In February 2013, the US Office of Science and Technology Policy issued a memorandum to federal departments and agencies directing those that contribute more than $100 million annually to research to develop a plan for increasing public access to study findings. Data generated by federally funded research should be made "publicly accessible to search, retrieve, and analyze," the letter read. The Fair Access to Science and Technology Research (FASTR) Act, introduced to Congress the same month, aims to codify the mandate. The European Commission has similarly recommended, and announced that it would soon require, that its member states pass policies to ensure the digital accessibility of research data supported by public funds.
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