Remove the Secrecy from Taxpayer-Funded Research - Make it Public!
- by: Care2
- recipient: U.S. Senate
Every year, the federal government funds over 60 billion dollars in research concentrated within 11 agencies, including the Department of Defense, DOE, Homeland Security, EPA, the National Science Foundation and many others.
Because U.S. taxpayers fund this research, we have a right to expect that it is being put to good use and that we can freely access it! We must ensure American taxpayers' dollars are spent wisely, particularly during this time of economic recession.
The Federal Research Public Access Act of 2009 (S. 1373) would require federal agencies and departments to make final copies of non-classified, taxpayer-funded articles available via the Internet. All Americans stand to benefit from this bill, particularly:
- patients diagnosed with a disease who need vital healthcare information,
- students who are working to further their education,
- librarians and library staff who will be able to better assist library customers, and
- the researchers themselves, who will have their findings more broadly evaluated, leading to more discovery and innovation.
FRPAA will help promote the advancement of science, accelerate the pace of new innovations and improve the lives and welfare of people across the country. Contact your senators and ask them to co-sponsor S. 1373!
Dear Senator [Name],
I am writing to respectfully ask that you co-sponsor S. 1373, the Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA).
This bill - introduced on June 25, 2009 by Senators Lieberman and Cornyn - ensures that peer-reviewed scientific articles resulting from research funded by the U.S. government are openly and transparently accessible to American taxpayers via the Internet.
[Your comments will be inserted here]
Health and science information should be shared in cost-effective ways, encouraging further discovery and innovation and advancing the translation of this knowledge into public benefits. More access to and expanded sharing of information will lead to usage by millions of Americans and will deliver a faster return on the taxpayers' investment.
I support the Federal Research Public Access Act and stand strong in my commitment to open public access to research funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars. Please support and co-sponsor FRPAA.
