Introduction

An unfortunately large and increasing number of researchers take advantage of loose research integrity requirements and oversight to violate research integrity. Federal agencies should take steps to provide practical assurance to policymakers and the public that all federal grants go to researchers who follow best practices of research integrity.

Our model bill 1) requires federal agencies to publish research integrity guidelines; 2) limits grant funding to researchers whose institutions adopt research integrity practices; 3) prohibits funding of any researcher who has committed a serious research integrity violation; 4) dedicates an Office of Research Integrity to ensuring compliance; and 5) requires regular reports to the Executive and the Legislature detailing the federal agency’s work to ensure research integrity.

Our model bill refers to the {National Science Foundation}. The bill should be adjusted by policymakers to refer to some or all individual federal agencies funding science grants. Similar references to the {Director of the National Science Foundation}, the {Executive Branch Office}, the {Senate Committee}, and the {House Committee} also should be adjusted appropriately by policymakers.

Model Legislative Text

1. Research Grant Funding. The {National Science Foundation}may only fund researchers whose institutions adopt research integrity practices, including:
   1. annual training for principal investigators and students in applying research ethics to data analysis, including lessons on why and how to avoid practices such as p-hacking and HARKing.
   2. random audits of laboratory notebooks;
   3. whistleblower systems for research integrity violations;
   4. termination of researchers who commit serious research integrity violations; and
   5. annual reports of research integrity violations to the {National Science Foundation}.
2. Guidelines. The {National Science Foundation} shall publish research integrity guidelines by {Month Day, Year} that include the requirements described in subsection (1).
3. Funding Prohibition. The {National Science Foundation} may fund no researcher who has committed a serious research integrity violation.
4. Office of Research Integrity. There is established within the Office of the {Director of the National Science Foundation} an office to be known as the Office of Research Integrity. The Office shall be headed by a director, who shall be appointed by the {Director of the National Science Foundation}. The Office of Research Integrity shall be responsible to the {Director of the National Science Foundation} for executing all responsibilities in this section.
5. Reports. On an annual basis, starting no later than {Month Day, Year}, the {Director of the National Science Foundation} shall submit to the {Executive Branch Office}, the {Senate Committee}, and the {House Committee} a report cataloguing and describing all violations of the requirements described in subsection (1) and all actions taken by the Office of Research Integrity to ensure compliance with the requirements described in subsection (1).
6. Waivers. The {Director of the National Science Foundation} may provide an individual waiver for subsections (1-2) if:
   1. on an annual basis, starting no later than {Month Day, Year}, he submits to the {Executive Branch Office}, the {Senate Committee}, and the {House Committee} a report cataloguing, describing, and explaining each waiver granted under his authority in subsection (5); and
   2. he creates within one year of {Month Day, Year} a set and detailed procedure to allow private individuals and organizations to challenge each waiver granted under his authority in subsection (5).
7. Severability. If any provision of this chapter, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this chapter and the application of its provisions to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby.