74: Where Biden Leaves American Foreign Policy
Baker Briefing
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, two members of Biden’s foreign policy team joined Baker Institute Director 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....
info_outline
73: Abortion and OB-GYN Access in Texas
Baker Briefing
Since Texas prohibited most abortions in 2022 following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, 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 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...
info_outline
72: US-Mexico Relations Under Trump 2.0
Baker Briefing
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 “” report for 2025. Discussants Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Director, Center for the U.S. and Mexico, Baker Institute
info_outline
71: The Russia-Ukraine War Under Trump
Baker Briefing
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...
info_outline
70: Houston’s Controversial Economic Development Zones
Baker Briefing
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. fellows and , who recently co-authored a on the topic, joined Baker Briefing to discuss the issue and policy options moving forward. Discussants Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Senior Fellow in Public Finance and...
info_outline
69: How Far Will Vaccine Skepticism Go?
Baker Briefing
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. , a fellow in science and technology policy at the Baker Institute, and , chief strategic officer of The Immunization Partnership and a...
info_outline
68: The Politicization of Humanitarian Aid Explained
Baker Briefing
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. director and postdoctoral associate 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 Fellow for...
info_outline
67: Accelerating Clean, Affordable Electricity
Baker Briefing
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? , 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 Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar; Professor of Civil and...
info_outline
66: Christian Nationalism’s Rising Influence
Baker Briefing
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. experts and joined Baker Institute Director to explore the evolution of the Christian nationalist movement, its support among the U.S. electorate, and its...
info_outline
65: Translating Texas’ Health Care Spending Into Better Outcomes
Baker Briefing
Despite spending more on health care by percentage of GDP than its peer high-income countries, the U.S. hasn’t seen the abundance of services or improved outcomes for patients that one might expect. Instead, as medical costs increase, U.S. health outcomes continue to lag behind those of other developed nations. Texas, which spends nearly $50 billion on health care annually, performs poorly relative to other states on key metrics like maternal mortality and deaths from preventable or treatable causes. But with its recent investments in health-impacting, non-medical services, it has a...
info_outlineDiscussants
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