Obama Memorandum: Scientific Integrity

The President just released a new memorandum on scientific integrity:

Science and the scientific process must inform and guide decisions of my Administration on a wide range of issues, including improvement of public health, protection of the environment, increased efficiency in the use of energy and other resources, mitigation of the threat of climate change, and protection of national security.

The public must be able to trust the science and scientific process informing public policy decisions. Political officials should not suppress or alter scientific or technological findings and conclusions. If scientific and technological information is developed and used by the Federal Government, it should ordinarily be made available to the public. To the extent permitted by law, there should be transparency in the preparation, identification, and use of scientific and technological information in policymaking. The selection of scientists and technology professionals for positions in the executive branch should be based on their scientific and technological knowledge, credentials, experience, and integrity.

Read the rest here.

The President's comments on today's signing of the Stem Cell Executive Order and Scientific Integrity Presidential Memorandum are here.

More like this

Today was a great day for science in the Executive Branch. Firstly, President Barack Obama (finally!) lifted George W. Bush's August 2001 restrictions on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research in an executive order entitled "Removing Barriers to Responsible Scientific Research…
Today, President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies regarding scientific integrity. It begins: Science and the scientific process must inform and guide decisions of my Administration on a wide range of issues, including improvement of public…
Back in March of 2009, President Obama delighted advocates of scientific integrity when he signed a memorandum that stated: The public must be able to trust the science and scientific process informing public policy decisions. Political officials should not suppress or alter scientific or…
Less than two months after taking office, President Obama issued a memorandum on scientific integrity, which stated: The public must be able to trust the science and scientific process informing public policy decisions. Political officials should not suppress or alter scientific or technological…

niiiiiiice.

It may not change anything overnight but it sure feels good to have the overt statements be on the side of all that is Right and Good for once...

Finally - a President who gets it! w00t!

By The Mad LOLSci… (not verified) on 10 Mar 2009 #permalink