Scientific Integrity Act

Key Points

• Federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research would be required to adopt and enforce scientific integrity policies within 90 days. These policies must be approved by the Office of Science and Technology Policy and made public.
• The bill bans anyone from suppressing, altering, or delaying scientific findings for non-scientific reasons. It also prohibits intimidating or retaliating against researchers who refuse to censor their work.
• Each covered agency must appoint a Scientific Integrity Officer who is a career employee with technical expertise, not a political appointee. This officer oversees dispute resolution, training, and annual public reporting on complaints.
• Hiring and personnel decisions for science positions must be based on expertise and credentials rather than political ideology. Scientific conclusions used in policymaking cannot be driven by political considerations.
• Government scientists would be guaranteed the right to attend conferences, publish in peer-reviewed journals, serve on advisory boards, and engage with the broader scientific community.
• Each agency must publish an annual report detailing the number of misconduct complaints filed, appealed, and pending, along with anonymized summaries. The GAO must also review agency implementation within two years.