Take Action: Oppose H.R. 3699, a new bill to block public access to publicly funded research (SPARC)

By Heather Joseph
Executive Director, SPARC

A new bill, The Research Works Act (H.R.3699), designed to roll back the NIH Public Access Policy and block the development of similar policies at other federal agencies has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. Co-sponsored by Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), it was introduced on December 16, 2011, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Essentially, the bill seeks to prohibit federal agencies from conditioning their grants to require that articles reporting on publicly funded research be made accessible to the public online.

The bill text is short and to the point. The main point reads:

"No Federal agency may adopt, implement, maintain, continue, or otherwise engage in any policy, program, or other activity that -- (1) causes, permits, or authorizes network dissemination of any private-sector research work without the prior consent of the publisher of such work; or (2) requires that any actual or prospective author, or the employer of such an actual or prospective author, assent to network dissemination of a private-sector research work."

Supporters of public access to the results of publicly funded research need to speak out against this proposed legislation. Contact Congress to express your opposition today, or as soon as possible.

For contact information and details on how to act, see the Alliance for Taxpayer Access Action Center at: http://www.taxpayeraccess.org/action.

Comments

9 comment(s) on this page. Add your own comment below.

Aline Fader

January 7, 2012 3:10pm [ 1 ]

This bill is offensive and would allow a disgusting mismanagement of public funds.

Rebecca Custis

January 7, 2012 3:29pm [ 2 ]

When our tax dollars are paying for Federally-funded research, we have a right to know what it consists of at any time and no person, company or organization should have to provide permission for us to review that. It is such open access that provides checks and balances on the Federally-funded initiatives of this country.

I am deeply disturbed Congresswoman Maloney that you would back something like this and my opinion of you will be unfavorable for the foreseeable future. It's time you step down as Congresswoman because it's clear your pockets are being lined by the dirty lobbying machine in Washington. You obviously don't care about your middle-class constituents since this is a bill that will deliberately block access from them knowing what is going on with their tax dollars. At least Representative Issa is clear that his loyalties are to the 1 percent of this country. It's time you switch to the Republican Party because you are an utter embarrassment to honest and genuinely caring Democrats. I hope the DNC and the Obama Administration put all their efforts into making sure you don't run for reelection ever again. SHAME ON YOU!!!

Jane Cramer

January 7, 2012 5:12pm [ 3 ]

It is essential that publicly funded research be made available freely and in a timely fashion to the scientific and scholarly communities online.

Joanne McIntyre

January 8, 2012 7:28am [ 4 ]

Research paid for with public money should be available to the public free of charge.

Gail Botta

January 9, 2012 1:25pm [ 5 ]

This transparent attempt to reinstate charges for the results of publicly-supported research is an affront to every taxpayer in the country. It appears the publishing lobby is alive and well in DC and has found henchmen in both parties to promote their cause -- namely, profiting from public research and preventing the ordinary citizen from possibly obtaining access to critical health information. Shame on them and the rest of their 'government' supporters!

jim botta

January 9, 2012 2:09pm [ 6 ]

I support this effort

Alice Davis-Rains

January 10, 2012 7:32am [ 7 ]

I oppose this piece of legislation. I support transparency in government.

Tim Hickey

January 13, 2012 10:15pm [ 8 ]

This proposed bill, HR 3699, is outrageous!

American tax payers pay for this research, professors donate their time to edit and review the articles, and these Western European companies want to keep us from seeing the results of the research we paid for (and that we peer-reviewed for free as well).

There is no possible justification for this becoming law except for pure greed of European Publishing companies. This has to be stopped!

Daniel Stopfer

January 14, 2012 5:45pm [ 9 ]

I have Leukemia and need access to all the research the NIH does in this area so that I can be informed to make decisions about my treatment.

Take Action: Oppose H.R. 3699, a new bill to block public access to publicly funded research

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