Experts in the News

A proposal for an underground tunnel to relieve Houston flooding is “one of those big dream projects that may take us away from much more reasonable short-term projects,” says Baker Institute Rice faculty scholar Jim Blackburn. “I doubt the feasibility of it.” Associated Press: https://bit.ly/2tE10ze

The U.S. House has passed legislation authored by Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio to block President Trump’s emergency declaration. "This is a momentous event for Castro, and a credit to his political acumen to position himself to be the author of one of the most politically salient pieces of legislation of the Trump presidency," fellow Mark Jones tells Texas Monthly.  

Fellow Francisco Monaldi talks to NPR about the collapse of Venezuela’s oil sector after the U.S. banned imports.

Bloomberg reviews fellow Jim Krane’s new book, “Energy Kingdoms: Oil and Political Survival in the Persian Gulf,” which combines a concise history of the region’s oil and gas boom and its consequences, including for the region’s politics. 

“Just as Texas Republicans are very supportive of having a strong level of border security, they also are very supportive of property rights,” fellow Mark Jones says of possible backlash to the border wall. Bloomberg: https://bloom.bg/2EhRdVu