Dan Barrios

New World screwworm is a serious threat to Texas agriculture, and we must respond with both immediate action and stronger long term prevention. I support restoring and strengthening the federal monitoring and detection programs in Central and South America that help identify screwworm before it reaches the United States. Reductions in this surveillance and prevention capacity created vulnerabilities that we cannot afford, particularly given the economic consequences of a large scale outbreak in Texas.

We should also invest in rapid detection, expanded surveillance, veterinary services, research, and proven control measures such as sterile insect releases. Federal and state agencies should work closely with Texas ranchers, veterinarians, researchers, and agricultural organizations to ensure suspected cases are identified and reported quickly.

As a former educator and current Richardson City Councilman, I believe good policy should follow the evidence and rely on the expertise of scientists, veterinarians, and agricultural professionals. Preventing an outbreak is far more effective and less costly than responding after it has spread. I would support federal resources to strengthen agricultural biosecurity, assist producers affected by necessary quarantines or movement restrictions, and ensure that our monitoring and detection systems remain adequately funded.

Protecting Texas agriculture requires treating biosecurity as a long term investment, not something we address only after a crisis reaches our border.

Keywords: Protecting Texas agriculture requires treating biosecurity as a long term investment, not something we address only after a crisis reaches our border.

Data centers can bring significant investment, jobs, and economic opportunity to Texas, but that growth should not come at the expense of our water supply, electric grid, or taxpayers. I support responsible data center development that requires companies to account for the infrastructure costs and resources they consume.

Texas should ensure that large data centers have reliable plans for water use and conservation, particularly in areas facing water stress. We should also require developers to demonstrate how their projects will affect local electric reliability and ensure that large industrial users pay their fair share of the infrastructure needed to serve them rather than shifting those costs to families and small businesses.

I also support reviewing tax incentives based on measurable public benefits. Incentives should have clear performance requirements, transparency, and accountability, including commitments related to jobs, wages, infrastructure, water conservation, and energy efficiency. If a project does not deliver the promised public benefit, taxpayers should not be left carrying the cost.

My approach would be guided by independent scientific and economic analysis, transparent data, and input from local communities, utilities, water experts, and affected residents. As a former educator and current Richardson City Councilman, I believe economic development works best when communities benefit from growth and have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their future.

Texas should welcome innovation and investment while making sure growth strengthens our communities rather than placing an unfair burden on them.

Keywords: Economic development, Grid reliability, Water conservation

Texas needs a long term, science based water strategy that recognizes both the growing threat of drought and the increasing risk of flooding. I support significant investment in modernizing water infrastructure, repairing aging systems, expanding water storage, improving flood control, and upgrading wastewater treatment and reuse. We should also invest in conservation and technologies that help communities and agriculture use water more efficiently.

Agriculture must be part of the solution, not treated as the problem. Texas farmers and ranchers depend on reliable water supplies, and conservation policies should recognize the economic realities of agriculture. I support incentives for farmers to adopt proven water saving technologies, improve irrigation efficiency, conserve groundwater, and participate in voluntary conservation programs. Federal policy should complement local groundwater management rather than impose a one size fits all approach on Texas communities.

We also need to protect water quality by addressing agricultural runoff, industrial pollution, and aging wastewater infrastructure. Decisions about water policy should be guided by sound science, reliable data, and input from farmers, ranchers, local water districts, communities, and environmental experts.

Texas can support a strong agricultural economy while protecting the water resources that our communities, businesses, and future generations depend on. Our approach should focus on conservation, infrastructure investment, and collaboration rather than waiting for the next drought or flood to force action.

Keywords: Water infrastructure, Water conservation, Drought resilience, Flood control

Texas needs a reliable, affordable, and resilient electric grid that can meet growing demand without placing unreasonable costs on families and small businesses. I support modernizing the grid, expanding transmission capacity, improving weatherization, and investing in a diverse mix of reliable energy resources.

As electricity demand grows, particularly from data centers and other large industrial users, we should ensure that those users pay their fair share of the infrastructure costs required to serve them. Their growth should not result in higher utility bills or reduced reliability for Texas families and small businesses.

