Austin Ordinance Disrespects Citizens and Harms the Community

As Austin’s new ordinance restricting the rights of citizens across the city goes into full effect today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Executive Director Kevin Roberts released the following statement:   “Austin city officials have consistently redefined public health goals to justify unnecessary and ineffective restrictions on the actions of citizens. Austin is not and has never been close to seeing our health care system...

Press Release June 23, 2020

Despite COVID-19, 46 States Added Jobs in May

Today, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released state-level labor market data for May 2020. Texas, which started responsibly reopening its economy in early May, led the nation with 237,000 net nonfarm jobs added at a pace of 2% compared to California who delayed their opening and added 141,600 jobs last month at only a 0.9%...

Press Release June 19, 2020

TPPF Celebrates The Triumph of Juneteenth

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, 2020

TPPF Applauds Trump Administration Action to Curb Widespread Abuse of U.S. Asylum System

Nearly 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, 2020

COVID-19 Pandemic Shows Vehicle Emissions Have Little Effect on U.S. Air Quality

AUSTIN – 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, 2020

Right on Healthcare Expands to Sagamore Institute

The 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, 2020

Fifth Circuit Court Stays Preliminary Injunction in Mail in Ballot Lawsuit

AUSTIN – 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, 2020

TPPF Victorious in Austin Paid Sick Leave Lawsuit

AUSTIN – 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, 2020

TPPF: Jobs Report Good News for States Opening

Dr. 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, 2020

TPPF: An Armed Society is a Free Society

AUSTIN – 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, 2020

Survey: Massive spike in concern over jobs and the economy as Texas slowly reopens

AUSTIN— 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, 2020

Exposing Overreach Series Examining Government Missteps in COVID-19 Crisis

Today, 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, 2020