Protecting Government Science from Political Interference

Of the 38 agencies surveyed, 71 percent (27 agencies) received overall ratings of “poor” or “worst.” Thirteen percent (five agencies) received overall ratings of “best” or “good.” For a list of acronyms, download the full report.

The next presidential administration must do better

Even in a highly polarized political climate, protecting scientific integrity should not be a partisan issue. Science is essential for government to fulfill its responsibilities to its citizens, making strong scientific integrity safeguards in federal agencies essential to good governance. The goal of making policy decisions based on the best, most current, and most reliable scientific information, independently obtained and unfettered by political interference, deserves overwhelming bipartisan support.

Recommendations for the next presidential administration

A strong culture of scientific integrity increases resilience in the face of political interference in science. It also protects federal scientists as they fulfill their responsibilities to society and promotes fully informed decision-making.

To promote a strong culture of scientific integrity, each federal agency should:

• Ensure open communication with the press and public.

• Remove language from scientific integrity policies that may inadvertently lead to censorship or self-censorship.

• Make federal employees aware of their rights and responsibilities.

• Increased opportunities for training and education of staff in scientific integrity.

Recommendations to ensure robust implementation and enforcement

When introducing or updating scientific integrity policies, agencies must systematically evaluate their implementation processes, investigate allegations of scientific integrity violations, and enforce penalties for violations.

To protect scientific integrity, each agency should:

• Hold accountable those who violate scientific integrity.

• The timeline for investigating potential breaches of scientific integrity should be explained.

• Protect employees from retaliation when they report or investigate scientific integrity violations or provide information to whistleblowers.

• Explain your responsibility for maintaining scientific integrity.

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The report’s recommendations focus on the executive branch, but Congress also plays an important role in strengthening scientific integrity in the federal government. In particular, UCS supports the passage of the Scientific Integrity Act, the Stop Corporate Capture Act, and the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act. The Scientific Integrity Act would be particularly effective in helping to ensure that scientific integrity is protected across presidential administrations and opening the door to stronger forms of enforcement and accountability.

For more information, including additional recommendations, download the full report.