To help document the level and impact of political interference in science at federal agencies, UCS has launched a series of surveys of federal agency scientists.

In January 2007, UCS and the Government Accountability Project released the results of an investigation into political interference in federal climate science. The report, Atmosphere of Pressure, includes a survey of hundreds of federal scientists at seven federal agencies and dozens of in-depth interviews. Click here here for an overview of the report.

UCS Senior Scientist Francesca Grifo testified about the report results at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Click here for hearing testimony and other documents. 

On February 7, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee also held a hearing to explore this issue in light of the UCS report. Watch the hearing archived at the committee website.

In 2004, UCS surveyed scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Division and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). In 2006, UCS surveyed scientists at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Explore results from all of our surveys; look up examples of manipulation, distortion, and censorship of science at the agencies we surveyed; and learn more about the UCS Scientific Integrity Program by exploring the Related Links above.

Scientists are encouraged to sign the scientist statement on scientific integrity to show support for our effort to defend science from politics and restore scientific integrity to federal policy making.