"Despite Obama's Lofty Words, Scientific Integrity Rules Are Lagging"

"Last March, President Obama promised he'd have a strategy for restoring scientific integrity to the federal government on hand by July 29. A full year later, federal agencies still have not received any new directives and some government scientists say that conditions have not improved noticeably since Obama took power.

Obama made scientific integrity an issue in his presidential campaign, and his March 9, 2009 memo outlined a series of high-minded principles -- advocating, for instance, for 'transparency in the preparation, identification, and use of scientific and technological information in policymaking.'

The memo also ordered John Holdren, the director of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to develop guidelines 'designed to guarantee scientific integrity throughout the executive branch.' Obama gave Holdren 120 days. That deadline came and went. And Friday is its one-year anniversary.

The White House won't explain what's holding things up. In a June 18 posting on the White House website, Holdren simply said that 'the process has been more laborious and time-consuming than expected at the outset.' He set a new deadline, saying he would deliver 'a high-quality product' to Obama 'in the next few weeks.' (That was three weeks ago.)"

Dan Froomkin reports for Huffington Post July 9, 2010.

SEE ALSO:

"Scientists expected Obama administration to be friendlier" (Los Angeles Times)

"Obama Faltering on Pledge to Restore the Role of Science" (The Fine Print/OMB Watch)

"OSTP a Year Late Delivering Scientific Integrity Plan" (The Pump Handle)