Dan Koh
DemocraticQ1 Both research universities and government-funded research programs play a critical role in advancing scientific discovery, training the future workforce, and driving economic development. How would you approach funding and oversight of research universities and government-funded research programs, and what outcomes would you hope to achieve through those investments?
Massachusetts is home to the world’s leading research institutions, and they are one of our greatest competitive advantages. Federal investments in research don’t just produce scientific breakthroughs, they create jobs, strengthen our economy, improve public health, and help train the next generation of scientists, engineers, physicians, and entrepreneurs. As someone who served in the Biden Administration, I saw firsthand how strategic federal investments can drive innovation while creating opportunity. I support robust funding for agencies like the NIH, NSF, DOE Office of Science, NOAA, and NASA, as well as partnerships between universities, national laboratories, hospitals, and the private sector. Strong public investment should also come with strong accountability. Research must be conducted with transparency, rigorous ethical standards, and safeguards that protect national security, scientific integrity, and public trust. Researchers deserve the freedom to pursue evidence wherever it leads, free from political interference. I also believe we should expand opportunities for students from every background to pursue careers in STEM, invest in workforce development, and strengthen pathways between research institutions and local communities.
Q2 What specific forms of AI regulation do you support, and where would you draw the line between necessary oversight and overregulation that could slow innovation?
Artificial intelligence has enormous potential to improve healthcare, education, scientific research, and economic productivity. But innovation cannot come at the expense of public safety, workers’ rights, privacy, or democratic accountability. I support a risk-based approach to AI regulation. High-risk systems, including those used in healthcare, hiring, housing, lending, criminal justice, elections, or critical infrastructure, should meet clear standards for transparency, testing, independent audits, and human oversight. Americans deserve to know when AI is making decisions that affect their lives and have meaningful avenues for appeal. I also support strong protections for consumer privacy, safeguards against algorithmic discrimination, requirements for cybersecurity, and transparency around AI-generated content to combat fraud and misinformation. As AI continues to drive demand for massive computing infrastructure, we also need rules that ensure large data centers do not shift their environmental and infrastructure costs onto working families. Projects of that scale should be subject to rigorous environmental review, meaningful community input, and requirements that developers cover the costs of needed grid upgrades while accelerating the transition to clean energy. At the same time, we should avoid burdensome regulations that make it harder for researchers, startups, and responsible innovators to compete. The goal should be smart guardrails that build public trust while allowing American innovation to thrive.
Q3 What policies, if any, do you support or envision to manage land-based resources in your state (water, open-space preserves, parks, etc.)?
Protecting our natural resources is essential to both our environment and our quality of life. Across the Sixth District, our coastlines, rivers, wetlands, forests, and parks support local economies, protect communities from flooding, and provide places for families to enjoy the outdoors. I support increased federal investment in land conservation, coastal resilience, clean water infrastructure, and restoration projects that help communities adapt to climate change. Protecting wetlands, marshes, and other natural landscapes helps reduce flooding, improve water quality, protect wildlife, and make our communities more resilient. We also need to ensure that communities have the technical assistance and funding necessary to access federal conservation programs, particularly smaller municipalities that often lack grant-writing capacity. Responsible land management also means planning for growth. We can build the housing our region needs while protecting environmentally sensitive areas by investing in transit-oriented development, modern infrastructure, and thoughtful local planning. Finally, I believe environmental stewardship must go hand in hand with environmental justice. Protecting our natural resources is about public health, economic resilience, and leaving a stronger Massachusetts for future generations.
Q4 What policies do you support to secure affordable and ready access to healthcare services for your constituents?
Healthcare should be affordable, accessible, and built around helping people get care when they need it. That’s why one of my top priorities is making sure no one has to struggle to find or keep a primary care doctor. I support creating a Primary Care Common Fund that pools primary care funding and pays practices directly, so patients can keep their primary care doctor when they change jobs, insurance plans, or move. Combined with a major expansion of National Health Service Corps loan repayment, this would strengthen the primary care workforce, reduce wait times, and make it easier for people to get preventive care before small problems become expensive emergencies. I also support building on the Affordable Care Act by expanding coverage, protecting Medicare and Medicaid, defending coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, allowing Medicare to negotiate more prescription drug prices, and lowering out-of-pocket drug costs. I also support the transition to a Medicare for All system that ensures all Americans receive high-quality, affordable insurance. Massachusetts is home to world-class hospitals, researchers, and life sciences companies. We should continue investing in biomedical research, public health preparedness, mental healthcare, maternal healthcare, and community health centers while ensuring scientific evidence guides federal policy. Every family deserves the peace of mind that they can find a primary care doctor, fill a prescription, and receive high-quality care without worrying that illness will lead to financial hardship. That’s the kind of healthcare system I’ll fight to build.