Public Law 95-155added 1Aby H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(a)
1A. Definitions.— In this Act, the terms Gold Standard Science, scientific information, scientific misconduct, and weight of scientific evidence have the meanings given such terms in Executive Order 14303 (90 Fed. Reg. 22601), signed on May 23, 2025, and entitled "Restoring Gold Standard Science".
The bill says: The Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–155; 91 Stat. 1257) is amended by inserting before section 2 the following new section:
Bill text
42 U.S.C. 4365(h)changedby H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(b)
(h) Public participation and transparency. The Board shall make(1) The Board shall make every effort, consistent with applicable law, including section 552 of title 5 (commonly known as the "Freedom of Information Act") and section 552a of title 5 (commonly known as the "Privacy Act"), to maximize public participation and transparency, including making the scientific and technical advice of the Board and any committees or investigative panels of the Board publically available in electronic form on the website of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The bill says: by striking "The Board shall make" and inserting "(1) The Board shall make"; and
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365(h)added (2)by H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(b)
(2) No federally registered lobbyist may be appointed to any of the following:(A) The Board.(B) A committee or investigative panel under subsection (e) regarding any of the following matters:(i) A matter for which such lobbyist is so registered.(ii) A matter in which such lobbyist has a direct financial interest.(3) No individual appointed to the Board or a committee or investigative panel under subsection (e) may participate in an advisory activity—(A) that directly involves the review or evaluation of the work of such individual;(B) in which such individual has a direct affiliation with, or represents an entity that has a direct financial interest in, an outcome of the Board’s advisory activity on the matter at issue, or that directly involves the review or evaluation of such interest or activity, as the case may be; or(C) in which such individual’s spouse, partner, child, parent, or other immediate family member has a direct affiliation with, or represents an entity that has a direct financial interest in, an outcome of the Board’s advisory activity on the matter at issue, or that directly involves the review or evaluation of such interest or activity, as the case may be.(4) An individual described in paragraph (3) who is a member of the Board or appointed to a committee or investigative panel under subsection (e) on, before, or after the date of the enactment of this paragraph shall promptly submit to the Administrator a formal recusal agreement that includes information relating to an identification of each matter of the Board or such committee or investigative panel, as the case may be, from which such individual is so recused, and the Administrator shall promptly make such recusal agreement publicly available.
The bill says: by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365(i)changedby H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(c)
(i) ReportReports to Congress. The Administrator shall annually report to the Committees on Environment and Public Works and Agriculture of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Agriculture of the House of Representatives regarding the membership and activities of the standing agriculture-related committee established pursuant to subsection (e)(2)(A)(i).
The bill says: in the heading, by striking "Report" and inserting "Reports";
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365(i)changedby H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(c)
(i) Report to Congress. The Administrator shall annually report(1) The Administrator shall annually report to the Committees on Environment and Public Works and Agriculture of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Agriculture of the House of Representatives regarding the membership and activities of the standing agriculture-related committee established pursuant to subsection (e)(2)(A)(i).
