Follow the Science Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7173 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7173 To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure scientific integrity in the activities of the National Institutes of Health and prevent the diversion of funds to politically driven activities, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 21, 2026 Ms. DeGette (for herself, Ms. Norton, Ms. McClellan, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Amo, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Carson, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Landsman, Mrs. McClain Delaney, Ms. Morrison, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Ms. Elfreth, Mr. Harder of California, Mr. Cohen, Ms. McCollum, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Dexter, Mrs. Trahan, Ms. Schrier, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Casten, Ms. Pettersen, and Ms. Simon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure scientific integrity in the activities of the National Institutes of Health and prevent the diversion of funds to politically driven activities, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Follow the Science Act''. SEC. 2. POLITICAL APPOINTEE DEFINED. Section 2 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(r) The term `political employee'-- ``(1) means any individual occupying-- ``(A) a position described under sections 5312 through 5316 of title 5, United States Code (relating to