Scientific Integrity Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4545
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-14: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-04T13:46:13Z
AI-Generated Summary
Scientific Integrity Act Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
This bill amends the America COMPETES Act to require federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research to establish and enforce policies ensuring the integrity of scientific processes. The goal is to prevent political interference in the conduct, communication, and use of publicly funded science, thereby supporting informed public policy on issues like health, environment, and security while building public trust.
Key Provisions Outlined
- Policy Adoption and Approval: Each covered agency must adopt a scientific integrity policy within 90 days of enactment, submit it for approval by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and publish it publicly and to relevant congressional committees within 30 days of approval.
- Prohibited Actions: Policies must ban covered individuals from dishonesty, fraud, suppressing or delaying scientific findings without merit, intimidating scientists to alter work, or creating barriers to external collaboration.
- Allowed Activities: Covered individuals may disseminate findings through conferences and publications, serve on advisory boards, join professional organizations, participate in peer review, and engage with the scientific community, subject to existing laws and possible agency review for technical accuracy.
- Core Requirements: Policies must ensure scientific conclusions are not politically driven, base personnel decisions on expertise rather than ideology, maintain ethical standards, use peer review where appropriate, and include whistleblower protections and consistent enforcement via administrative hearings.
- Implementation and Oversight: Agencies must appoint a career Scientific Integrity Officer with relevant expertise to oversee activities, establish dispute resolution and training programs, issue annual public reports on complaints, and report certain overruling incidents to OSTP and Congress.
- Review Processes: OSTP collates reports and convenes officers for best practices; agencies conduct periodic internal reviews, with substantial changes and quinquennial reviews requiring OSTP approval; the Comptroller General reviews implementation after two years.
- Definitions: Clarifies terms such as "covered agency" (agencies involved in scientific research), "covered individual" (employees or contractors handling science activities or policy), and relevant congressional committees.
Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced
The bill replaces existing subsections (a) and (b) of Section 1009 of the America COMPETES Act with expanded, detailed mandates for scientific integrity policies. It introduces new requirements for a dedicated Scientific Integrity Officer, mandatory training and reporting mechanisms, administrative appeal processes, and OSTP oversight roles that were not previously specified. Existing agency policies may continue if they meet the new standards via a written determination and OSTP approval.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Covered agencies face new administrative duties, including policy development, officer appointments, training rollout, and annual reporting, which could require resource allocation and process updates.
- Citizens: Aims to enhance transparency and trust in science-informed decisions affecting public health, environmental protection, and national security.
- International Relations: No direct provisions address this area, but standardized integrity measures could indirectly support consistent U.S. scientific contributions in global contexts.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies and their employees or contractors engaged in scientific research or policy (covered agencies and covered individuals).
- The Office of Science and Technology Policy, responsible for policy approval and coordination.
- Relevant congressional committees for oversight and reporting.
- The public, policymakers, and grantees who rely on agency scientific outputs.
- The Comptroller General of the United States for implementation review.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill references First Amendment rights to petition the government and protections under 5 U.S.C. § 7211 for employees communicating with Congress. It emphasizes non-political scientific conclusions and adherence to ethical standards, with enforcement tied to administrative hearings and appeals. The legislation clarifies that it does not alter U.S. copyright law and allows for consistent application of existing whistleblower protections in dispute processes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (20)
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH], Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-14: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2026-05-14: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Scientific Integrity Act — issued 2026-05-14 — PDF (14 pages)