Fixing America's Labor Shortages, Saudi Oil Production, and More

How to get funds from the infrastructure bill to more communities, a conversation on inflation, and why gas prices are so high. 

View in browser July 16, 2022 Who are the 1 million missing workers that could solve America's labor shortages?   Historically, immigrants have taken up occupations that very few Americans are able or willing to fill. This is especially relevant given the nation's current labor shortages and the dire conditions at the U.S.-Mexico border. Instead of spending resources to keep immigrants away, policymakers should focus on providing legal pathways to join the U.S. workforce, Dany Bahar and Pedro Casas-Alatriste argue.   Read more Biden's trip to Saudi Arabia is unlikely to lower oil prices   Many Americans associated President Biden's trip to Saudi Arabia with oil, despite the administration's emphasis on other issues. Samantha Gross explains why gas prices are so high, why the U.S. relies on foreign oil, and why it's unlikely that the Saudis will increase oil production.    Read more Transformative infrastructure funding is here. The application process for getting it still needs work.   "Without major updates to grant application processes at both the federal and state levels, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding will go to the communities that are best at applying for funds—not necessarily the places that need it the most." Ellory Monks and Shalini Vajjhala outline how to help more small, rural, and low-income communities successfully apply for federal and state grants and loans.   Read more An expert discussion on US inflation   Earlier this week, experts from Brookings and the Bipartisan Policy Center gathered on Twitter Spaces to discuss the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which showed a 9.1% increase in prices over the past 12 months. Listen to the audio here or read five key takeaways from the conversation.  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. The Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Unsubscribe Manage your newsletter subscriptions | Receive the Brookings Brief less often