Baker Briefing

The Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998, brought an end to almost 30 years of conflict in Ireland. This peace accord was the result of intense work and negotiations by the British and Irish governments — as well as politicians and other stakeholders from Northern Ireland and the U.S.  

This conversation brought together political and civic actors from Northern Ireland to reflect on the Good Friday agreement, discuss the state of Northern Ireland today, and explore what the future holds amid the United Kingdom’s recent departure from the European Union.

This event was co-presented with the Consulate General of Ireland in Austin, Texas.

Discussants:

• The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war against Ukraine, leaving in its wake 18,000 civilian casualties and eight million people who fled the country.

Ambassador John F. Tefft, former Ambassador to Russia (2014-2017) and Ambassador David M. Satterfield, Director of the Baker Institute, reflect on the events that have transpired in the past year and what the future might hold for the Russia-Ukraine war. This episode was recorded on March 8, 2023.

Discussants:

• The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise across the US, policymakers are looking to expand low carbon energy options — notably hydrogen. Dr. Ken Medlock, director of the Center for Energy Studies, discusses the potential for Texas to become a hydrogen hub. 

Discussants: 

• The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

For more on this topic, read the Baker Institute’s recent report, Developing a Robust Hydrogen Market in Texas.

Lebanon has faced years of political instability and a worsening economic crisis. Mark Daou, Member of Parliament in Lebanon, recently visited the Baker Institute to discuss the country’s ongoing political challenges. MP Daou discusses how the international community can respond and offers his perspective on a "new start" for Lebanon. This conversation was recorded in Houston, Texas on February 15, 2023.

Discussants: 

• The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy; and

As more and more Texans switch from gas- to battery-powered vehicles, state policymakers are grappling with the implications of broader electric vehicle ownership. From infrastructure investments, roadway maintenance, and levying a new tax for EV owners, this discussion breaks down the key issues surrounding EVs and consider legislation policymakers in Texas may consider this session. 

This discussion was recorded in front of a live audience on April 4, 2022 at Rice University in Houston, Texas. 

Discussants include.

• The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

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. 

Discussants: 

• The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

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 make expert predictions on outcomes from the current session. This episode was recorded in front of a live studio audience on March 21, 2023 at Rice University in Houston, Texas. 

• The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

On March 20, 2003, U.S. air and ground forces invaded Iraq under the direction of former President George W. Bush. Ambassador Satterfield discusses lessons learned from the U.S. diplomatic and military strategy following the tragic events of 9/11 that led to the invasion of Iraq 2003.

Discussants include:

• The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

In March 2023, four U.S. citizens were kidnapped at gunpoint in northern Mexico; two were found dead and two others were rescued following a manhunt. The incident quickly became an international crisis and renewed U.S. focus on violence south of the border. This conversation explores the binational relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and growing tensions regarding Mexico’s approach to clamping down on violence and crime. 

Discussants:

• Joe Barnes, Bonner Means Baker Fellow, Baker Institute for Public Policy

In the United States, drug overdose deaths are on the rise. In 2022, CDC researchers reported that 110,236 people died from an overdose in a single 12-month period, setting a new record. Synthetic opioid overdose deaths, primarily due to fentanyl, increased nearly 7.5-fold from 2015 to 2021. In Texas, the number of fentanyl-related deaths rose dramatically — from 883 deaths in 2020 to 1,672 deaths in 2021. While Republican lawmakers in Texas have previously opposed harm reduction policies, many have signaled a desire to take policy action to combat the crisis in the 2023 legislative session.

In this episode, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, fellow Katharine Neill Harris, and fellow and former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett discuss policy approaches to the rise in fentanyl-related deaths. They explore strategies that have been successfully adopted in other states and what policies could receive support from Texas legislators.

Discussants:

• The Honorable Edward M. Emmett, Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute; Former Harris County Judge