Brookings Institute:

• As the country heads into its 250th birthday this weekend, more than 40% of American households are struggling to make ends meet, and the reasons why look different depending on where you live, what you drive, and how you get to work. To understand why, Brookings researchers delved into the details—how the rising costs of housing, energy, and transportation are driving the affordability crisis. Here’s what they found. The price of getting around—and everything else.
• Congress is about to spend five years and untold billions on roads. Is it spending wisely? Millions of us will be driving a lot this weekend. So it makes sense to begin with roads: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s BUILD America 250 Act would set the terms for federal transportation funding for the next half-decade. Adie Tomer and Ben Swedberg explainwhat the bill gets right (it gives states flexibility with what to spend on), where it falls short (it charges electric car owners too much in registration fees), and how Congress can fix these flaws. Tomer also recently led a related discussion with government leaders and industry experts on another transportation topic: why American transit buses cost so much more than they should, and how to fix that.
• Gas prices are up. EV policy is a patchwork. Fluctuating oil prices driven by the Iran war have sparked renewed interest in electric vehicles. But federal support for EV adoption has weakened, leaving a patchwork of state programs in its place. Shriya Methkupally and Mark Muro examine EV policy across all 50 states, finding that leaders like California and Massachusetts are doing more, while many other states continue to lag on charging infrastructure and purchase incentives.