Press Releases
House Passes Dr. Bucshon's Bill to Alleviate Burden on Hoosier Research Universities
Washington, DC,
July 14, 2014
Today, the House unanimously passed H.R. 5056, The Research and Development Efficiency Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by physician and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Research and Technology, Rep. Larry Bucshon, (R-Ind.). H.R. 5056 will help alleviate administrative burdens on federally funded research, primarily the work done at universities like the University of Southern Indiana, Indiana State University, Indiana University, Purdue University, Notre Dame and other Hoosier institutions. “Last year, I toured universities that conduct federally funded research across the state of Indiana. At each institution, I heard a resounding concern regarding the increased regulatory burden on their research,” said Rep. Bucshon, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Research and Technology. “As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Research and Technology, I took action to alleviate the regulatory maze that encumbers basic research at institutions across the country. As an undergrad and a medical student, I gained a deep understanding for the positive impacts research has on the student, the university, and our country. I am hopeful the Senate will move quickly on this bipartisan legislation so our universities can get back to the main goal of conducting basic scientific research.” By helping to reduce the burden of federal regulations on government-sponsored research, H.R. 5056 ensures taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently and effectively and that researchers can focus on research instead of time-consuming administrative tasks. SUMMARY OF H.R. 5056: H.R. 5056 requires that the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the agency tasked primarily with implementing policies related to science and technology, establish a working group to review federal regulations affecting research and research universities. The bill also makes recommendations on how to: 1. Harmonize, streamline, and eliminate duplicative Federal regulations and reporting requirements 2. Minimize the regulatory burden on institutions of higher education performing federally-funded research while maintaining accountability for U.S. tax dollars As a measure of accountability, within one year of the date of enactment of this legislation (and annually for three years thereafter), the Director of OSTP is required to report to Congress on what steps have been taken to carry out the recommendations of the working group established under this Act. BACKGROUND: In 2012, the National Research Council (NRC) produced a report highlighting ten recommendations for the future of U.S. research universities. One of the recommendations was to “reduce or eliminate regulations that increase administrative costs, impede research productivity, and deflect creative energy without substantially improving the research environment.”[1] A 2012 Federal Demonstration Partnership Faculty Workload Survey found that, on average, principal investigators of federally sponsored research grants spend 42 percent of their time on administrative tasks.[2] [1] Information provided by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee; Report can be found here: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13396. |