Comments/Opinions/Suggestions (University of Maryland Chancellor Testifies on the Hill Regarding Shelby Amendment)

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 09:56:16 -0400
From: "Kate Eldred" <eldred@serc.si.edu>
Subject: University of Maryland Chancellor Testifies on the Hill Regarding Shelby Amendment

Chancellor Donald Langenberg was one of four experts to testify before the U.S. Senate Science and Technology Caucus on July 27 regarding legislation introduced by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) last fall. The Shelby Amendment would require the Office of Management and Budget to grant broad public access to data generated by federally funded research under procedures established by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Langenberg, a physicist by training and former acting and deputy director at the National Science Foundation, told the caucus that the amendment would jeopardize proprietary information developed by university researchers and the privacy rights of human subjects involved in research projects. He predicted that many scientists, especially those involved in controversial research, would decide that the benefit of receiving federal grants for their work was outweighed by the level of scrutiny that the Shelby Amendment would entail.

More info: Associate Vice Chancellor for Federal Relations Paul Sweet at psweet@usmh.usmd.edu