According to Lucian Pugliaresi, president of the Energy Policy Research Foundation, a Washington-based group that analyzes oil economics, a "perfect storm" of events within the last five years--including political instability in Iraq, Venezuela and Nigeria--has undermined production expectations by as much as 3 million barrels per day.

FORBES: Two Sides To The Dear-Oil Coin

Using research provided by the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax research group based in Washington, D.

FORBES: Best And Worst School Districts For The Buck

In fact, except the political elite and a small number of businessmen, professionals and experts, other disadvantaged sectors of society have virtually remained barred from the corridors of power, William Lam, a Hong Kong-based China scholar, said in a recent research report published by Washington-based Jamestown Foundation.

FORBES: The Super Rich Rises As China Begins Leadership Transition

David John, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, says he believes the Schumer-Bloomberg report was a catalyst to this week's discussions.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Ed Haislmaier, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, in Washington, D.

WSJ: What Should States Do About Health Law's Medicaid Expansion?

Since 2001, insurance premiums have jumped 78% for family coverage, far outpacing inflation, according to research by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a Washington, D.

FORBES: Why Your Wallet Feels Thinner

David John, a senior research fellow at the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation in Washington, says it "would be a grave mistake" to assume that these political donations means bank regulation will be meted out with a light touch.

FORBES: Business In The Beltway

In 1995 there were at least ten times that many full- or part-time businesswomen working at home, according to a report by the National Foundation for Women Business Owners, a research organization based near Washington, D.

FORBES: Entrepreneurial moms

Scott Hodge is the president of the Tax Foundation (www.taxfoundation.org), a non-partisan research organization in Washington, D.

FORBES: For the Sake of Tax Reform, The Muni Bond Exemption (and State Tax Deduction) Must Go