Experts in the News

Mexico Center director Tony Payan comments on corruption in Mexico in light of the arrest of an attorney general for the Mexican state of Chihuahua on drug trafficking charges.

Peter J. Hotez, fellow in disease and poverty, explains why the growing anti-vaccine movement in Texas and the U.S. could increase vaccine hesitancy, which has the potential to subvert global progress toward reducing and eliminating certain communicable diseases through vaccination in this blog for Scientific American.

Edward J. Egan, director of the McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, recently met in Washington with Sen. Ted Cruz, senior staff for Rep. Ted Poe, and counsel and staff from various House and Senate committees to discuss U.S. economic growth. In January, the Baker Institute published Egan's recommendations regarding the U.S. patent market, small businesses and the high-tech sector as part of its series "Recommendations for the New Administration."

Texas legislators are divided over whether to use the state’s “rainy day” savings fund for education and social services programs, with Senate Republican arguing that the fund should not be used for ongoing expenses. Mark P. Jones, fellow in political science, said the divide stems from alternate definitions of the fund’s purpose among a tea party faction in the Senate. “It’s been transformed into something sacrosanct,” he said.

Texas Senate Bill 6 (SB 6) — a measure to limit transgender access to bathrooms — will likely not make it through the Texas House of Representatives, where it faces opposition from both Democrats and Republicans, including House Speaker Joe Straus. "Straus is signaling very clearly that SB 6 is dead," commented fellow Mark Jones.