William Lawrence
DemocraticQ1 Scientific and technical expertise can inform decisions related to healthcare, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and emerging technologies. What role, if any, should scientific evidence and expert input play in your policymaking process, and how would you communicate scientific uncertainty or evolving evidence to the public?
“Evidence-based policy making is critical to good governance. When policy is informed by science and technical expertise, it delivers more effective and lasting solutions to the problems it is designed to address. This administration has unrelentingly attacked science and truth in an effort to serve private interest over people. In Congress, I will work to defend the federal scientific workforce against attempts to undermine their dedicated work and will always fight to defend the integrity of our institutions.”
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Q2 Government research funding supports universities, medical centers, and technology development across Michigan and the nation. What role, if any, should the federal government play in supporting scientific research and innovation, and what outcomes would you prioritize when evaluating those investments?
“Government support for these institutions can provide more reliability and independence in research and development, and ensure that the work being done is used to serve the public good. Delivering this support requires sustained agency level funding for institutions like NIH and NSF, and responsible oversight of these sources of funding. “
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Q3 Michigan farmers face challenges including shifting weather patterns, localized droughts, fluctuating input costs, and global market pressures. What policies or investments, if any, would you support to help farmers remain productive and economically competitive, and what role could scientific research and innovation play in those efforts?
“Federal funding programs to support farmers can play a powerful role in providing economic security, but it must be designed in partnership with its potential recipients. For example, programs under USDA created in the Inflation Reduction Act supported farmer efforts to adapt their practices to be more sustainable and climate resilient. Programs like these provide support for more innovative farming practices in a way that allows the changes to happen on their terms.”
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Q4 Michigan communities continue to face challenges related to aging water infrastructure, contamination concerns such as PFAS, and long-term protection of the Great Lakes. What policies or investments, if any, would you support to improve drinking water safety and water infrastructure in Michigan?
“I am an ardent supporter of funding programs like the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds because they provide sustained, noncompetitive support for a fundamental human right: clean water. I support an increase in allotments through this program to address PFAS contamination and aging infrastructure. In addition to more funding, the federal government should provide technical assistance to public water utilities and municipalities to ensure that funding can be used in an effective way.”
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Q5 Many communities face shortages in healthcare providers and limited access to specialty care. What policies, if any, do you support to address this daily challenge and do you envision emerging technologies playing a role?
“I support federal funding for community health centers that provide culturally informed, place based health services to local residents. I also support the use of telehealth as a way to increase accessibility to health services for rural communities.”
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Q7 As electricity demand increases due to manufacturing, electrification, and data infrastructure, what role, if any, do you believe alternative energy sources, such as nuclear energy, wind, or solar, should play in America’s future energy mix? What policies, if any, would you support related to alternative energy development, regulation, and/or research, and why?
“We need a just transition to renewable energy now. The climate crisis is hurting communities everyday: extreme heat, drought, and frequent climate disasters put lives at risk and cause devastating economic damage. The only way to address the root of this problem is to decarbonize our energy sector, and the federal government plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. We need to restore IRA tax credits that helped families adopt clean energy at home, and we need federal energy regulators to hold large energy and utility companies accountable to their obligation to deliver reliable, affordable power to Americans.”
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Q9 Rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and large-scale data centers are increasing demand for energy and water infrastructure. What policies, if any, would you support to balance technological growth with infrastructure reliability and environmental sustainability?
“Data center buildout needs to be more stringently regulated. There is currently no accountability or oversight over Big Tech companies that prop up massive data centers and consume unprecedented amounts of energy and water. This displaces the communities around them and increases costs and environmental health costs. Stronger regulation and slower buildout will ensure that technological growth does not come at the expense of the people it is meant to benefit.”
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