Scientific Integrity Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1106
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-06: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T08:06:22Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Scientific Integrity Act (H.R. 1106) aims to ensure that scientific research funded, conducted, or overseen by federal agencies remains free from political interference, ideological bias, or financial conflicts. It promotes public trust in science by requiring agencies to adopt policies that protect the integrity of research processes and communications, ultimately supporting evidence-based public policy decisions on health, environment, and national security.
Key Provisions Outlined
- Sense of Congress: Declares that science should inform policy without suppression or distortion; emphasizes public trust, freedom from politics, and employees' rights to communicate findings and petition Congress (protected under the First Amendment and federal law).
- Adoption of Scientific Integrity Policies: Within 90 days of enactment, heads of "covered agencies" (those funding, conducting, or overseeing scientific research) must adopt and enforce a policy, submit it to the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) for approval, and then publish it online and report it to relevant congressional committees (Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation; House Science, Space, and Technology).
- Policy Requirements:
- Prohibitions: Bans dishonesty, fraud, suppression or alteration of findings, intimidation or retaliation against scientists for sharing data, and barriers to external collaboration.
- Permissions: Allows federal scientists and contractors ("covered individuals") to share findings through conferences, peer-reviewed journals, advisory boards, professional organizations, and peer review—subject to existing laws and optional agency review for technical accuracy.
- Standards: Ensures scientific decisions are not politically driven; hiring and personnel actions (except for political appointees) are based on expertise; high ethical standards apply; peer review is used where appropriate; whistleblower protections are in place; and enforcement includes administrative hearings and appeals.
- Implementation and Oversight:
- Agencies must tailor policies to their operations, make them clear and public, allow external reporting of violations, and enforce them uniformly.
- Appoint a "Scientific Integrity Officer" (a career expert employee) within 90 days to oversee policy, work with agency inspectors general, and handle disputes.
- Establish administrative dispute resolution and appeals processes, plus mandatory training on integrity, ethics, rights, and responsibilities within 180 days (including for new hires within one month).
- Reporting and Review:
- Annual public reports by the Scientific Integrity Officer on complaints, outcomes, and policy changes.
- Incident reports to OSTP and Congress within 30 days if someone overrules the Officer outside established channels.
- OSTP collates reports, hosts an annual best-practices meeting for Officers, and approves policies/updates (full review every 5 years).
- Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviews implementation across agencies after 2 years.
- Existing Policies and Clarifications: Agencies with pre-existing policies can keep them if they meet new standards (with OSTP approval). The Act does not change U.S. copyright law.
Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced
This bill amends Section 1009 of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 6620) by replacing its subsections (a) and (b). Previously, the law encouraged but did not mandate detailed scientific integrity policies with enforcement mechanisms. The changes introduce binding requirements for policy adoption, dedicated officers, training, reporting, and periodic reviews—shifting from voluntary guidelines to enforceable standards with timelines, oversight by OSTP and GAO, and explicit protections against political interference.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Covered agencies (e.g., NSF, NIH, EPA, NASA) face new administrative burdens, including policy development, officer appointments, training programs, and reporting, which could increase costs but standardize operations and reduce legal risks from misconduct.
- On Citizens: Enhances access to reliable, unbiased scientific information for policy decisions, potentially improving public health, environmental protections, and trust in government science; allows easier reporting of violations by non-employees like grantees or volunteers.
- On International Relations: Indirectly supports U.S. leadership in global science by fostering credible research collaborations, though no direct international provisions; could prevent scandals that damage international partnerships.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies and Employees: Covered agencies must implement and enforce policies; scientists, engineers, and contractors ("covered individuals") gain protections for sharing work but face ethical and review requirements.
- Scientific Community: Researchers, professional organizations, and peer reviewers benefit from freer dissemination and collaboration opportunities.
- Oversight Bodies: OSTP, GAO, and congressional committees gain roles in approval, review, and reporting.
- Public and External Partners: Citizens, grantees, volunteers, and collaborators can report issues and access transparent policies and reports.
- Political Appointees: Excluded from some personnel protections, potentially limiting their influence on science decisions.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens whistleblower protections (tied to 5 U.S.C. § 7211) and administrative due process through hearings and appeals; clarifies no impact on copyright, avoiding conflicts with intellectual property laws.
- Constitutional: Reinforces First Amendment rights by protecting free speech and petitioning for scientists to share findings without retaliation, while balancing agency review needs.
- Political: Reduces risks of science being politicized (e.g., in hiring or policy), promoting neutrality; could spark debates over implementation timelines or agency autonomy, but builds bipartisan support for trustworthy science amid public skepticism.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (136)
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Golden, Jared F. [D-ME-2], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4], Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3] and 86 more
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-06: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-06: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H543-544)
- 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Scientific Integrity Act — issued 2025-02-06 — PDF (14 pages)