President Joe Biden signed a memorandum to agency leadership Jan. 27 instituting policies and procedures that aim to protect federal scientists from political interference and ensure that agency policymaking is rooted in solid evidence.
The memo is designed “to send a clear message that the Biden-Harris administration will protect scientists from political interference and ensure they can think, research and speak freely to provide valuable information and insights to the American people,” according to a White House news release.
The director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy will be responsible, under the memo, for ensuring that policymaking across all government agencies is evidence-based.
RELATED
Those agencies that perform or oversee directly scientific work will be required to designate a senior employee as the chief science officer, while all agencies regardless of scientific involvement will be required to designate a senior career employee as the scientific integrity official to oversee the implementation of science-based policies.
“Scientific and technological information, data and evidence are central to the development and iterative improvement of sound policies, and to the delivery of effective and equitable programs,” the release said.
“Improper political interference in the scientific process, with the work of scientists, and in the communication of scientific facts undermines the welfare of the nation, contributes to systemic inequities and injustices, and violates the public trust.”
The Trump administration came under intense criticism for its handling of scientific agencies and employees, with some federal scientists saying that agency leaders were trying to silence their work, while climate change information was scrubbed from agency websites.
The memo is part of a larger Wednesday signing of executive orders to promote scientific integrity and to combat climate change in the U.S., a core part of Biden’s platform as a presidential candidate.
Those orders include the reestablishment of a President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, creation of a National Climate Task Force, investment in clean energy, a requirements that agencies purchase pollution free electricity and zero-emission vehicles, and a focus on environmental justice.
Jessie Bur covers federal IT and management.
