by
Date/Time
October 13, 2020
2:00 pm EDT - 3:00 pm EDT
Organizer
American Geophysical Union (AGU) & Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF)
More information / to register
Event link
While a big focus of the 2020 U.S. election season is on the presidential race, the outcome of the congressional ballot also has critical implications for science. Congress has major authority with regards to funding research, oversight of how federal scientific agencies are run, and the ability to investigate how federally-funded science is conducted.
Scientists have the right to participate in activism and advocacy surrounding legislative matters, and in this webinar, the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund will discuss how scientists can engage in Congressional activism and advocacy without violating anti-lobbying laws. We will also talk about the powers and limitations of Congressional oversight into science, including how these powers have sometimes been misused to the detriment of scientific research.
Finally, we will provide tips and best practices for scientists who wish to be politically active with respect to legislative matters, and provide suggestions for potential reform measures that would improve how the next Congress treats science.