Josey Garcia
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?
Texas Agriculture is LIFE!! I am a retired Air Force combat veteran, and I learned a long time ago that waiting until a crisis gets worse is not a plan. We need strong monitoring, fast testing, veterinary teams on the ground, and clear communication with ranchers and farmers.
Small producers who do the right thing and report a suspected case, should be supported. We should help with treatment, quarantine costs, livestock losses, and biosecurity improvements.
We need veterinarians, agriculture experts, local producers, and state and federal agencies working together. Protecting livestock protects jobs, food security, and the Texas economy.
Keywords: livestock, ranchers, screwworm, agriculture, biosecurity, veterinary response
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?
I serve on the House Energy Resources and Natural Resources Committees, so I have seen firsthand how fast data center growth is moving and how far behind Texas already is.
Less than 20% of all Data Centers in Texas reported their water usage and environmental impact to the The Texas Legislature, this is UNACCEPTABLE. I am not against technology, I’m against allowing Texas to turn in to The Wild West of Data Centers with no regulations or operating perimeters. The public deserves to know how much water it will use, how much electricity it will demand, what chemicals are in its cooling system, where its wastewater will go, how much noise it will create, and who is paying for the infrastructure. Most importantly, what are the long-term health risks to our commmunities.
Texas can support innovation without giving away our water, overloading the grid, or ignoring the people who live nearby.
Keywords: data centers, AI, cryptocurrency, water, ERCOT, utility costs, tax incentives, water accountability
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 serve on the House Natural Resources Committee, but I have also seen these issues up close through the humitarian work i do with my nonprofit, Uniting America Outreach.
During the July 4, 2025 Historic Hill Country floods, we helped organize volunteers, move supplies, support search and recovery efforts, and assist families who had lost nearly everything. That experience made it clear that flooding is not just an infrastructure issue. It is about whether families get warned in time, whether roads and bridges hold up, and whether communities have the resources to respond. Then again, on my birthday, this year, July 16, 2026, not only did the Hill Country experience a similar flood, but this time it extended to Uvalde County with the flooding of the Nueces River.
Texas needs stronger flood warning systems, better drainage, updated water and wastewater infrastructure, and more support for rural communities.
At the same time, we have to prepare for drought and protect our groundwater. Farmers and ranchers should be part of the solution. I support helping them afford better irrigation systems, water-saving technology, and other conservation tools without threatening their livelihoods.
We need practical solutions that protect people, agriculture, and our water supply, while saving the lives of those who live in areas impacted by Historic Floods.
Keywords: flooding, drought, water infrastructure, agriculture, groundwater, rural communities, disaster response
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?
As a member of the House Energy Resources Committee, I see grid reliability as a public safety and National Security issue. I have also seen what happens when the grid fails. As a Native New Yorker who knows the impact of real snow and blizzards as part of our daily lives, I was confused as to why our grid would fail.
During the winter freeze, my nonprofit, Uniting America Outreach responded directly to families and vulnerable residents who were without power and heat. Senior Citizens died in our city. That is not just a system failure. That is a human loss.
Texas families should not have to wonder whether the power will stay on during extreme heat or another freeze. We need stronger transmission, reliable generation, weatherization, battery storage, energy efficiency, and backup power for nursing homes, senior communities, hospitals, water systems, emergency shelters, and other critical facilities.
We lack the information to understand data centers’ impact on the Texas Grid. Large power users should pay their fair share. Families and small businesses should not be forced to scrap pennies while the big corporations profit.
Texas must prepare before the next emergency and protect its residents.
Keywords: grid reliability, seniors, winter freeze, ERCOT, data centers, consumer protection, emergency response
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 retired from the military medical field, where research was a major part of our mission. Better research meant better treatment, better readiness, and better outcomes for service members and their families.
That is why I strongly support protecting stable NIH funding with a full research budget. Laboratories, equipment, staff, safety systems, and administrative support are mission essential for Texas Readiness. Scientists and medical professionals deserve support to do the work that keeps us safe and health.
Texas universities and hospitals are saving lives, creating jobs, and developing treatments that benefit veterans, children, & families.. I support strong federal NIH funding, fair reimbursement for the true cost of research, and state contingency support for critical programs facing significant budget cuts.
Texas Biomed is an institution in my community that was instrumental in developing the COVID 19 Vaccine. Lives were saved based on the work my constituents did in the name of Science. We should not weaken the very institutions working to find cures, improve care, and prepare us for the next medical crisis.
Keywords: NIH, military medicine, medical research, Texas Biomed, veterans, hospitals, universities, innovation
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?
As a military medical profession, measles is not harmless. Texas children are hospitalized and even died due to measles.
I support strong public education, accurate outbreak reporting, mobile vaccination clinics, school and community partnerships, and faster response when cases are identified. I also support making vaccines easy to access, especially in rural and underserved communities.
Parents deserve honest information about both the benefits and risks of vaccines. They also deserve to know the real danger of preventable diseases.
Protect our children.
Keywords: measles, vaccines, children, public health, trust, access, prevention
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 evidence should be a major part of policymaking, especially when decisions affect public health, energy, water, agriculture, and the environment.
As a retired military medical professional and a member of the House Energy Resources and Natural Resources Committees, I have seen how important it is to rely on good data, qualified experts, and real-world results. But I also believe the people living with the consequences of policy deserve to be heard.
When experts disagree, I look at the quality of the research and the risks of acting or failing to act. I also ask whether the evidence matches what communities are actually experiencing.
My job is to listen, explain the evidence clearly, and make the best decision I can to protect Texans.
Keywords: measles, vaccines, children, public health, trust, access, prevention