Baker Briefing

74: Texas’ Legislative Session Gets Underway Amid GOP Infighting

The 89th Texas legislative session began on Jan. 14 with Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) elected House speaker following a month-long battle among state Republicans. Why was the election so contentious, and how might Burrows’ speakership shape the rest of the session? Political science fellow Mark P. Jones joined Ed Emmett, a Baker Institute colleague and four-term former Texas House member, to discuss the stakes and policy agenda ahead for lawmakers, including school vouchers, property taxes, and the border.  

73: Where Biden Leaves American Foreign Policy

Joe Biden entered office with plans to prioritize American workers in foreign policy and strengthen U.S. alliances against the threats posed by China and Russia. His administration would ultimately face significant crises abroad, from Ukraine to Gaza, that tested his vision for American diplomacy and brought new challenges and opportunities to the fore. On Dec. 17, 2024, Kurt Campbell, the deputy secretary of state, and Jon Finer, principal deputy national security advisor, joined David Satterfield for a conversation on the president’s legacy as he prepares to exit office and as Donald Trump gears up for a second term. Video of the event is available on our YouTube channel.    

72: Abortion and OB-GYN Access in Texas

Since Texas prohibited most abortions in 2022 following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, numerous media reports have illustrated the dire impacts of reproductive health care restrictions on Texan patients, including people with nonviable and life-threatening pregnancies.   On Oct. 10, 2024, the Baker Institute hosted three health care professionals and the executive editor of Texas Monthly, Mimi Swartz, to discuss the impact of Texas law on the state’s OB-GYN workforce and the future of Texas reproductive health. This episode of “Baker Briefing” presents an unabridged version of their conversation. Discussants Alex Morin     Managing Director, Manatt Health Damla Karsan, MD, FACOG   Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare, UWH of Texas Todd Ivey, MD, FACOG   Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Associate Professor, Government Affairs Committee, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Mimi Swartz     Executive Editor, Texas Monthly  

71: US-Mexico Relations Under Trump 2.0

How will critical issues for the U.S.-Mexico relationship, including immigration, trade, and drug trafficking, evolve during Donald Trump’s second term? Four days before Trump nominated Christoper Landau, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, to be deputy secretary of state, Landau joined Center for the U.S. and Mexico Tony Payan to discuss what may lie ahead. For more about the future of U.S.-Mexico relations, read our “Mexico Country Outlook” report for 2025. Discussants The Honorable Christoper Landau Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Payan, Ph.D. Director, Center for the U.S. and Mexico, Baker Institute

70: The Russia-Ukraine War Under Trump

The U.S. has supported Ukraine with over $61 billion worth of military assistance since Russia’s invasion in 2022, including a surge of aid from the Joe Biden administration in his final weeks in office. With Donald Trump set to return for a second term, how might his administration change the approach to Ukraine — and to Russia more broadly? Glenn Corn, a former senior executive and intelligence officer in the CIA and current adjunct professor at the Institute of World Politics, joined Baker Briefing to discuss steps Trump could take and why the war’s outcome matters for American interests. Discussants Glenn Corn Former Senior Executive, CIA The Honorable David M. Satterfield          Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

69: Houston’s Controversial Economic Development Zones

Originally designed to spur investment in the city’s most underserved areas, Houston’s tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZs) have been a major part of its growth strategy since the 1990s. But they may actually be disproportionately benefiting affluent communities — and shifting the burden of municipal expenses to lower-income neighborhoods.  Center for Public Finance fellows John Diamond and Bill King, who recently co-authored a Baker Institute report on the topic, joined Baker Briefing to discuss the issue and policy options moving forward.   Discussants John W. Diamond, Ph.D. Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Senior Fellow in Public Finance and Director, Center for Public Finance, Baker Institute Bill King Fellow in Public Finance, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield          Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

68: How Far Will Vaccine Skepticism Go?

With the development of the COVID-19 vaccine in late 2020, anti-vaccine rhetoric in the U.S. expanded dramatically. Vaccines have been routinely recommended in the U.S. since the early 20th century, and they have significantly reduced the prevalence of diseases like polio, measles, and tetanus. But with the pandemic, what was once a mostly politically neutral topic — immunization — became a politically controversial one in much of the country.   Kirstin Matthews, a fellow in science and technology policy at the Baker Institute, and Rekha Lakshmanan, chief strategic officer of The Immunization Partnership and a Baker Institute nonresident scholar, joined Baker Briefing to explore the discourse surrounding vaccines, their politicization, and what’s ahead for vaccine policy under the incoming Donald Trump administration.   Discussants Rekha Lakshmanan Nonresident Scholar, Baker Institute; Chief Strategic Officer, The Immunization Partnership Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Ph.D. Science and Technology Policy Fellow, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield        Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

67: The Politicization of Humanitarian Aid Explained

Armed conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria have made millions reliant on humanitarian assistance. However, the provision of critical food, water, health care, and other resource assistance has been complicated by the politicization of aid, highlighted by the recent decision by the Israeli parliament to ban UNRWA, the primary aid organization for Palestinians. Women’s Rights, Human Rights, and Refugees Program director Kelsey Norman and postdoctoral associate Salah Ben Hammou joined Baker Briefing to discuss the parallels between the dire situations in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria and the complexities of delivering humanitarian aid to war-torn regions. Discussants Kelsey Norman, Ph.D. Fellow for the Middle East and Director, Women’s Rights, Human Rights, and Refugees Program, Baker Institute Salah Ben Hammou, Ph.D.   Postdoctoral Associate,  Edward P. Djerejian Center for the Middle East, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield        Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy  

66: Accelerating Clean, Affordable Electricity

Clean electricity technologies are here and they’re affordable. So why does most of our power in the U.S. still come from fossil fuels? Daniel Cohan, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Rice University and a Baker Institute Rice faculty scholar, joined Baker Briefing to explain how bureaucratic bottlenecks have led to a backlog of wind, solar, and battery storage power projects that could, if built, revolutionize the grid and greatly reduce the emissions that contribute to climate change and air pollution. Discussants Daniel S. Cohan, Ph.D. Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar; Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University The Honorable David M. Satterfield Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute

65: Christian Nationalism’s Rising Influence

What role should religion — and Christianity in particular — play in public life? This question is at the center of legislative battles brewing in statehouses across the country. It stems largely from the growing influence of Christian nationalism, an ideology based around the idea that the United States is a Christian nation and that its government should follow conservative Christian religious principles. Religion and Public Policy Program experts Michael Emerson and David Brockman joined Baker Institute Director David Satterfield to explore the evolution of the Christian nationalist movement, its support among the U.S. electorate, and its implications for public policy in Texas and across the country. Discussants David R. Brockman, Ph.D.  Nonresident Scholar, Baker Institute Michael O. Emerson, Ph.D.  Harry and Hazel Chavanne Fellow in Religion and Public Policy, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield  Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy