Baker Briefing

4: Natural Gas and Oil Markets Update

The short days and winter storms of January have kept drivers off the roads—lowering the demand for gas and increasing the available supply. Yet, oil prices are still rising as the Russia-Ukraine war continues to disrupt global energy markets. We discuss the latest market trends and developments in global energy markets— including the European Union embargo on Russian oil exports and the price caps that G-7 nations are preparing to set on Russian diesel, kerosene and oil. Discussants The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Gabriel Collins, Baker Botts Fellow in Energy & Environmental Regulatory Affairs, Baker Institute for Public Policy Mark Finley, Fellow in Energy and Global Oil, Baker Institute for Public Policy Anna Mikulska, Ph.D., Fellow in Energy Studies, Baker Institute for Public Policy

3: TikTok, China, and US Data Security

TikTok—the China-owned app that is currently the most popular social platform in America —is at the center of a swirling geopolitical and economic debate. The app has faced criticism from U.S. government officials who say the app gives China access to American data, making it a security risk. Here, we discuss the risks, the efficacy of bans, and consider the possibility of a TikTok-less America. Discussants: The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Joe Barnes, Bonner Means Baker Fellow, Baker Institute for Public Policy Aynne Kokas, Ph.D., Nonresident Scholar, Baker Institute for Public Policy and Assistant Professor of Media Studies, University of Virginia Steven W. Lewis, Ph.D., C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow, Jesse Jones Leadership Center Summer Intern Program Coordinator, Baker Institute for Policy Policy   For more on this topic, see the book by Dr. Aynne Kokas, “Trafficking Data: How China Is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty.”

2: A Public Health Approach to Gun Violence

On January 7, a six-year-old in Newport News, Virginia shot and wounded his teacher. As of 2020, firearm injury is the leading cause of death among children in America. We discuss the public health implications of rising gun violence, the medical community’s response, and which policy interventions can promote community safety. Discussants The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Rola El-Serag, M.D., L.E. and Virginia Simmons Senior Fellow in Health Policy, Director of the Center for Health & Biosciences, Baker Institute for Public Policy Sandra McKay, M.D., FAAP, Huffington Fellow in Child Health Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy; General Pediatrician and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Bindi Naik-Mathuria, M.D., MPH, FACS, FAAP, Fellow in Firearm Injury Prevention and Safety, Baker Institute for Public Policy; Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital

1: Crisis at the US-Mexico Border

As the tensions at the U.S.-Mexico the border continue, President Biden visited El Paso, Texas on January 8, 2023 to discuss his plan for clamping down on illegal immigration. We discuss the state of U.S. border policy, President Biden’s latest plans, and how the U.S. can mitigate the immigration crisis. Discussants:  The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Tony Payan, PhD, Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and Director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at the Baker Institute for Public Policy @PayanTony Kelsey Norman, PhD, Fellow for the Middle East at the Baker Institute and director of the Women’s Rights, Human Rights and Refugees Program @kelseypnorman