WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democratic policy veterans launched Project 2029 in Washington, D.C., an initiative designed to develop a governing agenda for a future Democratic president. The project aims to present proposals that address bureaucratic inefficiencies in consumer and healthcare systems.

Chad Maisel serves as the executive director for Project 2029. Maisel previously worked as a special assistant to President Biden on the White House Domestic Policy Council. He stated, "American companies derive big profits from these painful interactions — and fight to protect them." Project 2029 plans to release its proposals on a rolling basis over the year following July 2026.

Maisel and Neale Mahoney, an economist at Stanford University who directs the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, estimate that what they term the "annoyance economy" costs American families at least $165 billion in time and money annually.

The project's proposals include creating a standardized system for filing insurance claims online. Additionally, Project 2029 suggests ending the use of prior authorization by insurance companies for most tests, prescriptions, and procedures. Other proposals aim to implement rules to make canceling subscriptions as straightforward as signing up for them.

In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission implemented a rule banning junk fees for hotels, vacation rentals, and live events. President Biden also unveiled the "Time is Money" initiative in late summer 2024. In November 2025, the Trump administration rescinded a rule concerning cash refunds for airline passengers. Telecom industry groups have filed a lawsuit to block the Federal Trade Commission's proposed "click-to-cancel" rule. "I think the lesson from Project 2025 is just the importance of preparation," Maisel said.