18, 2021

by Rachel Treisman

China's is likely the only major economy to have expanded in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world.

Didn't Get Enough Financial Aid For College? You Can Ask For More Money

12:13pm January 17, 2021

by Elissa Nadworny

The FAFSA uses tax data from two years ago to determine a student's eligibility for financial aid for college. But if your financial situation has changed since then, there are ways to get more money.

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Biden To Call For Raising Federal Minimum Wage To $15 An Hour

4:04pm January 15, 2021

by Alina Selyukh

President-elect Joe Biden will seek to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour as part of his relief bill. On Friday, workers across the U.S. staged protests to press him to keep the promise.

Then presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks at a "Build Back Better" Clean Energy event on July 14, 2020. On Thursday, Biden unveiled an ambitious economic plan just days before he's set to be inaugurated as president.

$1,400 Checks And Help For The Jobless: What's In Biden's Plan To Rescue The Economy

8:00pm January 14, 2021

by Scott Horsley

President-elect Joe Biden is proposing a $1.9 trillion plan to address the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic crisis.

Biden To Reveal His Emergency Pandemic Relief Plan

4:26pm January 14, 2021

President-elect Joe Biden is set on Thursday to outline his plan for a coronavirus relief package that he wants Congress to act upon quickly after he takes office.

Economy

Texas Customer's Call-In Order Helps LA Restaurant Pay It Forward

6:21am January 14, 2021

Brooke Williamson, a celebrity chef in Los Angeles, explains how an order for a meal that would never be picked up, has led to hundreds of other acts of kindness: food for people in need.

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Skepticism about COVID-19 vaccinations has prompted suggestions that the government should pay people to get the shots. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Should The Government Pay People To Get Vaccinated? Some Economists Think So

11:14am January 13, 2021

by Uri Berliner

Dr. Anthony Fauci says the country will likely need a vaccination level of between 70% and 90% to reach herd immunity. Right now, that math doesn't quite add up.

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