[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3952 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3952

 To strengthen the role of the Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration in order to promote scientific integrity 
 and advance the Administration's world-class research and development 
                               portfolio.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 16, 2021

 Ms. Sherrill (for herself and Mr. Feenstra) introduced the following 
   bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To strengthen the role of the Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration in order to promote scientific integrity 
 and advance the Administration's world-class research and development 
                               portfolio.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``NOAA Chief Scientist Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE REORGANIZATION PLAN NO. 4 OF 1970.

    Section 2(d) of Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970 (5 U.S.C. App) is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting after the first sentence the following: 
        ``The President shall, in appointing the Chief Scientist, give 
        due consideration to any recommendations for appointments which 
        may be submitted by the National Academies of Sciences, 
        Engineering, and Medicine, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration Science Advisory Board, or by other widely-
        recognized and reputable scientific or educational 
        organizations.'';
            (2) after ``principal scientific advisor to the 
        Administrator'', by inserting ``on cross-cutting science and 
        technology policy and strategy'';
            (3) after ``to the work of the Administration'', by 
        inserting ``, and who has produced work of scientific merit 
        through an established record of distinguished service and 
        achievement highly respected by the scientific community''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following: ``The Chief 
        Scientist shall--
            ``(1)(A) provide written consent to all applicable 
        scientific integrity policies of the Administration prior to 
        appointment, with such written consent to be made available on 
        a publicly accessible website of the Administration;
            ``(B) in conjunction with the Administrator and other 
        members of Administration leadership, undergo all applicable 
        training programs of the Administration which inform employees 
        of their rights and responsibilities regarding the conduct of 
        scientific research and communication with the media and the 
        public regarding scientific research; and
            ``(C) in coordination with the Administrator and other 
        members of Administration leadership, make all practicable 
        efforts to ensure that Administration employees and contractors 
        who are engaged in, supervise, or manage scientific activities, 
        analyze or communicate information resulting from scientific 
        activities, or use scientific information in policy, 
        management, or regulatory decisions, adhere to established 
        scientific integrity policies of the Administration;
            ``(2) provide policy and program direction for science and 
        technology priorities at the Administration and facilitate 
        integration and coordination of research efforts across line 
        offices of the Administration, with other Federal agencies, and 
        with the external scientific community, including through--
                    ``(A) leading the development of science strategy 
                at the Administration and issuing policy guidance to 
                ensure that overarching Administration policy is 
                aligned with science goals and objectives;
                    ``(B) chairing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration Science Council and serving as principal 
                liaison to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration Science Advisory Board;
                    ``(C) providing oversight to ensure that the 
                Administration funds only the highest-priority, most 
                exemplary, meritorious, and mission-driven science, 
                including through partnerships with the private sector, 
                Cooperative Institutes, academia, non-governmental 
                organizations, and other Federal and non-Federal 
                institutions, and that there is no duplication of 
                research efforts;
                    ``(D) ensuring the Administration attracts, 
                retains, and promotes world class scientists and 
                researchers;
                    ``(E) promoting the health and professional 
                development of the Administration's scientific 
                workforce; and
                    ``(F) advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in 
                the Administration's scientific workforce and its 
                conduct and application of science;
            ``(3) under the direction of the Administrator, promote, 
        communicate, and advocate for the Administration's science 
        portfolio and strategy to the broad external and international 
        community and Congress, represent the Administration in 
        promoting and maintaining good public and community relations, 
        and provide the widest practical and appropriate dissemination 
        of information concerning the climate, weather, oceans, 
        fisheries, and coasts;
            ``(4) manage an Office of the Chief Scientist--
                    ``(A) which shall be staffed by rotating career 
                employees of the Administration, serving terms not 
                greater than four years, in a manner that promotes 
                diversity, equity, inclusion, leadership, and 
                professional development, such that, to the maximum 
                extent practicable, each line office of the 
                Administration is given equal representation in the 
                Office over time; and
                    ``(B) in which one of the career employees 
                described in subparagraph (A) shall serve as Deputy 
                Chief Scientist, who shall perform the functions and 
                duties of the Chief Scientist in the event the latter 
                is unable to carry out the duties of the office, or in 
                the event of a vacancy in the office; and
            ``(5) not less frequently than once each year, in 
        coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration Science Council, produce and make publicly 
        available a report that--
                    ``(A) describes scientific accomplishments of the 
                Administration from the past year;
                    ``(B) details progress towards goals and challenges 
                faced by the Administration's research and development 
                portfolio, including bibliometrics and other measures 
                of scientific merit, and progress towards improving 
                diversity, equity, and inclusion in the 
                Administration's scientific workforce;
                    ``(C) provides a summary of Administration-funded 
                research, including--
                            ``(i) the percentage of Administration-
                        funded research that is funded intramurally;
                            ``(ii) the percentage of Administration-
                        funded research that is funded extramurally, 
                        including the relative proportion of extramural 
                        research that is carried out by each of the 
                        following:
                                    ``(I) the private sector;
                                    ``(II) Cooperative Institutes;
                                    ``(III) academia;
                                    ``(IV) non-governmental 
                                organizations; and
                                    ``(V) other categories as 
                                necessary; and
                            ``(iii) a summary of Administration-funded 
                        research that is transitioned to operations, 
                        applications, commercialization, and 
                        utilization; and
                    ``(D) provides reporting on scientific integrity 
                actions, including by specifying the aggregate number 
                of scientific and research misconduct cases, the number 
                of consultations conducted, the number of allegations 
                that were investigated, and the number of findings of 
                misconduct.''.
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