House SST Investigation and Oversight Subcommittee Holds Hearing on the State of Scientific Publishing

On April 15, the House Science, Space, and Technology (SST) Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing on the State of Scientific Publishing. During the hearing, several members raised concerns over scientific integrity and reproducibility in research, publishing corporations and paper mills, open access to federally funded research, and the potential risks that artificial intelligence (AI) and competition with China pose on the scientific ecosystem. Witnesses included Carl Maxwell, Senior VP for Public policy at the Association of American Publishers; Kate Travis, Managing Editor at Retraction Watch; and Jason Owen-Smith, Executive Director at the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science at the University of Michigan.

In his opening remarks, Chairman Rich McCormick (R-GA) highlighted the importance of enforcing credibility requirements in research to avoid AI hallucinations, falsified research findings, and scientific misconduct. On the other side of the aisle, Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (D-OH) criticized President Trump’s Executive Order to Restore the Gold Standard of Science (see previous COSSA coverage) and the current administration’s continued cuts to federally funded research and academic institutions. The Ranking Member also warned that the proposal to restrict the use of federal dollars for publishing and subscription fees suggested in the fiscal year (FY) 2027 Presidential Budget Request would “pull the rug out from under the research field”. The Committee explored the implications of open access on research and national security (see previous COSSA coverage) with concerns of predatory publishing corporations potentially putting scientific integrity at risk and foreign competition.

A recording of the hearing and witness statements can be found here.