During the recent NexPoint Lecture edition of our Engage series, the Bush Center welcomed leading policy experts, including @jasonfurman, former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama. Furman joined the conversation moderated by @cullumclark, the George W. Bush Institute–SMU Economic Growth Initiative Fellow, to explore the urgent steps federal policymakers must take to stabilize the current economy. Watch the full program today: bushcenter.org/events-and-ex…

Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu was arrested in February 2022 in Beijing and sentenced to seven years in prison for espionage. "Dong was held in detention for two years, accused of spying and selling government secrets, before a Beijing court convicted him in November 2024," says Celia Siade-Cox, Associate of Global Policy at the Bush Institute. Read more about his struggle for freedom from the Chinese government: bushcenter.org/publications/…

"Most recently, Putin barred opposition parties from participating in the lead-up to the very 'elections' in which Ovechkin campaigned. The Kremlin also continues to target the free flow of information as well as civil society groups critical of the government," writes @ChrisJamesWalsh. Read how the Russian hockey star Alexander Ovechkin uses free speech in America to boost the Kremlin: bushcenter.org/publications/…

Experts from the Bush Institute and @CSIS released a new report detailing human rights abuses in the Russian city of Yelabuga, where Vladimir Putin’s regime is using forced labor to produce drones to further their war in Ukraine. According to the report, North Korea has sent nearly 12,000 of its own people to work in drone factories and is confiscating their wages, which is funding the North Korean regime. Visit bushcenter.org/Yelabuga to read the full report.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Day, we reflect on Mrs. Laura Bush's work to combat breast cancer. On display in the permanent exhibit is an inscribed octagonal pink glass paperweight from the U.S.-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. "Breast cancer knows no boundaries, which is why people from every country must share their knowledge, resources, and experience to overcome this disease," said Mrs. Bush.

Applications for the 2026-2027 Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries grants are now open! The Foundation continues to provide funds for school libraries at our nation’s schools who need assistance to refresh and diversify their book collections. Submit your application by Dec. 31: bushcenter.org/lbf-applicati…

The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program allows approved organizations to provide families with funding for multiple educational services, using money donated by taxpayers. On Oct. 1, the Treasury Department released proposed rules for the program. Robin Berkley, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education, Nina Rees, Senior Fellow, and Will Cullen, Program Manager of Education and Opportunity at the Bush Institute, examine how important the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit is for parents eager to support their children’s education: the74million.org/article/now…

On this International Day of the Girl, the Bush Institute reflects on the devastating accounts from Afghan girls. Our series, "Silenced but not silent: Voices of girls in Afghanistan", highlights the struggle that Afghan girls and young women face everyday. The Taliban continues to ban Afghan girls and young women from attending school past the sixth grade. Read more on why the world cannot forget Afghan girls: bushcenter.org/publications/…

Join us every Saturday through November 21 for our Fall Guided Tours of the Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park! Enjoy the cooler weather and explore the park with a North Texas Master Naturalist to discover native Texas plants. Register today: bushcenter.org/events-and-ex…

Reggie Dickson served as a flight attendant on Air Force One for over nineteen years. Throughout his career, he supported two Vice Presidents and three Presidents of the United States, including President George W. Bush. Listen to his story today on the Strategerist podcast: bushcenter.org/publications/…

Joseph Kim, Program Manager of Global Policy at the George W. Bush Institute, will join a panel to discuss the North Korean human rights conditions at the Alabuga drone-production facilities in Russia. The discussion will highlight the upcoming report from @CSIS and the Bush Institute on how China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea collectively undermine America’s leadership and credibility. Register for the discussion on Oct. 14: csis.org/events/without-para…

Visit the George W. Bush Presidential Museum's Game Changer: United by Sports, presented by Garry Weber, this football season to see rare memorabilia from SMU football and Cotton Bowl history. Items on display include the game-used, autographed football from the 1983 Cotton Bowl Classic, the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame trophy honoring SMU running back Eric Dickerson, the Southwest Conference Hall of Honor trophy awarded to SMU wide receiver Jerry LeVias, and more. Visit now through early January: bushcenter.org/plan-your-vis…

