Brian Bruening
DemocraticQ1 Iowa currently has the nation’s second-highest cancer rate and is one of only a few states where the cancer rate is increasing. What policies, if any, would you support regarding this issue?
We need to aggressively expand radon testing in private residences and provide assistance with remediation. We must create a robust program to improve water quality in conjunction with farmers that move away from voluntary compliance to mandatory compliance with assistance. In addition, we need fines to be more reflective of damaged caused that will go directly into a cleanup fund.
Q2 Iowa’s universities receive roughly $350 million annually in federal research funding. NIH funding for research at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University fell by over $125 million from FY2024 to FY2025. What is your view on these funding reductions, and what policies, if any, would you support regarding funding for scientific research conducted in Iowa?
Governmental funding of science is vital for continuing scientific research not captured by corporation investment. Right now Iowa doesn’t have much money to address the federal shortfall however the Iowa federal delegation should work hard to restore this funding.
Q3 Scientific evidence is generated through the systematic testing and evaluation of ideas. It provides knowledge that helps us understand the world and predict the likely consequences of different choices, such as policy making related to public health, energy, agriculture, and environmental regulation. What role, if any, should scientific evidence and expert input play in your policymaking process, and how would you evaluate competing or uncertain scientific claims when making policy decisions? What role, if any, should that process play when scientific consensus and public opinion diverge?
The scientific process allows us to make and prove hypothesis but doesn’t provide a final work; it is always open to new data that may change the outcome. This make it the best available basis for making legislative and policy decisions. I believe in the scientific method and would use it after reviewing the evidence. If public opinion diverges, it is the duty of the legislature to help change public opinion toward verifiable conclusions, not to bow to public pressure for unverified claims.