New mothers in Texas face a host of healthcare challenges after birth, and some of them may require more support than a regular check-up. Non-medical drivers of health, such as transportation and nutrition, significantly influence health outcomes but may not be directly addressed by the healthcare system. With nearly half of Texas births covered by Medicaid, legislators and healthcare agencies are increasingly interested in how to target state programs to address these needs.

In the latest episode of “Baker Briefing,” guest host Heidi Russell, director for the Center of Health Policy at the Baker Institute of Public Policy, speaks with health policy fellows Elena M. Marks and Charles W. Mathias about a new report from the Texas Consortium for the Non-Medical Drivers of Health examining how the state can finance, grow, and assess successes for programs aimed at postnatal care.

Featured:

• Charles W. Mathias, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/charles-w-mathias
• Elena M. Marks, J.D., M.P.H., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/elena-m-marks

Mentioned in this episode:

• Charles W. Mathias et. al, “Beyond Clinical Care: Integrating Non-Medical Drivers of Health Into Maternal Health Policy in Texas”

This conversation was recorded on Nov. 6, 2026.

You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

Earlier this week, María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan Nobel Prize laureate and leader of the country’s political opposition, unexpectedly returned to the country after leaving late last year.

Her reappearance could clear a path to new elections in Venezuela. In early 2026, the country’s former leader, Nicolás Maduro, was deposed by the United States, leaving his deputy and current President Delcy Rodríguez in power. Machado has spoken unfavorably about the oil deal the Trump administration struck with Rodríguez, which saw the first barrels of crude arrive on Texas shores this week.

In the latest episode of “Baker Briefing,” Ambassador David M. Satterfield is joined by Francisco J. Monaldi, Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Latin American Energy Policy and director of the Latin America Energy Program, to discuss Machado’s rise to prominence and what this may mean for U.S. and international companies that wish to operate in Venezuela.

Featured:

• Francisco J. Monaldi, Ph.D: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/francisco-j-monaldi.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Francisco J. Monaldi, “Unpacking Venezuela’s Opaque Oil Deal”

This conversation was recorded on Oct. 30, 2026.

You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

The U.S. national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, following decades of growth and increases associated with the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising interest payments.

Some elected officials are now turning their attention to the debt. In this special episode of “Baker Briefing,” guest host John W. Diamond, director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy, spoke with Rep. Jodey Arrington, a Republican who represents Texas’ 19th Congressional District. Arrington served as chairman of the House Budget Committee, where he was instrumental in passing President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

As he prepares to retire from Congress, Arrington discusses his accomplishments, the challenges to bipartisanship, and the need to rein in entitlement spending and identify new sources of revenue to address the national debt.

Featured:

• Rep. Jodey Arrington, https://arrington.house.gov/.

This conversation was recorded in front of a live studio audience on Oct. 26, 2026. Learn about future live recordings of the “Baker Briefing” podcast by subscribing to our “Events Digest” newsletter at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter.

You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.