Research Library

Kuwait lags behind the other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council in its progress toward sustainable energy targets. Its pro-rentier democracy is slowing it down, writes visiting scholar Osamah Alsayegh.

OPEC+, which is led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, announced this week that it is cutting oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day starting in May. This amounts to removing roughly 1% of oil from the global market. Our experts discuss the far-reaching consequences of this move for U.S. gas prices, American energy security, and U.S.-Saudi relations. 

The U.S. is facing a structural labor shortage and a deepening immigration crisis. Modifying the eligibility parameters of the TN visa — a visa restricted to Mexican and Canadian professionals — is a partial solution, writes Tony Payan.

Social media influencers can earn hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars each year. But how do they get taxed? In this issue brief, public finance fellow Joyce Beebe explains what tax rules apply to influencers and how tax authorities can improve tax compliance.

The rapid adoption of telemedicine is one of the few positive developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, writes fellow Katharine Neill Harris. She explains why the DEA’s recent proposal to change the rules for prescribing drugs via telemedicine would harm patients and increase demand for and exposure to unregulated and more dangerous drugs.

With little pushback from the Biden administration, Mexican officials seized an American company’s port facility earlier this month. But history shows Mexico should be wary of engaging in such provocations, writes nonresident fellow Gary Hale.

Building on the success of hunter education courses in Texas and experience in other states, fellow Sandra McKay and other Texas physicians explain how mandatory firearm safety courses and waiting periods for young firearm buyers could reduce gun violence.

March 10 marked the deadline for filing bills in the 2023 Texas legislative session. Now, Texas state lawmakers are gearing up to discuss property taxes, school safety and other issues that have emerged as high-priorities for the House and Senate. Here, we discuss what bills are expected to cause friction and what else to look for in the current session.