Biden-⁠Harris Administration Strengthens Federal Scientific Integrity Practices

19 Federal Agencies Release Updated or New Policies to Improve Scientific Integrity In Government, Deliver Strong Science-Based Outcomes for Every American

Science-backed and data-driven federal policy is essential to improving the health, security, safety, equity, and well-being of every American. To that end, President Biden issued a Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking during his first week in office. This effort made clear that scientific findings should never be distorted or influenced by political considerations and that improper political interference in federal scientists’ work undermines the welfare of the nation and violates public trust.

Today, to continue the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to make evidence-based decisions guided by the best available science and data, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is announcing that 19 federal agencies have updated or strengthened scientific integrity plans. In a new report outlining the status of federal scientific integrity policy and practice, OSTP makes clear that the Biden-Harris Administration has delivered on its promise to institutionalize a culture of scientific integrity across the federal government. OSTP’s new report also details the robust, public steps that led to these new polices, including a January 2022 report on protecting the integrity of government science, a January 2023 framework to aid agency plan development, and the establishment of a committee to facilitate regular assessments of federal scientific integrity policy.

These agency plans reflect a whole-of-government commitment to safeguarding science against inappropriate interference, including preventing political interference in the conduct, management, communication, and use of science.

OSTP and the NSTC Subcommittee on Scientific Integrity have worked with the interagency group CENDI to establish a web page that compiles and keeps up-to-date links to scientific integrity policies, which can be accessed at: https://science.gov/Scientific-Integrity.html.

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