This week, Trump administration federal agencies put in motion a long-running plan to make it easier to fire tens of thousands of experienced government employees. Schedule Policy/Career—formerly Schedule F— enables the removal of federal career scientists and technical experts who do research and advise decision-makers on vital issues, including public health, workplace safety, environmental protections, emergency preparedness and medical research. Historically, these positions have been protected from the whims of political leaders, ensuring the federal government retains institutional knowledge, and that policymakers have the information they need to make decisions based in science.
Below is a statement from Dr. Jennifer Jones, the director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS):
Lana Cohen
“Implementing this policy is a dangerous escalation of Trump administration efforts to weaken federal workforce independence, sideline experts and any facts they find politically inconvenient, and undermine scientific integrity across the government.
“Career scientists and technical experts play an essential role in maintaining a healthy democracy by providing independent analysis. Removing protections for these civil servants diminishes their ability to speak candidly about scientific research and findings without fear of political retaliation.
“When scientists fear political consequences for doing their jobs, communities lose access to the best available evidence to protect their environment, health and safety.”
UCS will continue tracking these developments as they unfold.