Research Library

Fellow Katharine Neill Harris testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on the failed war on drugs and solutions based on racial justice and harm reduction.

In testimony before the Texas House of Representatives Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, Neill Harris expressed support for limiting arrests for fine-only offenses and expanding cite-and-release eligibility to include nonviolent misdemeanors and low-level drug possession. These changes will save taxpayers money and reduce the racially disparate burdens of incarceration without compromising public safety, she said.

On September 16, energy fellow Michelle Michot Foss provided an overview of the role of critical minerals in creating a clean economy during testimony before the U.S. House of Representative's Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change. She also discussed the challenges associated with energy transitions, including import dependency and considerations for meeting environment, social and governance (ESG) goals.

"In a changing competitive environment, which the recent events affecting the global oil market clearly represent, a greater focus on ensuring and maintaining fair and open competition is critical to the long-term health of the market," said the authors in a written statement to the Texas Railroad Commission.

By Colton Cox On March 17, 2019, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a conference entitled “Religious Authority in the Middle East: Implications for U.S. Policy.” The conference, organized by the Baker Institute Center for the Middle East, was the culmination of a survey-based project of the Middle East and North African region funded by the Henry R. Luce Foundation and led by the Baker Institute’s A.Kadir Yildirim. This report highlights key findings and themes from the conference.

The Baker Institute's Presidential Elections Program held its second conference, “A Presidential Election in an Uncertain Time” in December 2019. Fellows Mark P. Jones and John B. Williams summarize the presentations and discussions of the many academics, campaign consultants, journalists, and other individuals who participated in the four thematic panels as well as a lunch conversation featuring political consultants James Carville and Mary Matalin.

In 2019, Energy Dialogues and the Center for Energy Studies hosted an event at which representatives from industry, academia, environmental groups and regulatory bodies focused on three themes: energy innovation, energy transitions and energy poverty. This report summarizes the day's discussions.

At a July 22, 2019, field hearing of the House Subcommittee on the Environment, Rice faculty scholar Jim Blackburn testified on ways to strengthen the Houston-Galveston area's resilience to hurricanes. Read his written testimony (PDF) or watch video of the hearing below. Blackburn's testimony begins at the 38:10 mark.

Center for Energy Studies senior director Ken Medlock provided an overview of trends in electricity generation by source — from coal and natural gas to wind, solar and biomass — and the role of infrastructure during testimony before the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on March 5.  Download the PDFs below to read his written testimony and the questions for the record submitted to Medlock, as well as his answers.

Fellow Jennifer Rabb testifies to the Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform on ways to increase property owner participation in the tax rate-setting process.