CALL TO ACTION: Oppose H.R. 3699, a Bill to Block Public Access to Publicly Funded Research

A new bill, The Research Works Act (H.R.3699), designed to roll back the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Public Access Policy and block the development of similar policies in other federal agencies, has been introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives. Co-sponsored by Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), the bill was proposed on 16 December 2011, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

The Special Libraries Association strongly supports the NIH’s popular Public Access Policy.  This new bill would essentially reverse the NIH’s Public Access Policy and prevent other Federal agencies from developing similar policies to provide timely public access to taxpayer-funded research.

Supporters of public access need to speak out against this proposed legislation. The Alliance for Taxpayer Access, of which SLA is a member, strongly urges you to contact the offices below to express your opposition today. A draft letter is available for all those who would like to join the opposition:

 --Representative Issa
@DarrellIssa
http://issa.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=597&Itemid=73
Fax (202) 225-3303

--Representative Maloney
@RepMaloney
https://maloney.house.gov/contact-me/email-me  (Using zip code 10128-3679)
Fax: (202) 225-4709

--Members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee – especially if you’re a constituent. http://1.usa.gov/zDqnne

--Your representative – through the Alliance for Taxpayer Access Action Center: http://www.congressweb.com/cweb2/index.cfm/siteid/sparc

Comments

[Brandy King]

Done and done! THANK YOU for providing such easy directions to formally oppose this bill. Here is what I wrote in the free-form section -- curious to hear what others wrote!

"As a self-employed librarian I provide support for academics who are constantly creating new knowledge. Having full access to what has been researched and discovered in previous studies gives them the foundation upon which to build new connections, move science forward, and ultimately make improvements in health."

[Daniel Cooper]

I am just starting a masters program in library science and I am not very well aware of how this will affect what I am doing. I supported the bill after reading some information about it and the influence of Hollywood in our legislative process. It was easy to oppose the bill by just typing my name an address etc. Maybe someone can fully clarify how this better to me and how it will affect libraries?
Daniel Cooper

[Inger]

Like Daniel, I am in an MLS program and will be finishing this summer. I think I understand how the bill will effect all librarians and researchers in some way. As mentioned by the others, the directions to oppose the bill is simple and straightforward. Thank you very much for making us aware and for such simple instructions.

[OffTheSpeedLimit]

Hello there! Are you mostly an often online visitor or maybe you are for being offline?