Research Library

Texas spends nearly $50 billion a year on health care yet lags far behind other states on key health outcomes. Elena M. Marks and Charles W. Mathias share how recent investments in health-impacting, non-medical services present an opportunity for Texas to get more value for the money.

U.S. fiscal policy should focus on stabilizing the long-term budget outlook by supporting robust economic growth, broadening the tax base, and reducing federal spending. This new policy brief from John W. Diamond, director of the Baker Institute Center for Public Finance outlines the issue and recommends policy actions.

Turkey lies in a seismically active zone but lacks the rigorous regulation of construction safety standards needed to improve earthquake resistance. In a new Edward P. Djerejian Center for the Middle East brief, nonresident fellow A.Kadir Yildirim explains the relationship between the government and construction industry and what is needed to improve Turkey’s earthquake preparedness.

Despite being one of the largest and most dynamic sectors of the U.S. economy, the construction industry faces a severe labor shortage due to an aging workforce, lower birth rates, and reduced immigration. This new report from the Center for the U.S and Mexico offers recommendations to address the industry’s needs, including authorizing more migrant workers through limited-term visas and promoting construction skills and careers to young people.

Science and technology policy usually takes a back seat to issues such as immigration, the economy, and health care during election season. What’s changed for 2024?

Texas cities and towns should implement pedestrian-friendly design and prioritize transportation safety to help combat an obesity and poor mental health epidemic among U.S. children.

The Middle East is in a new era of mass displacement, with millions uprooted after a year of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with a new front in Lebanon. In a recent commentary featured in The Conversation, Kelsey Norman and coauthor Nichols R. Micinski examine the long-lasting effects of the region’s humanitarian crisis, highlighting the urgent need for a ceasefire to enable displaced communities to return home and rebuild.

Reproductive health care, which encompasses preventative screenings, family planning, and contraceptive access, is becoming increasingly inaccessible in Texas due to restrictive abortion policies. A new brief by nonresident fellow McClain Sampson and coauthor Priscilla Kennedy examines how these policies exacerbate health disparities across the state and suggests ways to make comprehensive reproductive care more accessible to Texans.

To restore America’s leadership in science, the next presidential administration must prioritize investment in science and technology as key to economic progress, national security, and a healthy society. This will require a coordinated interagency national plan and the support of both political parties.

As foreign interference and the prevalence of disinformation test our democratic processes, election administrators must work across the aisle to demonstrate a shared commitment to healthy election systems at all levels of government. This brief provides a framework for effective bipartisan policies that balance the linchpins required equitable access and integrity of the results.