Secret Science Reform Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-544
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2015-02-24
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Environmental assessment, monitoring, research

Environmental regulatory procedures

Government information and archives

Research administration and funding
Latest action: action_date: 2015-06-22
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 124.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-02-24
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Secret Science Reform Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from proposing, finalizing, or disseminating a covered action unless all scientific and technical information relied on to support such action is the best available science, specifically identified, and publicly available in a manner sufficient for independent analysis and substantial reproduction of research results. A covered action includes a risk, exposure, or hazard assessment, criteria document, standard, limitation, regulation, regulatory impact analysis, or guidance.</p>

action_date: 2015-06-22
action_desc: Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
text: <p><b>Secret Science Reform Act of 2015</b></p> <p>(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from proposing, finalizing, or disseminating a covered action unless all scientific and technical information relied on to support such action is the best available science, specifically identified, and publicly available in a manner sufficient for independent analysis and substantial reproduction of research results. A &quot;covered action&quot; includes a risk, exposure, or hazard assessment, criteria document, standard, limitation, regulation, regulatory impact analysis, or guidance.</p> <p>The EPA must carry out the bill in a manner that does not exceed $1 million per fiscal year.</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 544 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 24, 2015 Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. Vitter , Mr. Inhofe , Mr. Crapo , Mrs. Fischer , Mr. Risch , Mr. Enzi , and Mr. Flake ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Secret Science Reform Act of 2015 . 2. Data transparency Section 6(b) of the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 ( 42 U.S.C. 4363 note) is amended to read as follows: (b) (1) The Administrator shall not propose, finalize, or disseminate a covered action unless all scientific and technical information relied on to support such covered action is— (A) the best available science; (B) specifically identified; and (C) publicly available online in a manner that is sufficient for independent analysis and substantial reproduction of research results. (2) Nothing in the subsection shall be construed as— (A) requiring the Administrator to disseminate scientific and technical information; or (B) superseding any nondiscretionary statutory requirement. (3) In this subsection— (A) the term covered action means a risk, exposure, or hazard assessment, criteria document, standard, limitation, regulation, regulatory impact analysis, or guidance; and (B) the term scientific and technical information includes— (i) materials, data, and associated protocols necessary to understand, assess, and extend conclusions; (ii) computer codes and models involved in the creation and analysis of such information; (iii) recorded factual materials; and (iv) detailed descriptions of how to access and use such information. (4) The Administrator shall carry out this subsection in a manner that does not exceed $1,000,000 per fiscal year, to be derived from amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated. .

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 124 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 544 [Report No. 114–69] IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 24, 2015 Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. Vitter , Mr. Inhofe , Mr. Crapo , Mrs. Fischer , Mr. Risch , Mr. Enzi , and Mr. Flake ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works June 22, 2015 Reported by Mr. Inhofe , with an amendment Insert the part printed in italic 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Secret Science Reform Act of 2015 . 2. Data transparency Section 6(b) of the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 ( 42 U.S.C. 4363 note) is amended to read as follows: (b) (1) The Administrator shall not propose, finalize, or disseminate a covered action unless all scientific and technical information relied on to support such covered action is— (A) the best available science; (B) specifically identified; and (C) publicly available online in a manner that is sufficient for independent analysis and substantial reproduction of research results. (2) Nothing in the subsection shall be construed as— (A) requiring the Administrator to disseminate scientific and technical information; or (B) superseding any nondiscretionary statutory requirement. (3) In this subsection— (A) the term covered action means a risk, exposure, or hazard assessment, criteria document, standard, limitation, regulation, regulatory impact analysis, or guidance; and (B) the term scientific and technical information includes— (i) materials, data, and associated protocols necessary to understand, assess, and extend conclusions; (ii) computer codes and models involved in the creation and analysis of such information; (iii) recorded factual materials; and (iv) detailed descriptions of how to access and use such information. (4) The Administrator shall carry out this subsection in a manner that does not exceed $1,000,000 per fiscal year, to be derived from amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated. . 3. Preventing censorship of publicly funded science Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act limits the ability of the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, any Federal official or employee, or any Federal agency to use in official documents or presentations terms common in peer-reviewed scientific literature describing scientific processes, including terms relevant to— (1) the impacts of climate change; (2) air and water pollution; (3) exposure to toxic substances; and (4) other risks to human health, the environment, and the economy.

June 22, 2015 Reported with an amendment