Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
The number of businesses owned by women and minorities has grown considerably in recent years, particularly in certain industries, but based on revenue they remain on average considerably smaller than white- or male-owned firms.
Legislative productivity may be on an upswing, as lawmakers enacted more bills before their August break than either of the two preceding Congresses.
Proposed new overtime rules would make nearly 5 million white-collar workers eligible for time-and-a-half – mostly retail and food service managers, office administrators, low-level financial workers and other modestly paid managers and office professionals.
Social Security has developed into one of the most popular federal programs, though that popularity is tempered by concern over its long-term financial outlook.
This region in Eastern Europe has been predominately female since at least WWII.
The debate over the safety of genetically modified foods has put state lawmakers who favor requiring labeling of these products at odds with counterparts in Congress who oppose it. Americans’ concerns about GM foods are providing the backdrop: A majority of them believe such foods are generally unsafe to eat.
Overall, a majority of Americans support stricter limits on power plant emissions, but as with climate change, the views of Democrats differ markedly from those of Republicans.
