Think tank · Policy · Washington, DC · Est. 2014
The Niskanen Center is a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit policy organization that promotes policies to advance prosperity, opportunity, and human flourishing, explicitly arguing that a free market and an effective government are mutually dependent. It positions its work as both policy development and advocacy: it develops ideas and then engages directly with the real-world policymaking process, with outreach aimed at leaders in government, advocacy, and media.
Its current agenda spans state capacity, immigration, climate/energy, criminal justice, and social policy—organized through “Key Initiatives” and policy areas rather than a single thematic track.
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While co-location may provide near-term relief for select industries willing to pay for it, it won’t scale to keep power reliable and affordable for everyone. The post Bypassing the grid won’t save us from having to build more of it appeared first on Niskanen Center .
Family benefits in America 2025 report cardThis annual report card develops a more holistic understanding of family benefits, their impact on family resources, and how those resources support families as parents’ employment circumstances shift and evolve over time. The post Family benefits in America 2025 report card appe
States need more time to avoid a chaotic Medicaid work requirements meltdownThe federal government needs to pursue a more coherent strategy to prevent the next massive government tech and service delivery failure. The post States need more time to avoid a chaotic Medicaid work requirements meltdown appeared first on Niskanen Center .
D.C.’s Paid Family Leave cuts take the ‘trust’ out of ‘trust fund’With the cuts set to take place, while the payroll tax rate stays the same, even more of the money will be diverted, and workers will lose some of the flexibility they currently have available. The post D.C.’s Paid Family Leave cuts take the ‘trust’ out of ‘trust fund’ appeared f
Why neither party is fiscally responsibleHeadlines showed U.S. debt passing the $40 trillion mark and bond market jitters. But addressing the debt’s quick rise is not a top priority for either party. Were they ever fiscally responsible or were they just paying lip service? And why has it moved even further down the agen
CMS takes another step toward higher-value, lower-cost outpatient careCMS is building toward the simple principle that Medicare should not pay more for the same care because of who owns the building where it is delivered. The post CMS takes another step toward higher-value, lower-cost outpatient care appeared first on Niskanen Center .
Legal immigration in numbers: August 2026 status updateWhile President Trump has kept the spotlight on illegal immigration, legal immigration has also been disrupted. The post Legal immigration in numbers: August 2026 status update appeared first on Niskanen Center .
More power, faster: A near-term agenda for electricity abundanceEnergy supply and affordability depend on long-term investment and deployment, but there are steps policymakers can take today to boost supply by 2030. The post More power, faster: A near-term agenda for electricity abundance appeared first on Niskanen Center .
Can housing policy overcome lousy folk economic thinking?Christopher Elmendorf finds that housing opinions aren’t just a problem of people wanting fewer renters in their backyard. The post Can housing policy overcome lousy folk economic thinking? appeared first on Niskanen Center .
By indexing TANF benefits to inflation, states can keep families from falling behindFor families relying on benefits to cover rent, groceries, and other essentials, the silent erosion from inflation is potentially devastating. The post By indexing TANF benefits to inflation, states can keep families from falling behind appeared first on Niskanen Center .
Niskanen says it applauds enactment of Pennsylvania’s VICTIM Act, which it describes as establishing a grant program intended to improve violent crime investigative capacity and clearance outcomes via grants awarded through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
Niskanen Center Applauds Passage of the Bicameral, Bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing ActNiskanen commends both chambers of Congress for advancing the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and highlights provisions aimed at improving housing supply and affordability, including changes it describes as removing regulatory barriers and modifying requirements related to manufactured housing.
Niskanen Center applauds introduction of newborn credit proposal in the House of RepresentativesNiskanen issues a press release supporting a newborn credit proposal introduced in the U.S. House, describing it as an effort connected to its social-policy agenda focused on family economic security and related outcomes.
Niskanen Center applauds bipartisan Ohio legislation to reduce violent crimeNiskanen applauds Ohio legislation described as establishing a competitive violent crime reduction grant program for law enforcement agencies, and highlights components it associates with evidence-based prevention and accountability/evaluation.
Niskanen Center, Arnold Ventures applaud Utah clearance rate legislationNiskanen and Arnold Ventures applaud Utah’s passage of legislation described as creating a Violent Crime Clearance Rate Fund to provide law enforcement resources and support evaluation of what it describes as effective practices.