February 2020
McCourt Faculty Offer Policy Insights on State of the Union
At the beginning of the month, the President delivered the annual State of the Union address amidst a backdrop of an impeachment trial and an election year. Ahead of the remarks, several experts at the McCourt School of Public Policy shared insight and policy updates on topics likely to make their way into the national conversation including the economy, national debt, health care, climate change, and education. 
GU Politics Takes Hoyas Inside the Iowa Caucus
On January 31, six Georgetown students flew to Iowa to experience the first-in-the-nation presidential caucus. The student trip, organized by McCourt’s Institute of Politics and Public Service (GU Politics), gave students a chance to hear directly from candidates and their surrogates from both sides of the aisle, meet with senior campaign staff, and talk with national and state journalists to understand caucus night coverage. Jack Ryan (MPP ‘20) shares his reflections on this trip and how it impacted his views.
Why Does the Census Matter for State and Local Governments?
With the 2020 census rapidly approaching, McCourt School Professor Nora Gordon and alum Krista O’Connell (MPP ‘19) discuss its importance and the impact it has on funding allocation. Data from the decennial census is used to determine how half a trillion dollars in federal funds will be distributed to state and local governments.
Advocating for Voting Rights in Florida for People with Past Felony Convictions
For decades, civil rights advocates have been fighting to ensure that all Americans can exercise their right to vote. According to the ACLU, felony disenfranchisement, or the restriction of voting rights due to a felony, prevents approximately 5.85 million Americans from voting. Learn how McCourt alum Marlon Marshall (MPM ‘19) joined the advocacy efforts in Florida to help restore voting rights to people with past felony convictions.