US Bill calls for free access to tax-funded research

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US Bill calls for free access to tax-funded research

http://www.biomedcentral.com/info/update

The Federal Research Public Access Act, recently introduced to the

US Congress, calls for every federal agency with a budget of more

than $100 million to implement a public access policy to ensure that

articles resulting from the research funded by the agency are made

openly available online within six months of publication.

The legislation would require agencies to:

Require each researcher - funded totally or partially by the agency -

to submit an electronic copy of the final manuscript that has been

accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Ensure the manuscript is preserved in a stable, digital repository

maintained by that agency or in another suitable repository that

permits free public access, interoperability, and long-term

preservation

Require that free, online access to each taxpayer-funded manuscript

be available as soon as possible, and no later than six months after

its publication in a peer-reviewed journal

The Federal Research Public Access Act was introduced into the U.S.

Senate this month by Sen. Cornyn and is co-sponsored by U.S.

Sen. Joe Lieberman. For more information, read Senator Cornyn's

press release.

BioMed Central welcomes the new bill, which reflects increasing

attention from policy makers to the issue of access to the results

of research.