Information for the Media
Resources and background on the problem of political interference in science.
Across a wide range of issues—from childhood lead poisoning to global warming—federal officials have manipulated, distorted, and suppressed science. Without access to independent scientific information, policy makers will be unable to make informed decisions that protect our health, safety, and environment. UCS is working to expose abuses of science and propose reforms to prevent political interference.
To arrange an interview with UCS experts, contact our press staff: Lisa Nurnberger at (202) 331-6959 or Meghan Crosby at (202) 331-6943.
Recent Press Releases
- 1/8/09: Secretary Nominee Tom Daschle Pledges to Restore Scientific Integrity at Health and Human Services
- 12/19/08: John Holdren Could Strengthen Federal Science
- 12/16/08: UCS Issues New Year's Resolutions For Federal Science
- 12/15/08: New Report Finds More Than a Dozen Endangered Species Rulings Compromised by Former Interior Department Political Appointee
- 12/11/08: New Interior Department Rule Weakens Endangered Species Act, Blatantly Disregards Rulemaking Process
- 11/7/08: President-Elect Obama Must Appoint Officials Who Will Restore Scientific Integrity to Government, says National Science Group
- 10/17/08: Federal Agency Media Policies Inconsistent: Some Stifle, Some Support Scientists Sharing Information with the Press, New Study Finds
- 9/29/08: Congress Passes Bill Strengthening Federal Agency Watchdogs
- 9/17/08: UCS Expert to Testify At House Hearing on Political Interference at EPA
- 8/20/08: UCS Announces 2008 Winner of Annual Cartoon Contest Highlighting Political Interference in Science
- 6/30/08: Administration blocking EPA from addressing global warming pollution
- 4/23/08: Hundreds of EPA Scientists Subjected to Political Interference Over Last Five Years, Science Group Investigation Finds
- 4/17/08: UCS Backgrounder: Federal Scientists Need Stronger Whistleblower Protections (pdf)
- 3/18/08: Groups across Political Spectrum Tell Congress to Include Federal Scientists in Pending Whistleblower Bill
- 3/13/08: GAO Report Finds EPA Library Closures Undercut Agency's Mission
- 3/11/08: EPA to Announce New Ozone Pollution Standard
- 2/14/08: Scientists Call on next President to End Political Interference in Science
- 10/31/07: Senate Panel Approves Bill Strengthening Consumer Product Safety Commission; Includes Whistleblower Protection
- 10/30/07: House Panel to Hold Hearing Tomorrow on NASA Suppression of Airline Pilot Survey
- 09/21/07: Congress Passes Law Improving FDA Drug Approval Process to Better Protect Consumers
- 09/19/07: House FDA Bill Fails to Address Conflicts of Interest
- 07/31/07: Salmon Die-Off Investigation Spurs Broader Discussion of Political Interference in Science; Congress Explores Ways to Fix Damage
- 07/26/07: UCS Announces 2007 Science "Idol"
- 07/24/07: Senate Confirmation of OMB Directorship Should Question New OMB Control Over Agency Regulations, says Science Group
- 07/20/07: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Acknowledges "Inappropriate Influence" In Decision-Making; Actions Insufficient to Restore Scientific Integrity to Policy Making
- 06/21/07: EPA Falls Short of Scientists' Advice on Smog
- 06/18/07: Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report: Agency Media Policies Confuse Scientists
Resources
- Federal Science and the Public Good—This detailed report provides recommendations for restoring scientific integrity to federal policy making. These reforms include enacting whistle-blower protections for government scientists and researchers, increasing government transparency, reforming the regulatory process to protect independent science, improving scientific advice to the government, and strengthening monitoring and enforcement.
- Freedom to Speak?: A Report Card on Federal Agency Media Policies—An investigation of 15 federal regulatory and science agencies, analyzing existing policies governing communication with the media and the public, in addition to surveying a cross-section of federal scientists to assess how these policies are put into practice.
- Interference at the EPA: Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—A 2007-2008 investigation combining dozens of interviews with current and former EPA staff members, analysis of government documents, and a questionnaire sent to 5,419 EPA scientists. The report reveals an agency under seige--hundreds of scientists reported political interference in their work, significant barriers to the free communication of scientific results, and concerns about the agency's effectiveness.
- Scientific Freedom and the Public Good—Prominent scientists have issued a call to action urging the next president and Congress to end political interference in science and establish conditions that would allow federal science to flourish. And a new UCS report recommends steps the next president can take to restore scientific integrity to federal policymaking, highlighting recent systemic changes that make it more difficult for agencies to protect our health, safety, and environment. Nearly 15,000 scientists have called for reform since 2004.
- A to Z Guide to Political Interference in Science—The A to Z Guide details dozens of examples of the misuse of science on issues including childhood lead poisoning, toxic mercury contamination, and endangered species.
- Voices of Federal Scientists Series—A series of surveys designed to explore the level of political interference in science at federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and among federal climate scientists.
- Atmosphere of Pressure: Political Interference in Federal Climate Science—An investigation into the hindrance of climate research through a series of in depth interviews with federal climate scientists and a survey of scientists at NASA, NOAA, USDA, EPA, DOE, DOD, and USGS.
