The Scientist today is reporting about Smithsonian officials’ campaign of discrimination and harassment of evolutionary biologist Richard Sternberg and the Congressional recommendation of more protection for scientist’s free speech rights.

In a welcome turn of events, Ted Agres reports accurately and fairly:

The Congressional report, prepared by the staff of Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), chairman of the Government Reform subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources and released Dec. 11, supports Sternberg’s claims that NMNH supervisors investigated his political and religious beliefs, sought to discredit him, and aimed to force his removal as an RA by creating a “hostile work environment” after the article was published.

The story also mentions the report’s recommendation that legislation should be considered to protect government scientists’ freedom of speech. “While the majority of scientists embrace Darwinian theory, it is important that neither Federal funds nor Federal power be used to punish or retaliate against otherwise qualified scientists merely because they dissent from the majority view,” the report states. As we’ve reported, federal scientists who question Darwinian evolution apparently can’t expect fair and equal treatment from government institutions. (For more about academic freedom, go here.)