Research Library

The House recently passed the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act (TRAFWA) of 2024, which aims to provide tax relief to businesses and families with children in a fiscally responsible manner. But, as fellow John W. Diamond’s new commentary explains, if the bill succeeds, it would instead deliver more reckless tax giveaways while further delaying a real effort to deal with the consequences of poor fiscal policy.

Traditional approaches to displacement are not working, writes Baker Institute nonresident fellow and Georgetown University professor Elizabeth Ferris. For both refugees and internally displaced people, a push to promote self-reliance could be part of the solution.

Mark Finley explains the cost-benefit analysis behind the Saudi government's recent move to pause plans to increase spare oil production capacity — and why spare capacity still equates to power in the oil market.

In June 2023, the international boundary treaty governing the U.S.-Mexico border came under attack from Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lonestar. In a new research paper, nonresident scholars Stephen Mumme and Regina M. Buono outline the treaty’s history and examine key issues — advising on merits of recent challenges and long-term implications for the binational relationship between the United States and Mexico.

The Mexico Country Outlook 2024 analyzes key policy issues ahead of Mexico’s June 2024 elections, from foreign investment and regulatory challenges to migration and public security.

How can lawmakers fix America’s crumbling child care system? Fellow Joyce Beebe reviews four popular policy proposals to expand child care and examines their potential benefits and pitfalls.

Introduction

Car-based transportation in the United States began in the early 20th century. Before that, the country was…

For research involving human embryos and other controversial subjects, science journals should require ethics statements from researchers detailing research oversight, what embryos were used, how many and for how long. This will help increase transparency and improve communication with the public, writes Science and Technology Policy Fellow Kirstin R.W. Matthews.

The U.S. is facing a dire shortage of health care providers. Immigrants can help fill the gap, writes contributing author Shishir Shakya.

Baker Institute Rice faculty scholar Luz M. Garcini and co-authors analyze existing research on the compounded stressors and health risks faced by undocumented Latino older adults in the United States. Using a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) lens, they examine the environments, conditions, and social structures that influence health risks, and provide policy and advocacy recommendations to address the issues.