A Vision for the Future of US Infrastructure, China’s Arctic Ambitions, and More

Designing a universal child allowance, what China wants with the Arctic, and building 21st century infrastructure in America.

View in browser April 13, 2021 An affirmative vision for 21st century American infrastructure   "Without high-performing infrastructure, our economy will fail. There is a strategic interrelationship between public investment in infrastructure and a dynamic, equitable market." Adie Tomer, Joseph Kane, and Caroline George write about the need to address climate change and the digital economy in future infrastructure plans, and recommend a strategic vision on how to do so.   Read more   Join us on Thursday at 2:00 PM EDT for a webinar on comprehensive infrastructure reform in America. Northern expedition: China's Arctic ambition and activism   China has sent high-level government officials to the Arctic region 33 times in the past 20 years, engaged or joined major Arctic institutions, sought scientific facilities in Arctic states, pursued a range of economic projects, and even sent its naval vessels into the region. In a new report, Rush Doshi, Alexis Dale-Huang, and Gaoqi Zhang explore China's ambitions in the Arctic.   Read more Designing a universal child allowance: Who can claim which kids?   Though the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the American Rescue Plan goes a long way to cutting child poverty, the "child claiming" rules in the law can cause significant headaches for families in need. Jacob Goldin and Ariel Jurow Kleiman propose a simplified set of rules that would make an expanded CTC more inclusive and easier to administer.   Read more Help support Brookings with a donation   Brookings is committed to making its high-quality, independent policy research free to the public. Please consider making a contribution today to our Annual Fund to support our experts' work. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. is currently closed and all events are virtual only. For more information on the Institution's response, read our full guidance here. The Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Unsubscribe Manage your newsletter preferences | Receive the Brookings Brief less often