The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Executive Director Kevin Roberts, Ph.D., a historian of American slavery and former college president, released the following statement in celebration of Juneteenth: “Today, much of the nation celebrates the Texas holiday of Juneteenth. Juneteenth formally commemorates the 19th of June, 1865, when General Gordon Granger of the United States Army,...
Press Release June 19, 2020Nearly a year after the Texas Public Policy Foundation issued its report “Towards a 21st Century Asylum System” and formed a Border Security Coalition calling for “decisive U.S. Executive and Legislative action to update the asylum system and reduce the massive backlog of cases faced by overwhelmed immigration courts”, the organization’s leadership welcomed the Trump...
Press Release June 15, 2020AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Life:Powered project published the paper U.S. Cities Had Clean Air Before COVID-19: Reducing Emissions Will Barely Move the Needle. “With a 40% decline in passenger vehicle travel during March and April 2020, the media was quick to draw connections between declines in activity and drops in pollution levels in many...
Press Release June 11, 2020The Texas Public Policy Foundation announced the expansion of its Right on Healthcare Initiative to the Sagamore Institute in Indiana. The partnership will amplify efforts to lower health care costs, increase access, and ensure every American is in charge of their own individual or family medical decisions. “The Sagamore Institute was formed to tackle difficult issues with civility and focus on solutions,” said Right on Healthcare’s Director David Balat. “This has...
Press Release June 11, 2020AUSTIN – The United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency injunction order in the Texas Democratic Party v. Texas lawsuit. The Fifth Circuit panel found that the district judge “took matters into his own hands” in a decision that will be remembered more for “audacity than legal reasoning.” The panel rejected the plaintiffs’ arguments...
Press Release June 5, 2020AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Supreme Court denied the City of Austin’s petition for review in the Austin paid sick leave lawsuit. “The Texas Supreme Court’s denial of the city of Austin’s appeal leaves undisturbed the Third Court of Appeal’s opinion that the Austin paid sick leave ordinance is unconstitutional because it is preempted by state law,”...
Press Release June 5, 2020Dr. Vance Ginn, former Chief Economist for the Office of Management and Budget and current Chief Economist for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, released the following statement regarding the Bureau of Labor Statistics recent jobs report: “Today’s jobs report is proof that the states phasing out government shutdowns are helping families and workers get back on track, while the states still on lockdown are...
Press Release June 5, 2020AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Right on Crime campaign published the paper In the Lawful Defense of Himself or the State: The Historical Underpinnings of the Second Amendment. “While the purpose of the 2nd Amendment is endlessly litigated on social media, it’s true purpose is clear: to enumerate every citizen’s right and obligation...
Press Release June 4, 2020AUSTIN— Nearly one in three Texans now says unemployment and the economy are the most important issue in the state today, according to a new poll conducted by WPA Intelligence for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Twenty-nine percent of likely voters in Texas say it is their top concern, jumping up 25 points from just 4 percent in January. It represents a major shift in public sentiment as jobs have become the top issue for...
Press Release June 4, 2020Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published the paper Exposing Overreach: Tarrant County. “In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, broad authority has been granted and used to impose a variety of rules and restrictions on Texans,” said Shelby Sterling, policy analyst with the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “Most of these guidelines are grounded in reason...
Press Release June 4, 2020AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation condemns the incidents of violence that occurred during largely peaceful protests in Texas and around the country and calls for “honest dialogue and action to find common ground.” “The violence is not just putting innocent people in harm’s way but sends the exact opposite message of treating each other with respect and dignity,”...
Press Release June 2, 2020AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published the paper The Blacklist: How Central Registry Reform Can Protect Kids and Promote Prosperity. “The purpose of the Child Abuse and Neglect Registry, which is used for data collection, analysis, and background checks, is well-intentioned but has unintended consequences,” said Charissa Huntzinger, campaign director for the Government...
Press Release May 28, 2020