This just in from U.S. Senator David Vitter’s office here’s now the official press release:
For Immediate Release Contact: Joel DiGrado (Vitter) (202) 224-4623
December 8, 2010 Emily Lawrimore (Barrasso) (202) 224-6441
Vitter, Barrasso Introduce Bill to Ensure Open, Accurate NASA Climate Data
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sens. David Vitter and John Barrasso today introduced S. 4015, the Public Access to Historical Records Act, which would dramatically improve the transparency and accuracy of NASA’s historical records and guarantee public access to the data.
“Recent incidents, such as the investigation showing that the Obama administration manipulated data to justify the drilling moratorium, have raised concerns that some scientists and government agencies are using misleading data to support their favored viewpoints,” said Vitter. “This bill would open NASA’s temperature records to public scrutiny and establish an objective set of data to ensure that influential climate research is protected from political agendas.”
“Each year, Americans are forced to spend billions of their hard-earned dollars to support climate change research. Since this administration promised to be the most open administration in history, it should immediately share NASA’s temperature data with the American public,” said Barrasso. “There are too many questions regarding temperature models not to allow all Americans access to this data. This legislation will ensure that our nation has the most accurate and transparent historic temperature record in the world.”
The bill by Vitter and Barrasso is consistent with the Data Quality Act, which requires that scientific information from government agencies be accurate, clear, complete and unbiased. The Public Access to Historical Records Act would require NASA and the National Climatic Data Center to immediately release relevant climate data that outside groups have long been attempting to review through the Freedom of Information Act.
The bill would also force NASA to make all of its raw historical temperature data available online to the public and would require the agency to compile an official U.S. historical temperature record with oversight from an independent council of appointed meteorologists and statisticians. The resulting temperature record would be routinely reviewed for accuracy by an independent auditor and would be required for use as a primary source by any scientists or groups accepting federal money for climate research.
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The full bill as presented is available here Temperature-Records-Act-2010 (PDF)
I had a small hand in this, reviewing some language, but the thrust of the bill came from NASA’s stubborn refusal to provide FOI requested data and documents to CEI. Don’t these guys ever learn? Of course this bill is in its infancy, so there’s no telling if it will make it to law, and if it does, how much it will be modified, or if some pork will be added to it.
Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.
— Otto von Bismarck
So, we’ll watch the sausage being made here, and hope for the best. – Anthony
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This would be a great step forward without doubt.
Ah, longing for the days when science was pursuit of the truth.
Fantastic move!
This should be a wake up call to EPA as well that if they don’t stop screwing around with regulatory control, they could get their leash pulled up short in the same way.
I strongly support this effort and any similar efforts to bring the bureaucratic dogs to heal, for their abuse of the public trust and malicious backdoor methods to impose regulations with the force of law that the people at large have no desire for, and in many cases actively oppose.
Power in America comes from the bottom up not the top down, and they have stepped on the toes of the little guy a few times too many lately. The last election was a warning shot across the bow from every agency in government. I hope they are bright enough to notice.
Larry
The other saying is…
Laws like sausages are always better after being cooked by the press; diced by the lawyers, and seasoned by the end user.
The interesting thing is that it will turn out to be a double edged sword.
If the bill is defeated or grossly weakened in its strength – this will play into the hands of the skeptics and public trust will be further reduced.
If the bill is passed and genuine raw data is released – this will also play into the hands of skeptics as the skeptical scientists will be able to see just exactly how much alteration to the raw data has been made.
Either way – if it doesnt make law – the reason can ONLY be that they have too much to hide – there is NO other logical explanation for witholding such data. (though I suppose, some data showing the heat generated from past alien visits/thermonuclear tests or some other remote reason for ‘National security’ could be found? LOL)
We can only hope……..
I want to see them have to explain how the ‘past’ keeps getting colder every time
they create a new temperature record…
(b) DATA ADJUSTMENT.—
(1) METHODS TO COMPLY WITH INFORMATION QUALITY ACT.—The applicable Federal official may not utilize a method for the adjustment of data for purposes of complying with the requirements of section 2 or 4, as the case may be, unless such official ensures and certifies that such method complies with the guidelines of the Information Quality Act, including, but not limited to, requirements as follows:
But what is Hanson going to do with all his free time?
The Democrats always complain that the Republicans are anti-science. Well, let’s see who is “anti-science” now! (I’m betting the LAST thing the Dems want to see is free access to climate science data, even though all taxpayers paid for it.)
On second thought about this article…
The fact that this law is even being considered is a horrific disgrace to the university/science/research system/industry in this country. Open transparency should be the de-facto norm in any publicly funded university science situation. The fact that NASA gets away with a refusal says that our country has become quite dishonest.
A great step forward.
Big question though is who decides that the raw data is Raw Data…
“• The bill would force NASA to release their original raw historical temperature data and post it online for anyone to see and use. ”
I think you mean: “The bill would force NASA to delete their original raw historical temperature data and post online for anyone to see that they only retain the ‘value added’ product.
In other words, same song, second verse.
Hopefully also, ‘The Team’ is not allowed to contribute in any way.
The beauty of bills like this is the leverage that is afforded by the Republican majority in the House where all bills concerning taxation and budgets must originate. This bill is a message to the EPA and like minded agencies to cooperate, or they will be put on a fiscal starvation diet.
latitude says:
December 8, 2010 at 11:04 am
We can only hope……..
I want to see them have to explain how the ‘past’ keeps getting colder every time
they create a new temperature record…
Me too!
If the EPA and NASA are balky at obeying the existing laws (i.e. FOIA) then just turn off the funding. Zero the balance. Shoo everyone out and lock the doors.
That’s the win-win-win solution. We don’t need more laws, for goodness sake.
“Jeremy says:
December 8, 2010 at 11:13 am
On second thought about this article…
The fact that this law is even being considered is a horrific disgrace to the university/science/research system/industry in this country. Open transparency should be the de-facto norm in any publicly funded university science situation.
I agree. But the law itself is a great idea.
Thank you, David Vitter. I helped elect you. Keep this bill going strong, get it passed, and let’s look at the data.
I have a strange queasiness that the data the EPA is holding onto will be more damaging to them than NASA’s is to NASA.
George W. Bush, I believe (in retrospective rumination) knew what a mindless rabid pit bull the EPA had become. Therefore he kept them on a very short leash. Now we have a president who’s decided to unlock the chain and sprinkle blood where he wants the EPA to attack.
The fact that this matter has gotten the attention of senior members of Congress, and that a substantial body of them believe this is a problem, is in itself a huge step forward.
It’s not in thomas.loc.gov yet
I just hope the proposed bill also applies to ARGO float data which at the moment is subject to gatekeeping: I wonder why?
Kindest Regards
latitude says:
Oh come on, I clearly remember all those -20 days we used to get in July when I was a kid. In fact, it used to be that -64 was considered decent weather for walking to school. And I can’t believe everyone doesn’t know that the prairies used to grow great wheat when the average summer temps were barely above freezing.
Anyway… this bill would be stunning… awesome… awe inspiring… amazing. That sad part is I know it will NEVER come to pass. Data transparency, in fact, any transparency is pure poison to governments, let alone climate researchers.
If NASA will not obey the FOI law, what makes the authors think it will obey this one?
I advise you to invest in whitewash now – be two jumps ahead.
First, the revelations about the corruption of science, then the good and the great will hold their in-depth, comprehensive and objective investigations…
NASA just a shadow of its former great self. Seems to parallel the down fall of once a great nation. USA what are you doing to yourself.