Past SPARC Policy Priorities

FY2014 Omnibus Appropriations Bill

Open Access

On January 16, 2014 Congress passed the FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Act. The bill requires federal agencies under the jurisdiction of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies portion of the Omnibus bill with research budgets of $100 million or more to provide the public with online access to articles reporting on federally funded research no later than 12 months after publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Background
Every year, the federal government uses taxpayer dollars to fund tens of billions of dollars of scientific research that results in thousands upon thousands of articles published in scientific journals.  The government funds this research with the understanding that it will advance science, spur the economy, accelerate innovation, and improve the lives of our citizens.  Yet most taxpayers – including academics, students, and patients – are shut out of accessing and using the results of the research that their tax dollars fund, because it is only available through expensive and often hard-to-access scientific journals.

Details of the FY 2014 Omnibus Language
The FY 2014 Omnibus language codifies a section of the White House Directive requirements into law for the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the Department of Education, among other smaller agencies.

Additional report language was included throughout the bill directing agencies and OSTP to keep moving on the Directive policies, including the US Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, and Department of Commerce.

News

Half of taxpayer funded research will soon be available to the public
Washington Post
January 17, 2014

Spending Bill Includes Open Access Legislation
Inside HigherEducation
January 17, 2014

Federal Spending Bill Expands Research Funding With Open Access Mandate, Restores IMLS Funding
Library Journal
January 23, 2014

Labor-HHS Bill Marks Only Latest Step Toward Wider Free Access to Scientific Research
CQ HealthBeat News
January 27, 2014

Resources

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