Office of Public Policy Introduction

The methods of the sciences are being challenged culturally in the United States today as never before. Despite the success of scientific naturalism in providing us with unparalleled benefits, religious fundamentalists and some postmodernists seek to inhibit free inquiry and to misrepresent the tested conclusions of scientific naturalism. This is a highly charged political issue-both science and secularism are under attack. While a number of organizations lobby and work to defend science politically, so far, no organization has worked to defend scientific naturalism more generally, in all important areas of human endeavor.

Because the Center for Inquiry is the only organization broadly defending and promoting science, reason, and secular humanism, with an agenda entirely built upon the success of scientific naturalism, we are well positioned to enter the public policy arena. Washington, D.C., is now the central arena where these debates are occurring, and we must be at front and center, defending science, reason, and secularism where the debate is most charged. We have been leading advocates in these areas and have assembled a wide network of experts who can address the public-policy issues related to our agenda. We plan to bring that network and expertise to the nation's capital. We are the world's foremost think tank of scientific naturalism and must address its defense where attacks have been most destructive and visible: in U.S. law and public policy.

The Center for Inquiry's Office of Public Policy will seek to develop relationships with legislators in D.C. and will bring its experts to testify in legislative hearings. We will submit white papers, solicited from our network of fellows and scientists, and work with legislators who care about science and reason to effect legislative responses to attacks on secular values. We will be positioned in D.C. to provide rapid response via public statements, press conferences, and action alerts directed at public policy. The Office of Public Policy will serve as liaison to our nation's government and friendly legislators, to see that every available means is used to defend and promote science, reason, and free inquiry. The Office of Public Policy also will delve into upcoming legislation, undertake appropriate research on bills that relate to our agenda, and coordinate press, legal, and scholarly responses to legislation. We will maintain an office in D.C. as a branch of the Center for Inquiry, out of which programming and public-policy initiatives will be implemented through both local and national support.

Our goals are to:

  • Identify sympathetic legislators and begin forging relationships with them;
  • Provide experts to give testimony in congress;
  • Work on language in upcoming bills related to the above issues;
  • Hold nationally televised press conferences on breaking issues;
  • Submit amicus briefs in relevant Supreme Court cases.