Toxic Lead Telephone Lines, the Next Government Shutdown, and More

August 1, 2023

Millions of Americans could be affected by thousands of miles of toxic, lead-sheathed telephone cables. Tom Wheeler and Blair Levin explain the risk and argue that the federal government will have to resolve the complex scientific and legal issues of these cables, the prioritization of remediation, and how it is all paid for.

Congress appears to be on track to trigger another government shutdown this fall because it is not expected to pass the 12 appropriations bills that fund its operations before the start of the new fiscal year. David Wessel outlines what to know about these shutdowns in a quick explainer.

On a new episode of the Dollar & Sense podcast, Samantha Gross joins David Dollar to talk about extreme weather events, the global transition away from fossil fuels, U.S.-China cooperation on climate, and America’s benchmarks on the issue.

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