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1 Statement from the National Task Force on Rule of Law & Democracy in Support of the Scientific Integrity Act [1] (2019)

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Statement from the National Task Force on Rule of Law & Democracy in support of the
Scientific Integrity Act

The National Task Force on Rule of Law & Democracy commends the House Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology for its bipartisan support of H.R. 1709/S. 775, the Scientific
Integrity Act of 2019. We strongly urge the House of Representatives and the Senate to take up
this important legislation and pass it into law.

In October 2019, our Task Force - a group of former government officials, which includes both
Republicans and Democrats - published a report highlighting how objective government
research and data are essential to effective governance and democratic oversight. The report
documents the ways the guardrails historically protecting government research from
politicization, manipulation, and suppression are deteriorating. From altering a weather map to
bur yin reports about climate change, we are at a crisis point, with regularly recurring violations
of previously respected norms protecting the role of government research in policymaking.

The Scientific Integrity Act contains many provisions in line with the legislative proposals in our
report and is a bipartisan defense of previously respected safeguards. It would require agencies to
have scientific integrity policies and mandate across-the-board scientific integrity standards. It
would also require agencies to have appropriate rules, procedures, and safeguards in place to
ensure the integrity of the scientific process.

Further, the Scientific Integrity Act would prohibit the alteration and suppression of scientific
findings, as well as retaliation against scientists. And it would bar efforts to impede the timely
release and communication of scientific findings.

These reforms are sorely needed. Scientific integrity is a pillar of ethical and trustworthy
government. It should not be a partisan issue. We are pleased that the Scientific Integrity Act has
both Republican and Democratic co-sponsors. We call on members in both houses of Congress
to support this critical legislation.


Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law
1140 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20036


BRENNAN

CENTER

FOR JUSTCU

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