www.hks.harvard.edu

Explainer: Understanding the SNAP program—and what cuts to these benefits may mean

Between the government shutdown and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called Food Stamps) is undergoing significant cuts. This 60-year ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Explainer: Why the “casual invocation” of the Insurrection Act by President Trump is so unusual

A little-used federal law is getting quite a bit of attention in the Trump administration. The Insurrection Act, first enacted in 1807, allows the president to deploy the United States military and ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Closing loopholes and raising revenue, new tax reforms will be crucial to the success of the Inflation Reduction Act

President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law this week. The headlines will focus on the environmental and energy policies designed to address the climate change crisis, as well as ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Nancy Pelosi speaks on culture wars, redistricting, and the Democrats’ stand on the shutdown—but don’t tell her that her party is “rudderless”

Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the House of Representatives, visited Harvard Kennedy School to speak in class with Ambassador Katherine Tai, Institute of Politics (IOP) fall 2025 fellow and former ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Explainer: Why government shutdowns keep happening in the United States

The U.S. government shut down on October 1 as Republican and Democratic funding bills failed to reach the necessary number of votes in the Senate and efforts to prevent a shutdown failed. Government ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Examining threats to academic freedom in America and the world

Higher education in the United States is currently under intense scrutiny from the second Trump administration. A new working paper from Pippa Norris, the Paul F. McGuire Lecturer in Comparative ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Harvard Kennedy School launches new program to provide full scholarships for American public servants and military veterans

Cambridge, MA — Today, Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) is launching the American Service Fellowship — a new initiative that will provide full scholarships for at least 50 public servants and military ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

“The impact is real”: Two decades of local collaborations through the Greater Boston Applied Field Lab

Tomasz Stryjewski MPP/MD 2013 describes himself as a serial life science entrepreneur. He is a retinal surgeon two days a week and a principal in three biotech companies the other three days. He holds ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Renewing the Mandate: What’s at Stake in the Upcoming UN Vote on SOGI

Event Description: In what is shaping up to be a close vote, the UN Human Rights Council will soon decide whether to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Investing in Early Childhood Development for Lifelong Gains in Health, Learning, and Equity: CID Faculty Research Insights

How can investing in early childhood development enhance lifelong outcomes in health, education, and economic productivity while addressing global inequities in access to nurturing care? This study, ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

What does a tech oligarchy look like?

A recent online event by the Ash Center for Democracy and Governance focused on the increasing global influence of an elite group of wealthy and powerful tech leaders—the tech oligarchy—and the ...
www.hks.harvard.edu

Explainer: Executive orders as a governing tool

American presidents have issued executive orders since George Washington was in office. Article Two of the Constitution gives the president the legal foundation to issue executive orders to provide ...