Federal Research Public Access Act - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA), originally proposed by Senators John Cornyn

John Cornyn

John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....

and Joe Lieberman

Joe Lieberman

Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...

in 2006 and then again in 2010, is a proposal to require open public access to research funded by eleven U.S. Federal agencies.

The Bill

The FRPAA would require that those eleven agencies, with research expenditures over $100 million, to create online manuscripts of journal articles of the research completed by that agency and make them publicly available. They must be maintained and preserved by the agency, or another repository that permits free and open access. It must be available to users without charge within six months after it has been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Agencies Included

The agencies included in this bill are:

Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
Department of Commerce
United States Department of Commerce
The United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...
Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
Department of Health and Human Services
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
Department of Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
National Science Foundation

Supporters

In addition to Senator John Cornyn

John Cornyn

and Senator Joe Lieberman

Joe Lieberman

, Representative Michael Doyle, along with Frederick Boucher, Michael Capuano, Jerry Costello

Jerry Costello

Jerry Francis Costello is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1988. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the dean of Illinois's 21-member Congressional delegation. The 12th district includes the St. Louis area suburb cities and stretches to deep Southern Illinois.-Early life,...

, Bill Foster

Bill Foster

Bill Foster may refer to:* Bill Foster , U.S. Congressman , physicist* Bill Foster , Negro League baseball player* Bill Foster Bill Foster may refer to:* Bill Foster (Illinois politician) (born 1955), U.S. Congressman (D-IL), physicist* Bill Foster (baseball) (1904–1978), Negro League baseball...

, Barney Frank

Barney Frank

Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...

, Gregg Harper

Gregg Harper

Gregory "Gregg" Harper is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes the wealthier portions of the state capital, Jackson, along with most of that city's suburbs. Other cities in the district include Meridian and Natchez.-...

, Paul Hodes

Paul Hodes

Paul Hodes is an attorney, musician, and the former U.S. Representative for , serving fom 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was New Hampshire's first Jewish representative....

, Tim Holden

Tim Holden

Thomas Timothy "Tim" Holden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...

, Dennis Kucinich

Dennis Kucinich

Dennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....

, Rick Larsen

Rick Larsen

Richard Ray "Rick" Larsen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...

, Zoe Lofgren

Zoe Lofgren

Zoe Lofgren is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in San Jose.-Early life, education, and early career:...

, Stephen Lynch

Stephen Lynch

Stephen Lynch may refer to:*Stephen Lynch , American musician and comedian*Stephen Lynch , United States Representative from Massachusetts's 9th congressional district...

, Dana Rohrabacher

Dana Rohrabacher

Dana Tyron Rohrabacher is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 45th and 42nd, serving since 1989. He is a member of the Republican Party...

, Fortney Stark, Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Debbie Wasserman Schultz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party and the Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. She previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate...

, and Henry Waxman

Henry Waxman

Henry Arnold Waxman is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is considered to be one of the most influential liberal members of Congress...

have co-sponsored a similar bill in the House of Representatives (H.R. 5037).

As of July 19, 2010, 120 Higher Education Leaders support this bill.

The Bill

Agencies Included

Supporters

Further reading