WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today sent a letter to President Biden urging him to nominate immediately a qualified professional with proven leadership abilities to be the next Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). After multiple public reports regarding a harmful workplace environment at the OSTP and an internal White House Investigation that verified many of the accusations, the letter addresses the urgent need for a new director to manage the concerns of misconduct and retaliation by the former Director and others at the senior management level.

This letter follows a previous bipartisan letter sent on April 1 to President Biden from the leadership of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation requesting he quickly fill the OSTP leadership gap. 

“Until this post is filled, OSTP’s leadership will be encumbered by the lingering allegations of misconduct against Dr. Lander and the senior leadership that still remains at OSTP,” Wicker wrote. “If the White House cannot maintain its policies within its own walls, federal employees are unlikely to believe that policies regarding workplace behavior will protect them. It is my hope that you will promptly nominate strong and accountable leadership for OSTP.”

Read the letter here or below.

Dear President Biden: 

On April 1, 2022, the leadership of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (the Committee) sent a bipartisan letter to you emphasizing the need for a qualified nominee to fill the open Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (“OSTP”) position.  Unfortunately, that letter has not received a response, nor has a nominee for this Cabinet level position been received by the Senate for consideration. OSTP is critical to maintaining American competitiveness across numerous science and technology sectors. It is important that OSTP have a director who can ensure America is a leader in these areas. To that end, I write separately to further urge you to nominate an individual with a proven history of strong leadership to be Director of OSTP. Until this post is filled, OSTP’s leadership will be encumbered by the lingering allegations of misconduct against Dr. Lander and the senior leadership that still remains at OSTP. As I have stated previously, I stand ready to work with you and Chair Cantwell to ensure that the important mission of OSTP and its dedicated public servants are protected.

At the beginning of your Administration, you pledged to ensure a safe working environment for federal employees. For well over a year at OSTP, former Director Lander violated the White House’s internal safe and respectful workplace policy. After being informed by whistleblowers, your Administration ignored Dr. Lander’s conduct and chose not to enforce your policies. Instead, the White House Counsel’s office simply “closed” the matter on October 26, 2021. On January 28, 2022, the White House Office of Management and Administration finally admitted that former Director Lander violated the Safe and Respectful Workplace Policy, however, your Administration chose not to act.

Additionally, my Committee staff continues to receive reports of a toxic work environment at OSTP. Director Lander cultivated a destructive work environment for well over a year, with reports detailing consistent bullying and harassment predating his confirmation as director. If the White House cannot maintain its policies within its own walls, federal employees are unlikely to believe that policies regarding workplace behavior will protect them.

It is my hope that you will promptly nominate strong and accountable leadership for OSTP. I stand prepared to work with you and Chair Cantwell to efficiently process this nominee and ensure the mission and people of OSTP are protected.