Follow the Science Act
Congress Proposes New Rules to Block Political Appointees from Influencing NIH Research and Grants
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Representative DeGette, aims to stop political appointees from making decisions about medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It would prevent most political employees from working at the agency or managing its programs.
- The policy would ban political staff from being involved in the process of choosing who gets government research money. This includes reviewing, scoring, or awarding grants and contracts for medical studies to ensure the best science wins.
- To prevent research from being stopped for political reasons, the bill says the government cannot cancel or pause active grants unless there is proof of fraud or financial problems. If a project is stopped, officials must provide written evidence and notify Congress within 30 days.
- The goal is to make sure that scientific experts, rather than political figures, decide which medical breakthroughs are funded. This helps ensure that research into diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's stays focused on health rather than political agendas.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
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Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Follow the Science Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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