Research Library

The Russia-Ukraine war may have strengthened the NATO alliance. But it also raises critical questions about Europe’s security architecture and U.S. policy toward China.

As COVID-related government support programs are phasing out, fraudulent claims associated with employee retention assistance are on the rise. In this issue brief, public finance fellow Joyce Beebe explores how a lesser-known tax credit may be the source of a lot of potential fraud.

LOGINK offers Beijing a means to monitor and shape the international logistics market, increase foreign strategic dependency on China, and exploit the vulnerabilities of LOGINK users for economic and geostrategic purposes.

Two new bills introduced in the Texas Legislature could jeopardize the care received by Medicaid patients, writes Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics. She explains why the legislation would weaken county-owned insurance plans and raise Texans’ tax bills.

The Biden administration’s new industrial policy initiatives aim to help the U.S. compete with China, battle climate change and provide middle class jobs. Will these policies work or fade away like previous efforts?

As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise across the U.S., policymakers are looking to expand low carbon energy options — notably hydrogen. On this episode, Ken Medlock, director of the Center for Energy Studies, discusses the potential for Texas to become a hydrogen hub. 

There is a growing global movement among economic, public policy and academic communities questioning the appropriateness of gross domestic product (GDP), and specifically its growth, as an indicator of progress. Despite the broad range of indices and dashboards that have been developed to challenge it, GDP remains entrenched as the essential indicator of national prosperity, despite its purpose being to measure the size and performance of the economy.

Lebanon has faced years of political instability and a worsening economic crisis. Mark Daou, Member of Parliament in Lebanon, recently visited the Baker Institute to discuss the country’s ongoing political challenges. MP Daou discusses how the international community can respond and offers his perspective on a "new start" for Lebanon.

Nonresident scholar Richard Kilroy explores how Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s decision to move the Guardia Nacional — an institution created to protect public safety — under the control of Mexico’s military could have dire consequences for civil-military relations and U.S.-Mexico security relations.

As more and more Texans switch from gas- to battery-powered vehicles, state policymakers are grappling with the implications of broader electric vehicle ownership. From infrastructure investments, roadway maintenance, and levying a new tax for EV owners, this discussion breaks down the key issues surrounding EVs and consider legislation policymakers in Texas may consider this session.