Research Library

Health care costs in the U.S. have climbed dramatically in recent decades. Elevated prescription and premium prices have left more Americans at risk of being unable to afford basic health care services. Our experts discuss key factors leading to medical unaffordability and steps policymakers must take to address the issue.

Recent attacks by the Yemeni armed militant group, the Houthis, against commercial ships signal new tensions are escalating in the Red Sea and the broader Middle East. A series of events in recent weeks indicate the potential for a broader war in the region — escalating the conflict between Israel and Hamas beyond Gaza.

Global leaders met in Dubai this month for the 28th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties on climate change — known as COP28. In the lead-up to the conference, our expert panel broke down the key political and policy issues at play. 

Fellows Ed Emmett and David Gantz explore climate change, international shipping, and what happens when a vital passage for global supply chains becomes unreliable.

In months and years following Hurricane Harvey, the vast majority of Harris County residents supported policy action to mitigate the impact of future natural disasters. On this episode of Baker Briefing, fellow Edward Emmett and Rice faculty scholar Jim Blackburn explore a critical question: Is Houston ready for the next big storm?

In July, the Chinese government announced that its foreign minister, Qin Gang, had been removed from office and replaced by his predecessor, Wang Yi. Fellows Joe Barnes and Steven W. Lewis discuss what the move reveals — and what it could mean for U.S.-China relations — on this episode of Baker Briefing.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing a historic impeachment trial in the state Senate. Fellows Mark Jones and Ed Emmett unpack the issues and make predictions regarding the trial in this episode of Baker Briefing.

This week, the White House announced a new initiative to tackle the growing use of fentanyl laced with xylazine — known to many as "tranq." This combination of drugs poses an alarming and significant threat to public health.

Young people in the U.S. face an unprecedented mental health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated rates of depression, anxiety and suicide among adolescents that were already at historically high levels before the pandemic. Since 2020, mental health-related emergency room visits have increased 31% among adolescents while suicide rates among teenagers increased 25%.

Child labor laws are failing migrant children. As children from Latin America migrate to the United States in record numbers, many are ending up in dangerous jobs that violate child labor legislation. What steps are needed to ensure that vulnerable migrant children are protected from exploitation?