Improve Federal Policy As the U.S. Nears Its 250th Birthday, Dissatisfaction With Democracy Is Widespread

The nation stands out among international surveys of democracy for critical views of leaders and institutions

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The Rundown

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How the U.S. Can Start to Curb Plastic Waste and Pollution

Plastic is pervasive in modern society, used in virtually every sector of the global economy and every aspect of human lives. This has led to a 20-fold increase in global production of plastic over the past 60 years, with about one-fifth of that rise occurring in North America.

How Informed Citizens Strengthen Democracy

As Americans come together to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, many of us are reflecting on the aspirations expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Trust Magazine

Courts Should Ensure That People Are Served

These days, when a package is delivered, it’s normal to receive confirmation via a photo of a box or envelope next to the front door. Although this practice is ubiquitous for something as basic as package delivery, it is uncommon in the civil legal system. Rarely is visual confirmation used to ensure that someone has been informed of a lawsuit, eviction, or divorce filed against them—proceedings with consequences that are typically far greater than the loss of a misdelivered package.

A large field of dark blue solar panels stretches across dry, flat ground. Behind them stands a coal plant with several tall smokestacks.
Utilities and States Tap Unused Power Plant Capacity

As demand for electricity continues to rise in the United States, policymakers and utilities are increasingly concerned about how to meet consumers’ needs cost-effectively, especially because it takes an average of five years for new energy projects to connect to the grid after they are proposed.

Our Work

Pew's work spans 7 key topics...

Professional psychologist doctor listening and giving the consult to female patients

Good health is important to everyone. Pew conducts research and provides information and fact-based recommendations to state agencies, hospitals, researchers, and other health partners to help them provide better care. We find and share evidence-based practices to improve Americans’ health and well-being, including services that can prevent suicide, improve mental health care, and treat substance use disorder.

Bustleton Free Library in Philadelphia, PA, on Thursday September 12 2024.

Communities throughout the country share common needs: affordable connections to broadband Internet, modern and reliable energy infrastructure, effective responses to mental health challenges, and ways to resolve legal disputes more quickly and fairly. To address these issues, Pew collaborates with states and local governments to find and promote evidence-based solutions that help provide stability and opportunity.

Latest In Build Communities

How Informed Citizens Strengthen Democracy
It’s Time to Act Boldly on Plastic
The Future of News
The Big Picture
Sunshine

Economic opportunity is the foundation of American society. Pew supports national, state, and local efforts to expand opportunity and promote financial well-being. Our work helps people pay off student loans, navigate court proceedings such as debt collection, buy or rent a home, access affordable internet, and save for their retirement.

High angle helicopter shot of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. at twilight on a clear evening in Fall, with Pennsylvania Avenue beyond.

Nonpartisan, fact-based improvements in federal policy can create jobs, lower costs, and help the nation prepare for the future. When our research shows that small changes can have a big impact, we work across party lines to improve national challenges like housing affordability, internet access, energy reliability, and health care.

Turkish world record-holder free-diver and divers of the Underwater Federation Sahika Encumen dives amid plastic waste in Ortakoy coastline to observe the life and pollution of Bosphorus in Istanbul,

The global ocean teems with life, and it contributes to the vital cycles that keep people and our planet healthy. But the seas are vulnerable to overfishing, loss of habitat such as seagrasses and mangroves, ineffective fisheries management, plastic pollution, and declining biodiversity. These mounting losses affect the coastal communities that depend on the ocean for food and jobs.

The House Chamber at the Kentucky State Capitol is shown as the legislature tries to wrap up its session

States and cities are the “laboratories of democracy” in America—the places where lawmakers and governors look for new ways to help their communities succeed. Whether in Pew’s hometown of Philadelphia or any of the 50 state capitals, we help elected leaders respond to the needs of their citizens, use public dollars wisely, fix outdated policies, and build a better future for all.

Latest In Strengthen State Government

State Reserves Recede
Independence, Documented
A view of steep cliff, grand canyon and Colorado river from Toroweap overlook.

Conserving natural spaces conveys benefits far beyond the gains to wildlife and their habitats. As scores of studies show, protecting and restoring lands and waters, particularly when done in close partnership with local communities, also improves people’s lives—and local economies—by increasing tourism and outdoor recreation.

How We Work

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Fact of the Matter

49,449
AMERICANS
die by suicide in 2022.
18%
OF AMERICANS
with opioid use disorders received any medication to treat them in 2023.
30%
INCREASE IN SUICIDE RATE
in the U.S. from 2000 to 2020.
178,000
DEATHS EACH YEAR
from frequent or excessive drinking.

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