GAO: “Automatic supports are most effective when they are timely, temporary, targeted, and predictable”

I think we’ll need these sooner than you think. But legislation has just been passed to disable these supports.

From GAO, “During Past Recessions and Economic Downturns, These Factors Supported an Effective Fiscal Response,” July 15, 2025.

GAO identified four principles that could be used to assess the design or reform of automatic stabilizers. Information from literature and economic and social policy experts suggests that effective automatic stabilizers are timely, temporary, targeted, and predictable. Within those four broad principles, GAO identified eight factors that contribute to the effective design of automatic stabilizers (see table).

To my knowledge, recent legislation goes the other direction, at least insofar as Medicaid and SNAP are concerned.

Entire report here.