[A2k] USPIRG: OPPOSE amendments weakening NIH public access provision in Labor-H

[Manon Ress]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
From: "Ed Mierzwinski" <edm@pirg.org>
Date: October 23, 2007 12:20:17 PM EDT
To: <edm@pirg.org>
Subject: USPIRG: OPPOSE amendments weakening NIH public access
provision in Labor-H
Reply-To: <edm@pirg.org>

22 Oct 2007
TO: All Senators
FR: Ed Mierzwinski, U.S. PIRG Consumer Program Director
(202-546-9707x314)
RE: Oppose amendments weakening public access to taxpayer-funded NIH
research

As a longtime supporter of the access to knowledge (a2k) movement, U.S.
PIRG, as the federation of non-profit, non-partisan state Public
Interest
Research Groups, strongly opposes amendments that strike or change
the NIH
public access provision in the FY08 Labor/HHS appropriations bill, (S.
1710).
In particular, we urge opposition to proposed Amendments #3416 and
#3417.

These amendments would seriously impede public access to taxpayer-funded
biomedical research, stifling critical advancements in lifesaving
research
and scientific discovery. The current bill language was carefully
crafted to
balance the needs of ALL stakeholders, and to ensure that the American
public is able to fully realize our collective investment in science.

Amendment #3416 would eliminate the provision altogether. Amendment
#3417 is
likely to be presented to your Senator as a compromise that
"balances" the
needs of the public and of publishers. In reality, the current
language in
the NIH public access provision accomplishes that goal. Passage of
either
amendment would seriously undermine access to this important public
resource, and damage the community's ability to advance scientific
research
and discovery.

At PIRG, we rely on NIH information in our efforts to promote drug
safety
and affordability and promote access to medicine. We also are active in
other important a2k efforts, and you can find out more (if you are
interested) at our website www.maketextbooksafforable.org. Our 2005 PIRG
report "Limited Knowledge: How The High Cost Of Academic Journals Limits
Public Access To Research" may also be of interest:
http://tinyurl.com/3acrsy

For more information, please contact me at 202-546-9707x314 or at
this email
address.
_________________________
Ed Mierzwinski, Consumer Program Director
U.S. Public Interest Research Group
218 D St SE, Washington, DC 20003
202-546-9707x314
PIRG consumer blog www.uspirg.org/consumer