The bill says: by striking "The Administrator shall annually report" and inserting "(1) The Administrator shall annually report";
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365(i)(1)addedby H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(c)
The bill says: in paragraph (1), as so designated, by adding at the end the following new sentence: "The Administrator shall include in each such report any immediate disclosures under paragraph (4), and make each such report publicly available."; and
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365(i)added (2)by H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(c)
(2) Upon being appointed, each member of the Board, and each appointee to a committee or investigative panel under subsection (e), shall submit to the Administrator a written report, standardized by the Administrator, disclosing the following with respect to such member or appointee, as the case may be:(A) All financial relationships and interests, including grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other financial assistance, that satisfy any of the following requirements:(i) Are with a public or private entity relevant to the Board’s advisory activity for the five-year period prior to the date of such appointment.(ii) Might pose a conflict of interest with respect to the Board’s advisory activity.(B) All professional activities and public statements that are relevant to the Board’s advisory activity for the five-year period prior to the date of such appointment, including all representational work, expert testimony, and contract work, and an identification of each party for which such work or testimony, as the case may be, was undertaken or provided.(C) Any participation, including any direct relationships or interests, in activities paid for by grants or funds administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, or other relevant agencies, with respect to matters that are relevant to the Board’s advisory activity for the five-year period prior to the date of such appointment.(D) Any participation in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine or an entity thereof, including any direct relationships or interests, or activities, paid for by grants or funds administered by the National Academies or such entity thereof.(3) Each member of the Board, and each appointee to a committee or investigative panel under subsection (e), shall annually submit to the Administrator a written report, standardized by the Administrator, disclosing any updates to the matters described in paragraph (2), including any immediate updates under paragraph (4).(4) Notwithstanding the annual updates under paragraph (3), each member of the Board, and each appointee to a committee or investigative panel under subsection (e), shall immediately submit to the Administrator a written report, standardized by the Administrator, disclosing any financial relationships or interests, including grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other financial assistance, entered into with or received from any public or private entity since the date of the submission of such an annual update that are relevant to the Board’s advisory activity.(5) The Administrator shall annually submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on the composition and activities of each committee or investigative panel under subsection (e), including a summary of the information required under paragraphs (2) through (4).(6) A disclosure pursuant to paragraph (2), a professional activity or public statement referred to in subparagraph (B) of such paragraph, participation described in subparagraph (C) or (D) of such paragraph, professional expertise, prior research or publication, or prior service with respect to an entity that has a direct financial interest in an outcome of the Board’s advisory activity does not, in itself, pose a conflict of interest with respect to the Board’s advisory activity or disqualify a member of the Board from such membership or an appointee to a committee or investigative panel under subsection (e) from such appointment.
The bill says: by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365(c)(2)addedby H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(d)
The bill says: in subsection (c)(2), by adding at the end the following new sentence: "Such advice and comments shall include a statement that indicates the Board based such advice and comments on Gold Standard Science and the weight of scientific evidence.";
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365(d)changedby H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(d)
(d) Utilization of technical and scientific capabilities of Federal agencies and national environmental laboratories for determining adequacy of scientific and technical basis of proposed criteria document, etc. In preparing such advice and comments, the Board shall avail itself of the technical and scientific capabilities of any Federal agency, including the Environmental Protection Agency and any national environmental laboratories.
The bill says: by striking "avail" and inserting
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365(d)added (2)by H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(d)
(2) Base such advice and comments on Gold Standard Science and the weight of scientific evidence.
The bill says: by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4365added (j)by H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(d)
(j) Ideas and viewpoints.— In carrying out this section, the Administrator and the Chairperson of the Board shall seek to ensure the following:(1) The open exchange of ideas.(2) The consideration of different and dissenting viewpoints across disparate disciplines and in the same discipline.(3) A balanced range of scientific expertise, technical perspectives, and viewpoints regarding the matter at issue.(k) Scientific misconduct.—(1) Allegation.— A member of the Board, or an appointee to a committee or investigative panel under subsection (e), may allege to the Administrator that another such member or appointee, as the case may be, has committed scientific misconduct with respect to the Board or such committee or investigative panel, as the case may be.(2) Investigation and determination.— Upon receipt of an allegation of scientific misconduct under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall investigate such allegation and determine whether such alleged misconduct was committed.(3) Removal.— If the Administrator makes a determination in the affirmative under paragraph (2), the following shall apply:(A) The Chairperson shall remove the member of the Board, or the appointee to a committee or investigative panel under subsection (e), with respect to whom such determination applies.(B) Such removed member or appointee, as the case may be, may not after the date of such removal be appointed to the Board or such committee or investigative panel, as the case may be.
The bill says: by adding at the end the following new subsections:
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4365)
42 U.S.C. 4363added 6Aby H.R. 10737 Sec. 2(e)
6A. Scientific integrity training program.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish a scientific integrity training program to inform each officer or employee of the Agency of the following:(1) The requirements of such officer or employee, as the case may be, with respect to the following:(A) Scientific research.(B) The publication of such research and scientific information.(2) Scientific misconduct.(3) Gold Standard Science and the weight of scientific evidence.
The bill says: The Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 is amended by inserting after section 6 (42 U.S.C. 4363 note) the following new section:
Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 4363)