2013 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

The second Obama administration faces a complex policy environment. While generating economic growth at home amid continued risk of financial instability abroad remains a key policy challenge, numerous crises around the globe require policy attention. In this context, the fellows and scholars of the Baker Institute have drafted a set of recommendations for the incoming administration. Within each issue area -- from energy policy to immigration reform -- these recommendations provide policymakers with an analytic overview of the opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed by longer-term, strategic policy formulation. It is our hope that our recommendations will provide to be useful starting points for decision-makers working to develop comprehensive, forward-looking policies.

Read "2013 Policy Recommendations for the Obama Administration."

Read the 2013 policy recommendations by topic:

• "Spotlight on the U.S. Space Program: Problems and Solutions"
  George W.S. Abbey, Baker Botts Senior Fellow in Science and Technology Policy
• "Foreign Policy: Toward a New Balancing Strategy"
  Joe Barnes, Bonner Means Baker Fellow
• "Information Technology Policy: Action Items for the Next Four Years"
  Christopher Bronk, Ph.D., Fellow in Information Technology Policy
• "Moving Forward With Tax Reform"
  John W. Diamond, Ph.D., Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance
  George R. Zodrow, Ph.D., Allyn R. and Gladys M. Cline Chair of Economics, Rice University
• "U.S. Economic Diplomacy: Adapting to Shifts in Global Economic Powers"
  Russell A. Green, Ph.D., Will Clayton Fellow in International Economics
• "Implementing the Affordable Care Act: Recommendations for Realizing Legislative Goals"
  Vivian Ho, Ph.D., James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics
• "Science and Technology: Ensuring America's Science Future"
  Neal F. Lane, Ph.D., Senior Fellow in Science and Technology Policy
  Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Ph.D., Fellow in Science and Technology Policy
• "U.S.-China Relations: Energy and Environmental Policy"
  Steven W. Lewis, Ph.D., C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow
• "Marijuana Prohibition: Going Up in Smoke? and Sterile Syringes for Injecting Drug Users"
  William Martin, Ph.D., Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy
• "U.S. Natural Gas Policy: Recommendations for the President"
  Kenneth B. Medlock III, Ph.D., James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics
• "Immigration Reform: A Comprehensive vs. Piecemeal Approach"
  Tony Payan, Ph.D., Baker Institute Scholar for Immigration and Border Studies
• "Climate Change Policy: Recommendations for the Next Administration"
  Ronald L. Sass, Ph.D., Fellow in Global Climate Change