Comer Demands National Academy of Sciences Turn Over Withheld Documents on Biased Climate Review

Documents obtained suggest the NAS intended to release a biased review to undermine the EPA and support radical climate activists

WASHINGTON-House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is continuing an investigation into the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's (NAS) decision to fast-track a review without authorization from a federal agency of issues related to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rescission of its 2009 Endangerment Finding. Evidence obtained by the Committee suggests NAS designed the review to undermine any final action by EPA and provide radical environmental activists with ammunition for legal challenges and other advocacy against EPA. In a letter to NAS President Neil H. Shubin, Chairman Comer emphasized Congress's authority to review all internal NAS records to ensure the organization, which operates under congressional charter, is fulfilling its mission without bias and demanded that NAS produce documents it continues to withhold from the Committee.

"NAS' haste appears based on a desire to publish a review before public comments were due on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's July 29, 2025, proposal to rescind its 2009 Clean Air Act Endangerment Finding concerning greenhouse gas emissions (Endangerment Finding). The 2009 finding acted as the linchpin of the Obama and Biden Administrations' imposition of immensely burdensome Clean Air Act regulations to implement their ideologically driven climate agenda," wrote Chairman Comer. "NAS has produced nearly 1,500 pages of documents, communications, and records. This evidence suggests NAS intended to prepare and release a biased review to undermine any final EPA action to rescind the Endangerment Finding and provide ammunition to environmental partisans for attacks in the courts and other public discussions. Compounding the Committee's concerns, NAS has refused to produce documents that could further clarify the motives and course of NAS' review. I therefore insist that NAS now produce to the Committee certain withheld documents."

In September 2025, Chairman Comer launched an investigation into NAS' decision to conduct a fast-tracked review of scientific evidence concerning greenhouse gas emissions without a request from a federal agency. Documents obtained indicate NAS predetermined the review's findings, intended to influence Congress and the courts, and sought to keep streams of funding flowing for activist climate research and advocacy. In addition, NAS failed to assure only individuals without conflicts of interest could draft and review the study and failed to publicly disclose the extent of those conflicts.

"NAS is currently refusing to produce to the Committee documents… NAS also is refusing to produce minutes from closed virtual meetings held on August 20 and 25-26, 2025, as well as other documents, claimed to be 'privileged' deliberative documents, containing 'internal communications between National Academies staff regarding their internal evaluation of the study committee members' potential conflicts-of-interest,'" continued Chairman Comer. "Congress, as the body that created and oversees NAS, is entitled to review any and all internal NAS documents to assure NAS is carrying out its deliberations and other activities in manners consistent with Congress' legislative purpose for the NAS and relevant law. It is fundamental to the Committee's legislative purposes to understand the sources of bias, to include any potential conflicts of interest, within NAS studies intended to assist in or influence the development of policy, especially when NAS documents already produced show NAS' work was meant to influence Congress, the Courts and the activities of Executive Branch agencies."

Read the letter to the National Academy of Sciences here.