House Relief Package Includes Scientific Integrity Amendment

The pandemic relief package, the Heroes Act, passed by the House on May 15, includes provisions of a scientific integrity bill that would protect federal scientists from political interference. The Scientific Integrity Act or SIA (H.R. 1709), sponsored by Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY), was approved by the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee in October 2019. Provisions of the legislation, which currently has 232 bipartisan cosponsors, were attached to the latest coronavirus relief measure as a manager’s amendment. SIA requires federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research to adopt and enforce clear scientific integrity policies. The bill would prohibit the government from suppressing agency scientific research findings and intimidating or coercing individuals to alter or censor scientific findings. Earlier this month, Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representatives Tonko, Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Haley Stevens(D-MI), and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) sent letters to Senate and House leadership urging the inclusion of the SIA provisions in COVID-19 related legislation. The lawmakers wrote, in part: “Science underpins the response to the COVID-19 crisis. Whether it is a government official trying to help impacted citizens; a business owner trying to keep employees safe; or parents protecting their family, everyone needs access to the best and most up-to-date scientific information available. Scientif...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news