McCollum Introduces Save America’s Science Act To Safeguard Federal Scientific Data
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) this week introduced legislation to prevent the Trump administration from either destroying or revoking public access to scientific data produced by the federal government.
“The American people fund some of the best scientific research in the world,” Congresswoman McCollum said. “As taxpayers, we expect that data to become part of the scientific record and to inform public debates, not be destroyed or hidden on the whims of Washington politicians.”
After President Trump took office, his administration removed taxpayer-funded data and records from government websites and limited federal scientists from communicating scientific facts to the public. Scientists across the country have scrambled to download data from government websites in fear of losing access forever.
The Save America’s Science Act, H.R. 1232, requires the preservation of government data assets and ensures that scientific data available to the public now remains accessible. This bill amends the Federal Records Act to clarify that data assets must be preserved like all other records.
“Scientific data is not partisan and access to taxpayer-funded data should not depend on which party controls the White House,” Congresswoman McCollum said. “Congress has a duty to ensure that taxpayer-funded scientific data is preserved and available to the public.”