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Highlighting an important part of the president’s Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking, issued today: the section on science advisory committees. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/memorandum-on-restoring-trust-in-government-through-scientific-integrity-and-evidence-based-policymaking/
Science advisory committees provide a crucial avenue for outside subject-matter experts to inform the government policymaking process. That’s why the Brennan Center recommended executive action to ensure their proper functioning. https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/ExecutiveActionsReport.pdf#page=15
As detailed by the Brennan Center’s bipartisan National Task Force on Rule of Law & Democracy, some committees have been undermined and politicized in recent administrations. https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/2019_10_TaskForce%20II_0.pdf#page=34
In the wake of President Trump’s executive order that placed an arbitrary limit on the number of advisory committees across the government — which President Biden rescinded on day 1 — today’s memo outlines procedures to rebuild science advisory committees. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-revocation-of-certain-executive-orders-concerning-federal-regulation/
Effective advisory committees are of the utmost importance, as we’ve documented in our tracker of Trump administration abuses during the Covid-19 pandemic. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/trump-administration-abuses-thwart-us-pandemic-response#ftissue
Responding to episodes of bias and ethical issues in advisory committees, the memo calls for agency heads to ensure that members are selected based on their scientific knowledge, with safeguards against conflicts of interest. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/trumps-epa-undermining-its-own-scientists
The memo also calls on agency heads to identify any agency policies — like the ban the EPA imposed on committee participation for those receiving an agency grant — that prevent qualified experts from serving on committees. https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/358043-epa-blocks-scientists-who-get-grants-from-advisory-boards
This is a significant step to restore the role that science advisory committees play in government decisionmaking. The next step is for Congress to make these and other safeguards permanent.
