Happy March GBC! For those of you who are in the DC area, later this month will be cherry blossom season in DC, an absolute must-see annual display and a celebration of the beginning of Spring. March is also Women’s History month! So, to kick this newsletter off right here are two recommendations for documentaries on American female politicians well worth the watch: “Knock the House Down,” and “Chisholm ’72 – Unbought & Unbossed.” In addition, check out this UN factsheet on the current state of women’s political leadership and participation. 

Webinar: The Bipartisan Policy Center, “How to Pay for Infrastructure: Strategies for Addressing the $2 Trillion Funding Gap.”

Tune into this webinar on Monday, March 15, 2021 from 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm EST, to hear a discussion on how to rebuild infrastructure while addressing the $2 trillion funding gap. Speakers will include Bill Shuster, former U.S. Representative and Henry Cisneros, former HUD Secretary. 

Register for the webinar here.

Webinar: The Center for Strategic and International Studies, “Road to COP26: Just Transitions and the Climate Agenda.” 

Tune into this webinar on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 from 11:30 am – 12:45 pm for a conversation on the international climate agenda and how national climate plans are fairly distributing new economic opportunities. Speakers will include Kate Hughes, Director of International Climate and Energy, United Kingdom Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS); Ajay Mathur, Director General-Designate, International Solar Alliance (ISA); and Andrew Light, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs, US Department of Energy

Register for the webinar here.

Current Event: The Minimum Wage Debate 

The question of whether or not to raise the federal minimum wage has once again come up for debate. We’ve put together a toolkit of introductory resources to help GBC members understand this politically and academically divisive issue. If you’re interested in these resources, be sure to stop by our upcoming roundtable discussion on the federal minimum wage!

Video: The Wall Street Journal, “The Costs and Benefits of a $15 Federal Minimum Wage”

Watch this 8 minute video from the WSJ for a well-rounded explanation of the economic effects of raising the minimum wage. 

Article: Journalist’s Resource, “A $15 minimum wage: What the research says”

Looking for some statistical context on the minimum wage debate? This article from the Journalists Resource summarizes the findings of recent academic studies on the subject.

Map: U.S. Department of Labor

Check out this map to compare state minimum wage laws across the country. 

Article: Politico, “GOP may hold keys to Democrats’ long-sought minimum wage hike” 

Finally, read this article from Politico on the possibility of a future bipartisan compromise on minimum wage. 

Free Speech Tracker: Georgetown Free Speech Project 

Check out this tracker to stay up to date on recent news and legal action on public and private issues of free speech around the world. Published by Georgetown’s own Free Speech Project!