Scientific Integrity Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Scientific Integrity Act rewrites section 1009 of the America COMPETES Act. It requires each covered agency head, within 90 days, to adopt and enforce a scientific integrity policy and submit it to the Office of Science and Technology Policy for approval. Approved policies must be posted publicly and sent to Congress. The policy must prohibit research misconduct, suppression or alteration of scientific findings, interference with communication of science, intimidation, censorship, and certain conflicts. Existing agency policies can satisfy the requirement if the agency head determines they meet the new standards and OSTP approves.
Who Benefits and How
Federal scientists benefit from enforceable protections against suppression, alteration, interference, and retaliation involving scientific findings. Public health and environmental policymakers benefit from more reliable access to federal scientific evidence. Research integrity advocates benefit from agency-wide rules against fraud, deceit, coercive manipulation, and political interference. Congressional science committees benefit from receiving approved policies and written determinations for existing policies.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Covered agency heads must adopt, enforce, publish, and submit scientific integrity policies on tight timelines. OSTP must review and approve agency policies and existing-policy determinations. Agency political officials and managers face limits on suppressing or altering scientific communication. Federal research offices must document compliance, train staff, and handle integrity complaints.
Key Provisions
- Requires covered agencies to adopt and enforce scientific integrity policies within 90 days.
- Requires OSTP approval, public posting, and submission to Congress.
- Prohibits misconduct, suppression, alteration, interference, intimidation, censorship, and politicized manipulation of federal science.
- Allows existing policies to satisfy the law only after written agency determination and OSTP approval.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Requires covered federal agencies to adopt, enforce, publish, and obtain OSTP approval for scientific integrity policies that prevent suppression, distortion, misconduct, and political interference in federal science.
Key Policy Areas
Science, Federal Agencies, Government Ethics
Primary Purpose
Requires covered federal agencies to adopt, enforce, publish, and obtain OSTP approval for scientific integrity policies that prevent suppression, distortion, misconduct, and political interference in federal science.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- Federal agency researchers
- Public health agencies
- Research integrity advocates
- Congressional science committees
Identified Costs
- Covered federal agencies
- Office of Science and Technology Policy
- Agency political officials
- Federal research offices
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Tonko (for himself, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Bonamici, …
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H543-544)
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology