The Heritage Foundation notched many important policy victories on behalf of the American people in 2020. Despite being a challenging and unprecedented year, the University of Pennsylvania’s world-renowned “Global Go To Think Tank Index” recognized Heritage as the first-ever “Think Tank Center of Excellence” for its policy influence.
Heritage shaped public policy through the combination of effective research, superb communication, and proven solutions that help all Americans.
“Our goal at The Heritage Foundation is to help build an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish, and we strive to do so not just through influencing policy in Washington, but also by engaging with Americans across this great country,” says Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James. “Every day, we use all the tools available to us to learn more about average Americans’ concerns, their cares, and their desires for the country, and we make sure their voices are heard in the halls of power. That has been our mission for nearly 50 years, and that will always be our mission.”
In 2020, the Heritage team rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Heritage experts published 278 policy reports, had 1,711 op-ed placements in major news outlets, appeared in 4,591 broadcast media interviews, and had 7,386 media mentions.
Here is a look at some of Heritage's policy impact in 2020.
COVID-19 Pandemic
Heritage received praise from Vice President Mike Pence for its National Coronavirus Recovery Commission as Pence led the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The commission brought together top experts from the fields of public health, disaster response, business, government, and the faith community to offer public policy solutions. Through a five-phase plan, the commission offered 265 recommendations to safely reopen America. Additionally, the Trump administration and Congress used Heritage proposals to make telehealth a priority in the early days of the pandemic.
Barrett Confirmation
Heritage was at the forefront of the fight to confirm Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, producing a nationally televised ad, launching a grassroots petition, creating a new podcast, hosting exclusive events, and completing scores of media interviews. Even before Barrett’s nomination on Sept. 26, Heritage was gearing up to support her. In August, before there even was a vacancy on the court, Heritage scholars recommended her to Trump as a nominee.
Election Integrity
Heritage’s Election Fraud Database helped educate election officials and the American public about the importance of election integrity. The database saw a huge surge in online traffic—more than 1,000%—in the days after Nov. 3 as the American people searched for factual information on the impact of fraud on elections. Backed up by detailed references to government documents and media reports, the database was referenced by many major news networks. Heritage also released a PSA on in-person voting to inform Americans how to make sure their vote counts.
Critical Race Theory
In a move strongly supported and advocated by Heritage scholars, the Trump administration instructed all federal agencies to “cease and desist” from conducting taxpayer-funded employee training sessions on “critical race theory” and “white privilege.” The concept of these taxpayer-funded “critical race theory” trainings entered the mainstream conversation after Heritage Foundation visiting fellow Chris Rufo released an exposé.
Confronting China
Multiple actions directed toward China from the Trump administration and the British government mirrored proposals made by Heritage analysts on topics ranging from Huawei and 5G to the inhumane treatment of the Muslim religious minority Uighurs in Xinjiang.
Iran Sanctions
The Trump administration reinstated sanctions against the Iranian regime for its failure to comply with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal. Heritage analysts have repeatedly made the case that the Iranian government was never interested in following the terms of the deal, even from the very beginning.
Pro-American Curriculum
President Trump recognized Heritage for its work promoting a pro-American and patriotic curriculum. Heritage experts also spoke at the White House to highlight the importance of learning American history, and criticize those who seek to destroy our history or malign it as evil. Additionally, the online version of The New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning “1619 Project” was quietly edited after considerable pushback from conservatives, including multiple Heritage Foundation scholars.
Immigration Enforcement
Heritage experts helped to shape the Stop Greenlighting Driver Licenses for Illegal Immigrants Act that seeks to restrict funding for states that grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants or fail to share information about criminal aliens with the federal government.
Health Care Reform
Heritage continued to advocate for policy reforms that put Americans in charge of their health care, not government. Media outlets recognized Heritage experts as key Trump administration advisers on health care. And Health Care Choices 20/20, a set of policy suggestions by dozens of health care experts and leaders to improve the American health care system, was touted as an ideal conservative solution.
