Joe supports ITEP in monitoring federal tax policies. His research focuses on progressive tax priorities to ensure corporations and the ultra wealthy pay their fair share. Prior to joining ITEP in 2021, Joe worked at the Congressional Research Service and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He completed a master’s in applied economics at George Washington University and undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee.
Recent Publications
brief
How Federal Tax Policy Can Address AI
August 10, 2026 • By Erika Frankel, Joe Hughes, Steve Wamhoff
Congress could use its taxing power to ensure a fairer distribution of the fruits of labor, innovation and investment, address the specific harms (the negative externalities) of AI specifically, and acquire a public stake in the companies that are driving the AI revolution.
report
New EITC Proposal Would Help Families Dealing with Rising Costs
April 30, 2026 • By Joe Hughes
A new proposal in Congress to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) would help families with the costs of raising children. The Working Parents Tax Relief Act is one of the latest approaches to help working-class families deal with an ongoing affordability crisis.
Recent Media Mentions
media mention
The American Prospect: The Companies That Got $83 Billion in Tax Breaks Last Year
August 18, 2026 • By Joe Hughes, Matthew Gardner
According to a recent analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), companies avoided paying more than $200 billion in federal income tax in 2025.
media mention
Houston Chronicle: Texas Oil Companies Forecast Billions in Tax Breaks from Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'
September 9, 2025 • By Joe Hughes
The Houston oil-company Occidental Petroleum reported last month it was expecting a large tax break from President Donald Trump's tax and spending cut package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill — to the tune of $700 to $800 million over the next two years.
