Tim Sharman
IndependentQ6 The National Science Foundation, which funds about a quarter of all federally supported basic research at U.S. colleges and universities, is headquartered in Alexandria and employs roughly 1,600 people there. What is your view on the federal government’s role in funding scientific research, and what policies, if any, would you support regarding federal science agencies headquartered in Virginia, particularly in the 8th district?
Federal funding of science - often of science which has no immediate commercial interest - is still highly valuable to a world-leading economy. Today’s science may be the breakthrough of tomorrow. I am running as an Independent because political dysfunction leads to disasters like the 2025 government shutdown. It’s bad for people, bad for the economy and bad for science (and a host of other areas) - and disproportionately affects Northern Virginia, DC & Maryland.
We need a Congress that recognizes the long-term value of scientific research, provides stable funding for institutions like the National Science Foundation, and stops allowing political dysfunction to undermine the very institutions that help make America a world leader.
KEYWORDS: AI,Humanoid Robotics,healthcare
Q9 Healthcare affordability and access are major issues for Virginians. A 2025 survey by Altarum found that 72% of Virginians worry about paying for healthcare in the future. If elected, what action would you take to address healthcare affordability and access?
Two answers to this:
1) We need universal access to healthcare, and to ensure that we have insured pools of people with little to no heathcare needs to balance out the individuals with significant needs. To that end we should auto-enroll everyone US adult (if they don’t have a plan covered by their employer/parent. “Oh no - a new tax,” you may say! But this should be no cost, and one that would move to means-adjusted market premiums over say 10-15 years. That will require deficit spending, but that’s deficit spending I’m OK with to achieve this ‘Moonshot’ goal of universal coverage.
2) I have proposed a ‘United States Health Service’ (USHS) - a not-for-profit integrated healthcare service commissioned by Congress to challenge the private companies who extract large profits from the US healthcare system. We already have the VA healthcare system, which is the largest in the US… while people complain about it, it has improved. and shows that the US Government can achieve great things. This would also support greater coverage in rural and under-served areas. I wouldn’t want to see private healthcare systems nationalized, just more competition and greater levels of service.
KEYWORDS: AI,Humanoid Robotics,healthcare
Q10 Healthcare access and affordability can also vary by demographics and need (e.g., rural areas, maternity care, mental healthcare). Are there any targeted programs you would support for specific needs or populations?
Yes, please see the above proposals, especially the ‘United States Health Service’ (USHS) - importantly, unlike private providers, this wouldn’t need to target “profit pools” but would provide care equally across under-served populations, and populations with different healthcare needs.
KEYWORDS: AI,Humanoid Robotics,healthcare
Q11 Virginia hosts the largest data center market in the world. Dominion Energy has proposed a 14% rate increase for residential customers in 2026, citing data center growth and AI-driven demand. What is your view on how the costs and benefits of data center growth should be divided between developers and residential ratepayers, and what policies, if any, would you support on this issue?
Data centers should pay the incremental costs they impose on electricity and water infrastructure, rather than having their expansion subsidized through ordinary consumers’ bills.
I support the fact that the SCC has already created a separate GS-5 rate class for very large electricity users, effective January 2027, with minimum payment obligations and protections against shifting infrastructure costs onto other customers. The GS-5 rate is an important development, but it remains to be seen whether its protections will fully cover the costs associated with data center growth - so this should be monitored closely.
KEYWORDS: AI,Humanoid Robotics,healthcare
Q12 According to the Virginia Department of Education, there are currently overall fewer vacant teaching positions in public schools than in years’ past. However, teacher shortages are still a major concern, particularly in areas such as special education, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), and early childhood. Through what policies, if any, would you address teacher shortages in Virginia’s K-12 schools in these high-demand areas, particularly in STEM?
My two children were educated in the Alexandria City Public School system, and I was very happy with the education they received. I understand that some teacher shortages are being relieved by lower enrolment (sadly, because that seems to be because of reduced federal workers in the area.) I won’t pretend to be an education policy expert, but I think we could look at higher teacher pay, and a longer school year.
KEYWORDS: AI,Humanoid Robotics,healthcare
Q13 As a member of Congress, you would vote on appropriations for federal science agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health. What priorities, if any, would guide your decisions on federal science funding?
I feel I should leave that to the scientists to decide, rather than an economist like me - but here are some that have my attention and interest:
Artificial Intelligence. Humanoid robotics. Cancer research. Quantum computing. New approaches to energy (e.g., small scale nuclear)
I would protect funding for fundamental scientific research, including research with no immediate commercial application, because we cannot always predict where the next amazing breakthrough will come from.
KEYWORDS: AI,Humanoid Robotics,healthcare
Q14 As a member of Congress, you would also vote on appropriations affecting federal civilian positions, and the availability of these positions. Specifically focusing on workforce positions related to public health, science, and research and development, how would you approach appropriations/funding for federal civilian positions?
First off, we must never have political dysfunction result in government shutdown like the one in 2025 - we can’t have government workers treated like that, plus the families and businesses that depend on them. This is a day 1 priority for me, and there is existing proposed legislation that has stalled.
It’s legitimate for government agencies (and the GAO) to assess their workforce relative to needs, and adjust accordingly - coming from business I understand that. What we saw with DOGE was nonsensical and spiteful, in my opinion. Scientific agencies need continuity of expertise - and when experienced researchers, technical specialists, and program managers leave replacing their institutional knowledge can take years.
KEYWORDS: AI,Humanoid Robotics,healthcare
Q15 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?
That’s a great question, and sits deep within some of our disappointing cultural wars right now.
Politicians shouldn’t manipulate or disregard scientific evidence simply because it’s politically inconvenient - and yet they do. The cure - elect better politicians who aren’t in the control of special interest groups (who likewise manipulate or disregard scientific evidence); and get a better press, one that has more than a passing interest in scientific facts.
Science evolves, the world changes, and we don’t live in complete certainty. Or complete uncertainty. A politician who has spent most of their life in politics probably isn’t the best person to convey that.
I have a Masters in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (from Oxford University) - so I guess I’m 1/3rd a dismal scientist!
KEYWORDS: AI,Humanoid Robotics,healthcare