I also support expanding energy storage, improving demand response programs, and maintaining adequate reserve capacity to help the grid manage extreme heat and other periods of high demand. Texas should continue to support reliable natural gas generation while also encouraging investment in renewable energy, nuclear power, and emerging technologies that can strengthen grid reliability and diversify our energy supply.

Grid policy should be guided by independent analysis, reliable data, and the lessons learned from past extreme weather events. We should prioritize reliability and affordability while ensuring Texas has the infrastructure necessary to support continued economic growth.

Most importantly, Texans should not have to choose between affordable electricity and a reliable grid. With smart planning and investment, we can achieve both.

Keywords: Energy affordability, Grid modernization, Transmission capacity, Extreme weather resilience

Texas has built a world class research ecosystem that benefits patients, universities, businesses, and communities across the state. I support protecting and strengthening federal investment in institutions that conduct federally funded research, including maintaining reimbursement for the legitimate indirect costs required to operate research facilities, support staff, laboratories, compliance systems, and other essential infrastructure.

Arbitrary reductions in indirect cost reimbursement could force universities and hospitals to reduce research programs, delay new projects, limit opportunities for early career scientists, and shift costs onto students, patients, and state taxpayers. I would oppose efforts to undermine negotiated reimbursement rates without evidence that those changes would improve research efficiency or outcomes.

At the federal level, I support stable and predictable NIH funding, continued investment in basic and applied research, and policies that protect the research workforce and encourage partnerships between universities, hospitals, government, and the private sector. At the state level, Texas should continue supporting research institutions and developing programs that help attract and retain researchers, expand research infrastructure, and translate discoveries into new treatments, technologies, and businesses.

Scientific research is not simply an expense. It is an investment in public health, economic growth, national competitiveness, and the next generation of innovation. Texas should protect the research infrastructure that has made the state a leader in science and medicine rather than weakening it through short term budget decisions.

Keywords: Healthcare innovation, Economic competitiveness, Federal research investment, Research funding stability

Vaccines are one of the most effective public health tools we have, and policy should be guided by the best available scientific evidence. The recent measles outbreak in Texas demonstrates the consequences when vaccination rates fall too low. I support maintaining strong school vaccination requirements, with appropriate medical exemptions, and ensuring families have convenient access to recommended vaccines.

At the same time, public trust cannot be built by dismissing people who have questions or concerns. Policymakers and public health officials should engage communities respectfully, listen to concerns, clearly explain the evidence behind vaccine recommendations, and be transparent about both the benefits and potential risks. Trusted local healthcare providers, educators, and community leaders can play an important role in these conversations.

I would support increased investment in public health education, vaccination access, disease surveillance, and rapid outbreak response. Families should have access to accurate, understandable information from qualified medical and scientific professionals, rather than having to navigate misinformation on their own.

When an infectious disease poses a serious risk to children and communities, protecting public health requires balancing individual concerns with our responsibility to prevent avoidable illness and deaths. My approach would be grounded in science, transparency, respect, and a commitment to protecting Texas families.

Keywords: Disease prevention, public health education, Community engagement, Health care access

Scientific evidence and expert input should play a central role in policymaking. Good policy requires understanding what the evidence tells us, what remains uncertain, and what the likely consequences of different choices will be. I would seek input from qualified scientists, researchers, medical professionals, and other subject matter experts while also listening to the communities affected by a policy.

When scientific claims conflict, I would look at the quality of the research, the strength and consistency of the evidence, the expertise and independence of the sources, and whether findings have been replicated or supported by multiple credible studies. Where uncertainty remains, policymakers should acknowledge it rather than presenting speculation as fact. Policy should also be revisited as new evidence becomes available.

Public opinion is an important part of democratic decision making, but it should not determine what is scientifically true. When public opinion and scientific consensus diverge, my responsibility would be to communicate the evidence clearly, listen respectfully to concerns, and explain why a policy decision is supported by the best available information. Scientists should inform policy, while elected officials remain accountable for making the final decisions.

Science does not answer every question policymakers face. Values, economic considerations, individual rights, and community priorities also matter. But when we are deciding questions that depend on how the world actually works, evidence should be our starting point, not an obstacle to the policy we already want.

Keywords: Science based policymaking, Evidence based policy, Scientific expertise, Research integrity