The Bush Institute's new report, "Advancing in the Face of Headwinds," by @cullumclark, fellow at the George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, dives into new data on the challenges innovation districts have faced over the years. The updated report also shows the significant economic benefits innovation districts bring to their communities. Federal, state, and local policymakers all have important roles in advancing America's innovation districts as a tool to strengthen the economy nationwide. Visit our website to learn more: bushcenter.org/newsroom/new-…

The George W. Bush Presidential Center has announced three new events for November. Join us for an exciting lineup of speakers at the Bush Center, located on the SMU campus in Dallas, Texas. Upcoming events include: —The Bush Center’s new series, Americans: Against All Odds, presented by The Haidar Family, welcomes former Secretary of Commerce and Kellogg CEO, Carlos Gutierrez, who will share his story of ambition and courage. As a Cuban-born immigrant, Gutierrez rose through the ranks at Kellogg, from selling cereal out of his van to becoming the youngest CEO in the company’s hundred-year history. —@GarySinise, acclaimed actor and advocate for veterans, will discuss his latest book, "Graceful Warrior: The True Story of a Son, a Father, and a Family Who Carried Each Other Through." Guests will have two opportunities to attend this complimentary event and learn more about his memoir. —Two notable chefs from the White House will talk about their stories from inside America's most famous kitchen during the Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint event. Cristeta Comerford, former White House Executive Chef, and Bill Yosses, former White House Executive Pastry Chef will offer an insider’s look at how meals come to life. Together, they’ll pull back the curtain on the traditions, logistics, and creativity behind presidential hospitality. Register or purchase your tickets today before they sell out: bushcenter.org/events-and-ex…

Celebrate the holiday season at the Bush Center with family and friends! 🎄 Join us on December 4th for a festive evening at our annual Merry & Bright night, a cherished holiday tradition for the entire family. Enjoy seasonal cookies, children activities, and photos with Santa in the Oval Office Replica. Reserve your tickets today! Free for members: bushcenter.org/events-and-ex…

Happy International Podcast Day! For many years, The Strategerist podcast has welcomed guests from all walks of life to share their stories and optimism through conversations with leaders and people working to change the world. Listen to The Strategerist podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Play today.

"We believe if we lean into AI, embrace it as an agent of change and an agent of improvement and empowerment for local journalism, that this time we can use the technology rather than suffer from it," said Jim Friedlich, Executive Director and CEO of The Lenfest Institute in an interview with William McKenzie, Senior Editorial Advisor at the Bush Institute. The @lenfestinst, a nonprofit organization, dedicates it's mission to providing resources for local news in America. Learn more today: bushcenter.org/publications/…

Today, President George W. Bush welcomed former political prisoner Pastor Ezra Jin to the Bush Institute. Pastor Jin was the founding pastor of the Zion Church in Beijing, which grew into one of China’s largest networks of unregistered Christian churches. In October 2025, Pastor Jin and nearly 30 of his fellow Christian leaders were imprisoned by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for broadcasting sermons online after officials shut down the church’s physical location in 2018. He was held for nearly nine months before his release in July. Pastor Jin and President Bush discussed Pastor Jin’s family, his imprisonment, and the house church movement in China. President Bush spoke about his concern for prisoners of conscience in China, including some he painted in his new book, The Call of Freedom: Pastor Wang Yi, Gulshan Abbas, Joshua Wong, and Jimmy Lai.

"The national debt is a topic on which there are many myths and false narratives," writes J.H. Cullum Clark, Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative. "America’s national debt is on track to grow exponentially for the rest of this century and beyond. It poses a clear and present danger to our nation’s economy. It’s time to address it." Learn how high and rising debt levels affect a nation's economy over time: bushcenter.org/publications/…

"The Ortega-Murillo regime has made it effectively impossible for Nicaragua’s political opposition to contest the dictatorship through democratic elections," writes @JesLudwig, Fellow of Global Policy at the Bush Institute. "In power for 19 years, top leaders have crushed the independence of government institutions, captured the economy, closed civic space at home, and chased dissidents abroad." Learn the importance of democratic transition in Nicaragua: bushcenter.org/publications/…