Heritage Expert

Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.

All Publications by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.
  • WebMemo posted May 13, 2009 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D., Dan Lips D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program: Improving Student Safety

    Congress will soon hold hearings to consider the future of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program, the federal initiative that currently helps 1,700 low-income students attend private schools in Washington, D.C. After five years, federal policymakers have an opportunity to evaluate the evidence about this program's impact on the educational opportunities…

  • WebMemo posted February 2, 2009 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D., Guinevere Nell Stimulus Plan Should Include Pro-Growth Tax Relief for Families in Every State

    The stimulus plan scheduled for debate in the Senate should include: An extension of the 2001 and 2003 tax reductions; and A reduction of tax rates for individuals, small businesses, and corporations through 2013. According to a recent Heritage Foundation analysis,[1] including these elements in the stimulus plan would…

  • WebMemo posted January 26, 2009 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D., Patrick Tyrrell The Stimulus Bill: $825 Billion in Forgone Family Spending

    House Democrats have proposed $825 billion in stimulus spending (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) to be used to create jobs, protect workers, expand infrastructure, and provide aid to states. This money is being borrowed, meaning it will have to be repaid by either taxing it from future…

  • WebMemo posted October 17, 2008 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D. Job Creation from the Obama and McCain Tax Plans: A State-by-State Analysis

    A recent Heritage Foundation Center for Data Analysis report[1] describes the economic outcomes that can be expected based on the presidential candidates' proposed tax plans. The outcomes include the effects of these proposed policies on gross domestic product, disposable income, and employment growth over a 10-year period. The analysis finds that…

  • Backgrounder posted September 8, 2008 by Dan Lips, Shanea Watkins, Ph.D., John Fleming Does Spending More on Education Improve Academic Achievement?

    Debates about how to improve public Education in America often focus on whether government should spend more on education. Federal and state policymakers proposing new Education programs often base their arguments on the need to provide more resources to schools to improve opportunities for students. Many Americans seem to share this view. Polling data show…

  • Center for Data Analysis Report posted August 21, 2008 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D., James Sherk Who Serves in the U.S. Military? The Demographics of Enlisted Troops and Officers

    Interactive U.S. map of troop representation levels Who serves in the active-duty ranks of the U.S. all-volunteer military? Conventional wisdom holds that military service disproportionately attracts minorities and men and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.…

  • WebMemo posted June 20, 2008 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D. Safer Kids, Better Test Scores: The D.C. Voucher Program Works

    In January 2004, Congress passed the District of Columbia School Choice Incentive Act of 2003, the first federally funded school voucher program in the United States. Now known as the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, this initiative provides scholarships of up to $7,500 to more than 1,900 low-income students in the District. A recent U.S. Department…

  • WebMemo posted March 11, 2008 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D. The House Budget Resolution: Tax Hikes Would Harm Economy,Taxpayers

    On March 5, the House Budget Committee passed its fiscal year 2009 budget resolution. If implemented, it would increase taxes significantly, thus decreasing job growth, reducing disposable income, and weakening the economy. This WebMemo projects the likely impact of the House budget resolution on the tax burden, jobs, and economic growth in states and congressional districts.…

  • WebMemo posted December 10, 2007 by William Beach, Shanea Watkins, Ph.D. Paying More at the Pump: Energy Bill Would Increase Gas Prices

    Congress is currently debating energy policy legislation that could result in significantly higher prices for gasoline consumers. A review of H.R. 6, including the just-completed section on tax changes, reveals that the bill could increase the price of regular unleaded gasoline from $3.06 per gallon (the early December national average) to $5.02 in 2016. The bill…

  • WebMemo posted June 18, 2007 by William Beach, Shanea Watkins, Ph.D. Senate Energy Bill Would Increase Gas Prices

    The Senate is currently debating energy policy legislation that could result in significantly higher prices for gasoline consumers. A review of S. 1419, including the just-completed section on tax changes, reveals that the bill could increase the price of regular unleaded gasoline from $3.14 per gallon (the early May national average) to $6.40 in…