Enriching Congressional hearings with science

Senate and House Committee hearings are forums where Members of Congress question witnesses, learn about science and technology, and develop policy ideas.

The CSPI team tracks Legislative Branch activity, and whenkey hearings are announced, the teamsolicits the CSPI community for questions and ideasthat Members of Congress could raise during the hearing. Thisdata-driven informationis then communicated to Congress for use in the hearings, promoting a rich discussion of the issues.

Technical assistance on pieces of legislation

When Congressional offices or Committees are developing legislation andinvite CSPI to provide feedback, we crowdsource evidence-based technical assistance from the CSPI community and communicate the feedback to Congress.

The incorporation of data-driven solutions into Legislative Branch bills strengthens US public policy.

Rapid response to crises such as COVID-19

CSPI is addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing onengaging with coronavirus-related hearings,convening infectious disease expertsto brief lawmakers,countering misinformation, answering questions from and curating a knowledge-basefor policymakers and the public, and executing public service announcementcampaigns.

CSPI alsoprovides expertise to the pressto further communicate accurate information to both policymakers and the public.

Councils of scientists and engineers for Congress

Members of Congress and their staffs are generalists, not specialists, and Legislative Branch science and technology resources are limited. So CSPI isorganizing councils of expertsto advise Senators and Representatives on science and technology.

With our impromptu matchmaking of specialists with policymakers andCOVID-19 Rapid Response Task Force作为proofs-of-principle,我们计划扩大这个职业gram so that Members are equipped with councils made up of experts from their home states.

“We tend to forget that there is actually more virus out there today than there was when we (Americans) went into lockdown. We have to remember that it’s a more dangerous world today than it was in mid-March.”

Ali Nouri talking withCNNin June

“Without Republican support, it would be tough to see how it gets brought up in the Senate, because it becomes really difficult for any one individual from the other party to sign onto the bill if it looks like it’s partisan.”

Mike Fisher speaking about theScientific Integrity ActwithUndark

“It’s hard to imagine how a system that, according to the company’s website, is ‘added to existing air duct paths,’ would stop person-to-person spread.”

Mike Fisher speaking with theCopper Courierabout an air purifier touted by some to protect people from COVID-19

“Generally speaking, there aren’t too many scientists who have been involved from the get-go with these decisions. To the extent that he has these people around him, he should keep them and he should listen to them.”

Ali Nouri discussing President Trump’s White House Coronavirus Task Force with theBoston Globe

“You don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you are exposing yourself, for minutes or hours, to people who may potentially be breathing out virus.”

Ali Nouri telling theAssociated Presswhy people should avoid congregating

“A lot of what we’re seeing is the US government potentially re-evaluating the nature of fundamental research.”

Mike Fisher talking withTimes Higher Educationabout steps the federal government is taking to address foreign interference in research