Wanda L. James

“As a member of Congress, I would like to establish a Colorado Science and Public Health Advisory Council made up of independent scientists, health professionals, climate and water experts, educators, farmers, labor representatives, and community voices. I will convene regular public briefings on the issues that directly affect Coloradans, including water, air quality, public health, energy, artificial intelligence, environmental justice, and emerging technologies.

I will also require my office to seek scientific analysis before taking positions on major legislation involving health, climate, agriculture, technology, or natural resources. When evidence is divided or evolving, I will say so openly. When data shows that a policy is failing or harming a community, I will have the courage to change course.

I know firsthand that public institutions can fail communities when they promote conclusions that are unsupported, misleading, or shaped by racial bias. Science must be rigorous, transparent, ethical, and accountable to the people it is intended to serve.”

“Colorado farmers and ranchers are essential to our economy, our food security, and our way of life. They are also on the front lines of drought, water scarcity, unpredictable weather, rising costs, and unstable supply chains.

In Congress, I will fight for stronger investment in agricultural research, drought resilience, soil health, water conservation, and climate smart farming practices that are based on evidence and designed with farmers, not imposed on them. That includes modern irrigation technology, water efficiency grants, soil moisture monitoring, drought resistant crops, regenerative practices, improved forecasting, and expanded technical assistance through the United States Department of Agriculture.

I will support federal funding that helps farmers reduce dependence on costly imported fertilizers through research into domestic alternatives, precision application, composting, nutrient recycling, and healthier soils that retain more water and require fewer inputs over time.

We must also protect agricultural water and open land from being lost through short sighted development decisions. Our natural resources are not unlimited. Every federal investment should consider water impact, long term conservation, and whether it strengthens the ability of Colorado families to continue farming and ranching for generations.

Science should help farmers become more profitable, more resilient, and better protected, while ensuring that our water, soil, and food systems remain healthy for the future.”

“Artificial intelligence and advanced computing can create real opportunity in medicine, clean energy, education, small business, scientific discovery, and our national economy. I support innovation, but I do not support an economy where technology moves forward by leaving workers, families, and communities behind.

The people most affected by these decisions must be at the forefront of them. That means labor must have a seat at the table from the beginning, not after decisions have already been made. Data centers should create good paying union jobs, support registered apprenticeship programs, uphold strong workplace protections, and provide meaningful career pathways for Colorado workers, including communities that have historically been shut out of new economic opportunity.

Communities also deserve a voice before new data centers are approved. Local residents, workers, environmental justice communities, utility customers, farmers, and water users should be part of the decision making process when a project may affect their water supply, energy costs, air quality, land, or quality of life.

New data centers in Colorado should meet clear public interest standards before receiving public subsidies or special treatment. They should be required to disclose projected water and energy use, demonstrate that residential customers will not be forced to carry the cost of new infrastructure, invest in clean energy and grid capacity, use water responsibly, meet strong environmental standards, and prove that the economic benefits will reach the people who live and work here.

We also need strong privacy protections and accountability for the use of artificial intelligence. Americans should know when their information is being collected and used, and no technology should be allowed to discriminate, exploit workers, or expand surveillance without meaningful oversight.

Colorado should welcome responsible innovation, but we should not hand over our water, our energy, our public dollars, or our future without demanding measurable public benefit. Innovation must be built with workers, accountable to communities, and worthy of the people it claims to serve.”

“Measles is preventable, and outbreaks are a warning that our public health system must be strengthened, not weakened. I support vaccination as one of the most effective public health tools ever developed. Families deserve accurate information from trusted medical professionals, convenient access to vaccines, and a public health system capable of responding quickly when outbreaks occur.

I support strong funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local public health departments, community health centers, mobile clinics, school based health services, disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, and emergency preparedness. Vaccinations must be affordable and accessible in every neighborhood, with language access and outreach designed in partnership with communities that have been underserved or understandably distrustful of institutions.

I support school vaccination requirements that protect children and vulnerable people, with medical exemptions based on legitimate medical need. Public health policy must follow science, not misinformation or political pressure.

Our preparedness cannot stop at measles. Colorado families face threats from respiratory illnesses, contaminated air and water, extreme heat, wildfire smoke, emerging infectious diseases, and future pandemics. Prevention is less costly, less disruptive, and more humane than waiting until a public health emergency is out of control.”

“Science literacy is essential to democracy. People are being asked to make decisions about vaccines, climate change, artificial intelligence, water, energy, food safety, and public health while misinformation spreads faster than reliable information. When people lose confidence in science, it is often because science has not been made accessible, relevant, or connected to the challenges they face every day.

As a Regent of the University of Colorado and a first generation graduate of CU Boulder, education is at the forefront of my campaign. I know what educational opportunity can mean in a person’s life, and I know that the strength of our schools determines the strength of our communities, our workforce, and our democracy.

Students should not simply memorize facts. They should learn how to ask questions, evaluate evidence, understand data, test claims, distinguish credible research from misinformation, and revise their conclusions when evidence changes. That is the heart of science, and it is also the foundation of responsible citizenship.

I support strengthening K to 12 science education through hands on laboratory learning, climate and environmental science, public health education, digital and artificial intelligence literacy, statistics, data interpretation, and real world problem solving. Students should understand the science of Colorado itself, including our water systems, air quality, agriculture, public lands, wildfire risk, and clean energy future.

We must also make sure that students from every background see themselves in science and understand that these careers and fields of study belong to them. That means investing in qualified teachers, modern laboratories, strong public schools, community partnerships, after school programs, and pathways into higher education, health care, technology, engineering, environmental science, and the skilled trades.

A better relationship with science begins when young people see that education is not only preparation for a job. It is a source of power, opportunity, critical thinking, and the ability to shape the future of their communities. As someone whose own life was changed by access to public higher education, I will always fight to ensure that every child has that same opportunity.”