Experts in the News

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the First Amendment protected a Washington state football coach’s right to offer a post-game prayer on the 50-yard line. The ruling could complicate ongoing curriculum wars in Texas and other conservative states, said fellow Mark Jones, and prompt a "push for a greater space for religion in schools."

Thousands of Mexicans come into the U.Sl on agricultural and seasonal work visas. But the current labor demand is in construction, hospitality, food processing and manufacturing, said U.S.-Mexico Center director Tony Payan. “Legally there is no type of visa for those kinds of workers."

"In terms of the price of oil, the price of gasoline, there is no president that has that much power," said Ken Medlock, Center for Energy Studies senior director.

Ambassador Edward Djerejian, founding director of the Baker Institute, will serve a third four-year term on the board of trustees for the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The ambassador will retire from his role as Baker Institute director at the end of June.

Given the substantial projected population growth and potential demand increase, Texas should invest in a water system that is resilient, sufficient for safeguarding public health and facilitates sustainable economic growth, wrote public finance fellow Joyce Beebe in a paper commissioned by Texas 2036.