Douglas Holtz-Eakin

Former Director, Congressional Budget Office; Economic and Fiscal Policy Expert
Douglas Holtz-Eakin
  • Former Director of the Congressional Budget Office, where he provided budgetary and policy analysis to the U.S. Congress
  • President of the American Action Forum policy institute and founder of the Center for Health and Economy
  • Director of domestic and economic policy for the John McCain presidential campaign
  • Provides a candid and lively 360-degree view of the economy

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Dr. Doug Holtz-Eakin, the former director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the former chief economist of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, is one of the nation’s top economists.

He has served at the highest levels of government and is well-known on Capitol Hill and in Washington’s top think tanks. Having been involved in policy, politics, academia, and government, he is unique in his diverse, multifaceted economic background and offers audiences a 360 degree view of the economy. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Holtz-Eakin is funny, lively, and humorous as he breaks down complicated issues in his candid presentations and uses everyday examples and anecdotes to illustrate what the future holds for tax policy, budget outlook, energy issues, healthcare, financial reform, and more. A distinguished economic advisor, academic, and strategist, he is also skilled at forecasting policy changes on the horizon and recommending sound strategies for mitigating risk to your industry.

Policy Veteran. Holtz-Eakin is the current president of the American Action Forum policy institute, the founder of the healthcare think tank Center for Health and Economy, and a former commissioner on the congressionally-chartered Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission. He was also formerly the chief economist of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, where he helped to formulate policies addressing the 2000 to 2001 recession and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

From 2003 to 2005, he served as the director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, where he provided budgetary and policy analysis to the U.S. Congress. During his tenure, CBO assisted Congress as they addressed numerous policies, notably the 2003 tax cuts, the Medicare prescription drug bill, and Social Security reform. During 2007 and 2008, he was director of domestic and economic policy for the John McCain's presidential campaign. Following the 2008 election, Dr. Holtz-Eakin was the president of DHE Consulting, an economic and policy consulting firm providing insight and research to a broad cross-section of clients.

Economics Outside The Government. Holtz-Eakin has built an international reputation as an economic scholar. He has performed extensive research in areas of applied economic policy, econometric methods, and entrepreneurship. At Syracuse University, he became the trustee professor of economics at the Maxwell School, chairman of the department of economics, and associate director of the Center for Policy Research.

Dr. Holtz-Eakin has also held positions in several Washington-based think tanks. He was a senior fellow at the Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics, the director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, and the Paul A. Volcker chair in international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has also been a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and the American Family Business Foundation. Holtz-Eakin serves on the boards of the Tax Foundation, National Economists Club and Center for a Responsible Federal Budget, and the Research Advisory Board of the Center for Economic Development.

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Speaker Video

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Doug Holtz-Eakin: The COVID-19 Economy

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Doug Holtz-Eakin: The Fiscal Cliff

Economic & Fiscal Policy Outlook. Dr. Doug Holtz-Eakin examines the current state of our country’s economy and provides audiences with a look into the policy side of today’s most pressing economic topics, including the budget, the deficit, the financial markets, financial reform, healthcare, taxes, tax reform, and more. Funny and entertaining, he shares insights on the five structural reforms he believes will get our economy back on track—tax, entitlement, education, regulatory, and immigration—and details the economic impact, policy requirements, and political implications of each—always with an eye to the future. With expertise in each of the specific policy areas, Holtz-Eakin can also customize this talk to cover the specific topic the audience is interested in and discuss how the economy affects policy and vice versa. He also forecasts policy changes on the horizon and reveals strategy solutions so organizations can position against the risks.

Health Care Policy. As former director of the Congressional Budget Office and the founder of the health care-focused think tank Center for Health and Economy, Doug Holtz-Eakin has long experience with federal health policy issues. He was CBO Director during the passage of the Medicare Modernization Act that produced Medicare Advantage and the Part D program; was extensively involved in the Affordable Care Act debate, and most recently has researched an critiqued the health provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. Among his recent publications is a book chapter on reforming Medicare to introduce a premium support approach.

Comfortable discussing policy as well as procedure and impact, Holtz-Eakin offers incredible analysis on the outlook of the US health care system and evaluates current and proposed legislation. Providing new insights on in the debate for better health care, he is a fantastic choice for groups invested in the outcome of Medicare, Medicaid, and overall health care reform.

The Cost of Health Care Reform. As former director of the Congressional Budget Office and the founder of the health care-focused think tank Center for Health and Economy, Doug Holtz-Eakin has seen firsthand the cost associated with and difficulties surrounding passing, repealing, and replacing health care legislation. A frequently cited expert on the topic, Holtz-Eakin takes audiences behind the scenes to reveal the thought process behind dismantling a bill with such a far-reaching impact as well as what’s at stake. Comfortable discussing policy as well as procedure and impact, Holtz-Eakin offers incredible analysis on the outlook of the US health care system and evaluates current and proposed legislation. Providing new insights on in the debate for better health care, he is a fantastic choice for groups invested in the outcome of health care reform.

Politics and the Economy. Holtz-Eakin addresses where the economy stands and evaluates where certain economic policy measures are politically (in terms of support and likelihood to pass). Holtz-Eakin has strong connections with House and Senate members, meeting with them nearly daily to discuss the country’s most pressing economic concerns. This gives him unique insight into the political process for legislation affecting the country’s economy. He covers the status of issues like healthcare, energy, tax reform, tax cuts, and more, and he helps his audience understand what will likely happen, when, and why. He also discusses what the ramifications will be for business and the economy and the policy choices of the current administration.

Immigration Reform and the Economy. Holtz-Eakin addresses immigration reform, the challenge of policy toward undocumented immigrants, and the political and economic ramifications of reform itself. He discusses how the large body of undocumented immigrants is in large part a legacy of economic conditions. Holtz-Eakin believes that immigration reform and the core visa granting system must be built on the recognition that the U.S. must compete aggressively in the global economy, and a flexible, skill-based immigration system is part of building a modern labor force. It must recognize that without immigration, the population shrinks and top-line growth withers. America is a land of immigrants and the greatest economy the globe has ever witnessed. It is time join these two points of national pride in an explicit strategy for the 21st century.  

The Economic Impact of COVID-19: CARES Act in Historical Perspective. One of the nation's top economists, Doug Holtz-Eakin energetically breaks down complicated economic and policy issues in a way that’s easy to understand. A distinguished economic advisor, Doug provides his insider views on the current policies coming out of the pandemic, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). He describes the historic nature of the $2.2 trillion policy, comparing the act to past policies like the Revenue Act of 1942 and the New Deal, to put the size of the CARES Act into perspective. We are witnessing history – and Doug will share how this will impact the country now and in the future, and what it means for your specific industry or business.

Point/Counterpoint Economic Debate. Doug Holtz-Eakin is an independent economic expert, but he also thrives as the conservative viewpoint when paired with a contrasting viewpoint in an exciting economic debate. Any of the aforementioned topics can be formatted as such, roundly covering both political viewpoints of an issue.

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