Research Library

Fellow Joe Barnes looks back, and ahead, at the impact of President Obama's foreign policies.

The oil production targets agreed to at the November 30, 2016, OPEC meeting have created the firmest prospect in the past two years of a meaningful oil price recovery. If WTI prices rise and stabilize in the $60/bbl range, how fast can U.S. shale producers respond? This brief addresses the question and highlights the challenges U.S. unconventional liquids producers will likely face during a scale-up. It also points out price and timing inflection points likely to broadly influence industry decision-making.

NAFTA has become increasingly more controversial in the United States. U.S. firms and workers are best served by an examination of the agreement to improve and modernize the relationship and make it more equitable to all partners. This will benefit America’s economy, and that of Canada and Mexico.

During the 85th Legislative Session, Texas lawmakers have the opportunity to enact reforms to the current process by which the state selects its judges—in partisan elections in combination with a straight-ticket voting option. Political science fellow Mark P. Jones analyzes four reform options and their respective advantages and disadvantages.

Shifts in U.S. economic policy toward China could provide leverage on other issues and, at the beginning of a new administration, usefully set a tone of cooperation.

The authors of this brief assert that amid mounting allegations of abuse of power at the U.S.-Mexico border, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) needs to incorporate measures to improve transparency and accountability, particularly in the matter of redressing complaints.

Although the energy challenge is significant and requires a long-term view to be successfully addressed, long-term goals can be sustainably achieved through fundamental research and development.

Mexico Center director Tony Payan outlines overarching principles and specific policy proposals that, with the necessary political will, can productively address complex immigration issues.

Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian, director of the Baker Institute, describes the key elements of a coherent strategy for defeating ISIS, incorporating both nearer-term strategies and long-term approaches.

About 1 million Texans gained health care coverage due to the Affordable Care Act, according to new research by health policy fellows Vivian Ho and Elena Marks. The new findings published in the American Journal of Public Health examined the effects of the ACA’s Marketplace on Texas residents and determined which population subgroups benefited the most and the least.