Research Library

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) have experienced substantial growth in recent years, prompting debate about abuses of this tax-advantaged vehicle and what policies should be adopted to close loopholes. Fellow Joyce Beebe reviews the design of DAFs, common criticisms, recent policy developments, and opponents’ arguments against additional regulations.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) evaluations impact firms' market value, but inconsistencies and uncertainties in these assessments suggest that following past practice may not be the best way forward. The future lies in a more focused version of ESG principles, one that resembles environmental risk management.

It may pay to shop around for health care. New legislation requiring transparency in health insurance coverage allows price comparisons between hospitals, across hospital systems, and with different insurers. In a new issue brief, Vivian Ho and co-author Evelyn Li compare quality and analyze pricing data from Houston area hospitals.

When patients leaving the hospital cannot understand discharge instructions, this can lead to safety issues, poorer health outcomes, and additional hospital visits — adding to overall health care costs. Nonresident fellow and pediatrician Dr. Sheela Gavvala outlines the issues for non-native English speakers and suggests improvements.

In a review of 10 years of data, fellows Shao-Chee Sim and Elena Marks show how the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace has drastically reduced the number of uninsured Texans and urge policymakers to find ways to maximize its impact so that affordable health coverage is accessible to all.

With Mexico's 2024 elections quickly approaching, will democracy prevail, or will the nation backslide into a one-party system?

Sen. Xochitl Gálvez, the Mexican opposition nominee for president, chose to visit a suburb north of Houston for her first campaign event abroad. Research scholar Rodrigo Montes de Oca explains why it was a smart choice — and what the visit shows about the dark horse candidate.

The U.S. has taken major legislative steps through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act to advance clean energy technologies and bolster national energy security. But for these measures to bear full fruit, policymakers will need to address critical infrastructure barriers, writes the Center for Energy Studies' Kenneth B. Medlock III.

Five key factors make the Biden administration’s attempts to expand the Abraham Accords in the Middle East likely to fail, writes nonresident fellow Omar Rahman. Instead, regional approaches like the restoration of Saudi-UAE diplomatic relations with Iran are now holding sway.