Research Library

On October 12, 2022, Katharine Neill Harris, the Alfred C. Glassell, III, Fellow in Drug Policy, testified before the Texas House of Representatives Interim Study Committee on Criminal Justice Reform. Her written testimony addresses the committee's inquiry into policies and penalties relating to drug offenses.

Nonresident fellow Todd Moss testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Global Human Rights on the importance of defeating energy poverty in Africa and ensuring that African countries get fair treatment in climate policy.

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.