FYI: Science Policy News
FYI
/
Article

NIH Subpoenaed by House over Harassment Investigation

FEB 12, 2024
The subpoena accuses NIH of failing to provide requested information to Congress.
lindsay-mckenzie-2.jpg
Science Policy Reporter, FYI AIP
Aerial view of the Clinical Center at the NIH’s Bethesda campus in Bethesda, MD.

The Bethesda headquarters of the National Institutes of Health.

(NIH)

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) subpoenaed the National Institutes of Health on Feb. 5 for documents related to how the agency handles sexual harassment allegations. Rodgers said NIH has refused to turn over detailed information about allegations involving the agency’s employees.

NIH has reported summary statistics on case outcomes for 2018 through late 2023, during which it fielded 265 allegations, 135 of which resulted in corrective action, and 18 which were still being investigated. However, Rodgers argues the agency’s invocation of privacy considerations is an inadequate reason for not providing the committee details on the cases.

In a cover letter accompanying the subpoena, Rodgers said the agency’s conduct “demonstrates a lack of good faith and an unwillingness to engage with the committee voluntarily.”

Related Topics
More from FYI
FYI
/
Article
FYI
/
Article
Without reauthorization, agencies cannot issue new SBIR and STTR awards or solicitations, though preexisting awards can continue.
FYI
/
Article
Purdue engineering dean tapped to lead the standards agency.
FYI
/
Article
Justice Department attorneys on multiple research-related cases are currently furloughed, as are grant administration staff.
FYI
/
Article
Senate Democrats say the Trump administration restricted congressionally directed spending at NASA and NOAA, putting critical programs at risk.

Related Organizations