Policy Statements

AAAS articulates positions on critical science-related issues in statements from the Board of Directors and Council, in letters to Congress and other public bodies, and in newspaper commentaries. Below are some recent policy statements. Or see a full list of resolutions and statements by the AAAS Board, dating back to 1848.

• “AAAS Opposes Oklahoma’s Controversial Science Education Bill ” [26 March 2012]

• “AAAS Reaffirms Strong Opposition to Tennessee’s Controversial ‘Monkey Bills’ ” [21 March 2012]

• Letter from Alan I. Leshner to appropriations leaders in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. [8 November 2011]

• Letter from AAAS and other leading scientific organizations to the Deficit Committee. [28 October 2011]

• Letter to Dr. Jane Lubchenco, NOAA Administrator [10 August 2011]

• Consortium Warns Against Clear-Cutting Selected Science Budgets [11 July 2011]

• Statement of the Board of Directors of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Regarding Personal Attacks on Climate Scientists [29 June 2011]

• “ AAAS to School Officials: Climate Change is Real” [6 June 2011]

• AAAS Comments on Petition before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Nuclear Proliferation Assessments [4 March 2011]

• Multisociety Letter on Export Controls [8 February 2011]

• “Fix Science Education Now” [21 October 2010]

• “Coburn-McCain report goes too far” [25 August 2010]

• “AAAS Comments Regarding a Proposed U.S. National Institute of Health Rule on Promoting Objectivity in Research” [20 July 2010]

• “The United States, Europe and the Globalization of Science” [1 July 2010]

• “AAAS Protests Charges Against Scientists Who Failed to Predict Earthquake” [29 June 2010]

• “Science, Religion and Civil Dialogue” [16 June 2010]

• “Leshner: Probe Is Beyond Bounds of Appropriate Oversight” [24 May 2010]

• “Statement of the AAAS Board Of Directors Concerning the Virginia Attorney General‘s Investigation of Prof. Michael Mann‘s Work While on the Faculty of University of Virginia” [18 May 2010]

• “Statement of the AAAS Board of Directors On the Human Rights to the Benefits of Scientific Progress” [16 April 2010]

• “More Opportunities Needed for U.S. Researchers to Work With Their Foreign Counterparts” [9 February 2010]

• “Don't let the climate doubters fool you” [9 December 2009]

• “AAAS Reaffirms Statement on Climate Change” [4 December 2009]

• Letter on WMD Preparedness and Prevention ACT of 2009 [2 November 2009]

• “Letter to Members of the U.S. Senate by AAAS and 17 Other U.S. Scientific Organizations” [21 October 2009]

• “Reaffirmation of Commitment to Scientific Peer Review” [20 October 2009]

• “Adopt National Standards to Help Children Compete” [10 June 2009]

• “AAAS Response to Draft NIH Human Stem Cell Research Guidelines” [20 May 2009]

• Statement of the AAAS Board of Directors on the Great Ape Protection Act [25 April 2009]

• “Building an International Network of Knowledge” [January 2009]

• “A Wake-up Call for Science Education” [12 January 2009]

• Letter from AAAS CEO Dr. Alan I. Leshner to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal [20 June 2008]

• Letter from AAAS CEO Dr. Alan I. Leshner to Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry [20 June 2008]

• Letter from AAAS CEO Dr. Alan I. Leshner to Louisiana's Speaker of the House [10 June 2008]

• “'Academic Freedom' Bill Dangerous Distraction" [28 May 2008]
  [Read this as a PDF document or from ShreveportTimes.com]

• Letter from AAAS CEO Dr. Alan I. Leshner to Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry [14 May 2008]

• “Anti-Science Law Threatens Tech Jobs of Future” [6 May 2008]

• “Statement of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Regarding the Importance of the Integrity of Science as Depicted in Film” [18 April 2008]

• “Standing in the Way of Stem Cell Research” [3 December 2007]

• “AAAS Board Statement Deploring Intimidation of Scientists Who Use Animals in Their Research” [28 November 2007]

• “American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Statement Regarding the President‘s Veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and the New Executive Order” [20 June 2007]

• “AAAS Declares Its Opposition to the UK University and College Union Motion Urging Support for 'an International Boycott of all Israeli Academic Institutions'” [6 June 2007]

• “AAAS Board Statement on The Crisis in Earth Observation from Space” [28 April 2007]

• AAAS Board Releases New Statement on Climate Change [18 February 2007; statement approved by the board on 9 December 2006]

• "Building Science, Building Trust" [8 January 2007]

• "Critical Analysis"—or Critical Deception? [13 September 2006]

• AAAS Letter to Congressional Leaders Urges Passage of 2007 Spending Bills [20 December 2006]

• "Science and Public Engagement" [12 October 2006]

• "Time to Get Serious About Climate Change" [1 August 2006]

• "No Conflict Between Science and Religion" [31 July 2006]

• Balancing Values in the Stem Cell Debate [18 July 2006]

• AAAS Urges Defeat of Oklahoma Measure [22 March 2006]

• AAAS Condemns British Group's Proposed Academic Boycott of Israel [26 February 2006]

• AAAS Denounces Anti-Evolution Laws as Hundreds of K-12 Teachers Convene for 'Front Line' Event [19 February 2006]

• AAAS Board Recommendations for Enhancing the U.S. Visa System to Advance America's Scientific and Economic Competitiveness and National Security Interests [18 May 2005]