Dear Acting Inspector General Cross:
As a senior member of the United States Senate and as Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance (Committee), it is my duty under the Constitution to conduct oversight into the actions of the executive branch, including the activities of the National Science Foundation (NSF). In this capacity, I must ensure that the NSF properly fulfills its mission to strengthen scientific and engineering research, and makes responsible use of the public funding provided for these research disciplines.
Last November, I sent a letter to Director of the NSF inquiring about the apparent lack of oversight regarding the almost $6 billion in annual grants distributed by the NSF.[1] In particular,
I apprised the Director of a radio show called “The Infinite Mind." This show was funded by the NSF and was pulled off the air by National Public Radio after it was discovered that the show’s host had numerous conflicts of interest that had not been disclosed. For instance, during several years that the program was running, the host of the show received almost $1.3 million in speaking fees and honoraria for giving over 480 talks for GlaxoSmithKline. I have attached a copy of that letter.
In response, the NSF informed me that the company that produced the radio show,
Lichtenstein Media, had received a grant of $573,112 in 1999.[2] According to the NSF,
Lichtenstein Media was required to implement and enforce a written policy that was consistent with NSF requirements. Further, Lichtenstein Media was required to “disclose the NSF conflicts that cannot be satisfactorily managed, reduced or eliminated by the award." The NSF also stated that “an audit of the award by the Office of the Inspector General would confirm the awardee’s conflicts of interest policies."
This one example has me concerned that there may be more widespread problems regarding the oversight of the NSF extramural grant program. For instance, last January the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services uncovered problems with the Department’s oversight of financial conflicts of interest for extramural grants from the National Institutes of Health.[3] I am concerned that similar problems exist at the NSF.
Accordingly, I ask that you conduct an audit of the NSF extramural grants similar to that performed by the HHS IG. As with the prior audit, I ask that you examine, at a minimum, the following two issues:
1. Determine the number and nature of financial conflicts of interest reported by the grantee institutions to NSF.
2. Determine the extent to which the NSF oversees financial conflicts of interest of grantee institutions, primary investigators, and other senior investigators and how it manages those conflicts.
Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley Ranking Member
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[1] Letter from Senator Charles E. Grassley, Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee to Dr. Arden L. Bement Jr., Director, National Science Foundation, dated Nov. 19, 2008.
[2] Letter from Dr. Arden L. Bement, Director, National Science Foundation to Senator Grassley, dated December
12, 2008.
[3] Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, “National Institutes of Health:
Conflicts of Interest in the Extramural Research," January 2008.
