IB 

Union Calendar No. 33 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1430 

[Report No. 115–59] 

To prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from proposing, finalizing, 

or disseminating regulations or assessments based upon science that 

is not transparent or reproducible. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 8, 2017 

Mr. SMITH of Texas (for himself, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. 

BANKS of Indiana, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. POSEY, Mr. BROOKS of Alabama, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. BABIN, Mr. PALMER, Mr. HIGGINS of 

Louisiana, Mr. HULTGREN, Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mr. ABRAHAM, Mr. 

LAHOOD, Mr. WEBSTER of Florida, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. DUNN, Mr. 

SESSIONS, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. SCHWEIKERT, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. 

PALAZZO, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. BARTON, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. GOSAR, 

Mr. TIPTON, and Mr. GOODLATTE) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

MARCH 24, 2017 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 

mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS

2 

•HR 1430 RH

A BILL 

To prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from proposing, finalizing, or disseminating regulations or assessments based upon science that is not transparent or 

reproducible. 

mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS

3 

•HR 1430 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Honest and Open New 

5 EPA Science Treatment Act of 2017’’ or the ‘‘HONEST 

6 Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. DATA TRANSPARENCY. 

8 Section 6(b) of the Environmental Research, Devel9 opment, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 

10 (42 U.S.C. 4363 note) is amended to read as follows: 

11 ‘‘(b)(1) The Administrator shall not propose, finalize, 

12 or disseminate a covered action unless all scientific and 

13 technical information relied on to support such covered ac14 tion is— 

15 ‘‘(A) the best available science; 

16 ‘‘(B) specifically identified; and 

17 ‘‘(C) publicly available online in a manner that 

18 is sufficient for independent analysis and substantial 

19 reproduction of research results, except that any 

20 personally identifiable information, trade secrets, or 

21 commercial or financial information obtained from a 

22 person and privileged or confidential, shall be re23 dacted prior to public availability. 

24 ‘‘(2) The redacted information described in para25 graph (1)(C) shall be disclosed to a person only after such 

mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS

4 

•HR 1430 RH

1 person signs a written confidentiality agreement with the 

2 Administrator, subject to guidance to be developed by the 

3 Administrator. 

4 ‘‘(3) Nothing in the subsection shall be construed 

5 as— 

6 ‘‘(A) requiring the Administrator to disseminate 

7 scientific and technical information; 

8 ‘‘(B) superseding any nondiscretionary statu9 tory requirement; or 

10 ‘‘(C) requiring the Administrator to repeal, re11 issue, or modify a regulation in effect on the date of 

12 enactment of the Honest and Open New EPA 

13 Science Treatment Act of 2017. 

14 ‘‘(4) In this subsection— 

15 ‘‘(A) the term ‘covered action’ means a risk, ex16 posure, or hazard assessment, criteria document, 

17 standard, limitation, regulation, regulatory impact 

18 analysis, or guidance; and 

19 ‘‘(B) the term ‘scientific and technical informa20 tion’ includes— 

21 ‘‘(i) materials, data, and associated proto22 cols necessary to understand, assess, and ex23 tend conclusions; 

mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS

5 

•HR 1430 RH

1 ‘‘(ii) computer codes and models involved 

2 in the creation and analysis of such informa3 tion; 

4 ‘‘(iii) recorded factual materials; and 

5 ‘‘(iv) detailed descriptions of how to access 

6 and use such information. 

7 ‘‘(5) The Administrator shall carry out this sub8 section in a manner that does not exceed $1,000,000 per 

9 fiscal year, to be derived from amounts otherwise author10 ized to be appropriated.’’. 

mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS

Union Calendar No. 33 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1430 

[Report No. 115–59] 

A BILL 

To prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency 

not transparent or reproducible. lations or assessments based upon science that is from proposing, finalizing, or disseminating reguMARCH 24, 2017 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS