Research Library

This brief examines the four economic pillars that are often credited with bolstering Mexico’s economy in 2019 and 2020 to determine how quickly the nation's economy will bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Experts explore how the copper acquisition dilemma could hinder green energy ambitions and constitute the driving force behind a copper supercycle.

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, which became law in mid-March, left out the mandate to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, but it did lead to an open policy discussion about current minimum wage standards. In a post for the Baker Institute Blog, public finance fellow Joyce Beebe considers some of the pros and cons of increasing the minimum wage and possible future developments.

Despite the demand for policies that mitigate the impact of severe weather, a majority of Texans seem opposed to one that requires consumers to pay for reserve electrical generation capacity.

Restrictions in Texas' medical cannabis law keep most of the state's patients from participating. Our survey of 2,866 Texas residents who use medical cannabis sought to gain insight into the needs and experiences of this population.

The authors sought to develop and test a tool that accurately predicts the unique financial burden to individual patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, an American Society of Clinical Oncology Journal

A substantial number of Americans remain unprepared for retirement, despite past policy support and tax incentives to enhance retirement income security. Public finance fellow Joyce Beebe reviews recent policy developments and proposals to enhance the retirement savings system.

The U.S. oil, gas and coal industry largely rose and fell based on global economic and energy market conditions rather than federal energy and environmental policies implemented by the Trump administration, write the authors. As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, they expect markets to continue to shape the future of the oil and gas industry. Read more on the Baker Institute Blog.

The atmospheric concentration of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) — the most potent greenhouse gas known to humanity and a chemical that is frequently used as an electrical insulator — is growing and thereby contributing to global warming. In a post for the Baker Institute blog, experts from the Center for Energy Studies explain whether we should be worried and what can be done to mitigate the risks.

In this paper, the author examines past attempts at immigration reform in the United States, especially as they pertain to the nation’s undocumented population. Analyzing these early reform efforts could be deeply instructive for the prospects of President Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act and reveals both durable patterns and new developments that could shape the chances for legislative breakthroughs.