Baker Briefing

As the special legislative session begins in Austin and lawmakers put forth proposals for strengthening weather communications and warning systems, Ed Emmett and Bill King draw on their experience in disaster response and offer reflections on the devastating Texas Hill Country floods.

John W. Diamond joins David M. Satterfield on the “Baker Briefing” podcast to lay out the good, the bad, and the ugly in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the legislative package now signed into law by President Trump.

The Middle East is undergoing major shifts. A conversation with former diplomats Daniel Kurtzer and Aaron David Miller at a Baker Institute event this past May highlights the political dynamics shaping the future of power in the region, Israel’s war in Gaza, and the evolving U.S.-Israel relationship.

On “Baker Briefing,” Kristian Coates Ulrichsen explains how global sports tournaments have become a space where politics, economics, and diplomacy increasingly intersect, with a look at the case of Saudi Arabia in particular.

Tony Payan joins “Baker Briefing” to examine the host of issues facing the U.S.-Mexico relationship under Presidents Donald Trump and Claudia Sheinbaum, from tariffs to the border.

Tony Payan joins “Baker Briefing” to discuss Mexico’s shifting political landscape and the policy challenges facing President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Drs. Sandra McKay and Eric Fleegler joined “Baker Briefing” to discuss the worsening gun injury epidemic and areas of consensus among firearm-owners and non-owners alike.

Steven W. Lewis, director of the Baker Institute China Studies Program, joined the “Baker Briefing” podcast to discuss what China’s global soft power campaign looks like and how successful it’s proven thus far.

Syria’s civil war came to a stunning end on Dec. 8, 2024 — but deep fragmentation and economic hardship remain. What kind of governance will emerge under Ahmad al-Sharaa? On “Baker Briefing,” guests Rana Khoury and Ibrahim Al-Assil discuss what’s ahead for Syria and its people.

Hospitals still aren’t complying with federal price transparency rules. On “Baker Briefing,” Vivian Ho explains why opaque pricing is a key driver of rising health care costs and what policymakers can do to tackle the problem.