Eddie Morales Jr.
DemocraticQ1 In June 2026, USDA confirmed New World screwworm in Texas livestock for the first time in decades; as of early July, dozens of infestations have been confirmed across South Texas (USDA APHIS , 2026). USDA estimates a full-scale outbreak comparable to past infestations could cost the regional economy billions of dollars (USDA APHIS). What policies, if any, would you support to respond to the current outbreak and improve Texas’s agricultural biosecurity (practices and safeguards that prevent pests and diseases from spreading through livestock populations), and what evidence or considerations would inform that approach?
House District 74 is on the frontlines of the New World Screwworm, and we saw this issue years before it arrived to Texas. I was deeply concerned with the federal governments approach to cutting funding for prevention of these type of infestations – and we are seeing the consequences. While I believe Texas’ academic institutions are well-equipped for these outbreaks, the federal government and U.S. Department of Agriculture should recognize the importance of mitigation rather than reaction.
Q2 Texas is on track to become the nation’s leading data center market within the next three years (Bloom Energy, 2026). The state’s grid operator has more than doubled its 2030 forecast for data center power demand over the past year (ERCOT, 2025). Such growth brings economic opportunity while placing significant demands on water, land, and energy systems, raising questions about tax incentives, utility costs, and local community impacts. What policies, if any, would you support around water/energy allocation, tax incentives, or utility costs for data center development in Texas, and what evidence informs that position?
Any approved data center, especially in House District 74, should be required to have a closed-loop system to preserve community water and have on-sight generation equipped to off-load dispatchable energy to ERCOT. Moreover, it is critical that rate-payers are in no way impacted by this increased load. Companies should have the responsibility to assist building up the communities they operate them – there should not be any tax-breaks for these companies.
Q3 Texas faces flooding while simultaneously experiencing water scarcity driven by drought, groundwater depletion, and population growth (TWDB, 2024). Hundreds of Texas waterways are listed as impaired for bacteria, mercury, and other pollutants, threatening water quality for communities across the state (TCEQ, 2024). Agriculture is the largest consumer of the state’s groundwater, yet it is also well positioned to be a valuable partner in conservation efforts. What policies, if any, would you support to improve Texas’s water infrastructure, and what considerations would guide your approach to the state’s agricultural economy?
I believe the state should be more involved with groundwater pumping, especially in regions that are not equipped with Groundwater Conservation Districts. No one should be able to use their wealth to deplete our community’s groundwater. Agriculture plays a critical part in Texas’ economy and in putting food on the table for all Texans, they should not be held responsible for any drought conditions we find ourselves in. Above all, I believe, now more than ever, that repurposing produced water through desalination would prove beneficial to communities across HD74.
Q4 The Texas power grid continues to face strain from extreme heat and increasing demand, including from data centers. What policies, if any, would you support to improve grid reliability for Texas consumers and businesses?
Texas’ transmission capacity has been recognized as decades behind anticipated demand. We have taken critical step to weatherizing our grid and Texas will never escape harsh heat conditions. The ability to transmit energy, not only from, but to the Permian Basin, would further solidify our grid’s reliability.
Q5 Texas universities and hospitals receive approximately $1.9 billion annually in NIH funding across 118 research sites, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and driving medical and scientific innovation (FASEB, 2025). NIH grants reimburse institutions for both direct research costs and indirect costs, the facilities, administration, and support infrastructure that make research possible. A 15% indirect cost cap proposed by NIH in 2025, currently blocked by federal courts, would sharply reduce this reimbursement below the rates Texas institutions have negotiated, cutting an estimated $300 million in annual support that institutions would need to absorb or backfill (Kamerlin & Elias, 2025). What policies, if any, would you support at the state or federal level to protect the long-term stability of Texas’s research infrastructure, and why?
I believe the Texas Legislature is too focused on niche-cultural issues that have little impact on the improvement on our research capacity, and deliberately leave out top-talent across the world and nation. The ability to attract talent to our institutions is paramount and the Legislature’s ability to adequately fund initiatives is of utmost importance.
Q6 Texas kindergartners’ measles vaccination rate fell to 93.24% in the 2024-2025 school year, a decline from prior years amid a national resurgence (Texas Department of State Health Services, 2025). That year, Texas recorded 762 confirmed measles cases, including the deaths of two unvaccinated school-age children, in the state’s largest outbreak since 1992 (Texas DSHS, 2025). Measles can cause serious complications: roughly 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who contract it are hospitalized, and it can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling, or death (CDC). As a policymaker, how do you approach engaging with communities that have concerns about infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety, and what policies, if any, would you support related to these issues, and why?
I have always believed in vaccines and their efficacy. The federal government, in the current administration, has continued to undermine long-standing understandings and caused distrust among the public. While we are proud to always partner with local clinics and hospitals across HD74, I believe it is incumbent upon our federal leaders to set the example and not feed into extremes of our society to further incite distrust between health officials and those they swore to protect.
Q7 Scientific evidence is generated through the systematic testing and evaluation of ideas. It provides knowledge the helps us understand the world and predict the likely consequences of different choices, such 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?
Scientific research and studies should be a driving factor in policy, which helps us understand the facts at face-value. When I consider legislation in the Texas House related to public health, my first inclination is to always seek advice from professionals in the field. No Legislator can pretend to fully comprehend these details without the advice of professionals in their respective fields.