Testimony before the House Select…

Dr. Brent Bennett’s Testimony Before the House State Affairs Committee: Data Centers & 765-kV Transmission Lines

Testimony of Brent Bennett, Ph.D. Policy Director, Life:Powered Texas Public Policy Foundation Before the House State Affairs Committee August 19, 2026 Chairman King and Members of the Committee: Thank you for this opportunity to testify about the important challenges facing the Texas electric grid and specifically the challenges and opportunities being presented by data centers....

The Energy Subsidy Trap: How the One Big Beautiful Bill Proved Subsidies Are Nearly Impossible to Remove

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, was supposed to be a decisive break from government intervention in energy markets. Instead, it became a masterclass in why energy subsidies represent one of the most persistent forms of government market intervention. When Congress first debated energy policy reform, the U.S....

Safer Communities Through Second Chances: The Case for Federal Expungement

When criminal records follow people forever, families struggle, employers lose workers, and communities lose productive citizens. Federal law offers almost no path to redemption, even though second chances strengthen public safety and the economy. Key Points The federal expungement system is effectively nonexistent. Permanent criminal records for non-violent federal offenses undermine work opportunities, family stability,...