Stand Up for Science Calls for Protection of Truth, Public Health & Experts Like Dr. Fauci in New Petition to Congress

Petition urges Congress to rescind contempt charges; calls charges an effort to destroy trust in public health policy

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, August 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Today, Stand Up for Science is calling on Congress to rescind Dr. Anthony Fauci’s contempt charge, and demanding that Congress defend scientific experts across the country. The petition urges Congress to “immediately rescind the contempt resolution referral to the Justice Department,” and to “stand up for science, public health, and civil servants in the country.”

The statements were outlined in a public petition signed by more than 5,700 signers so far, and published on Stand Up for Science’s website. The petition calls out the Senate Republicans’ public smear campaign, warning that their efforts to villainize public health experts is a tactic that makes us more vulnerable for the next public health crisis.

“Senate Republicans are dredging up COVID lies and trying to capitalize on a six-year-old grudge against face masks to rile up their shrinking voter base ahead of the midterms. They’re obsessing over pinning a worldwide pandemic on one person to distract from their own unpopularity and failings. None of this keeps us safer or helps us be more prepared,” said Dr. Colette Delawalla, Founder and CEO of Stand Up for Science.

“This attack on Dr. Fauci is an attack on all public health experts and science itself — he’s a proxy in this administration’s war on science. Dr. Fauci exercised his constitutional rights to protect himself from a hearing held in bad faith. Now with Todd Blanche’s nomination to lead the DOJ, we’re surely going to see more bad faith efforts to destroy science and expertise,” Delawalla added.

Stand Up for Science published the petition on its website on Friday and is continuing to invite the public to add their names in support of science, truth, and evidence-based decision-making.

The petition comes in the aftermath of the August 6 vote by the Senate Republicans on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress for pleading the fifth amendment during his recent congressional hearing. The Senate panel referred the contempt resolution to the Justice Department without the full Senate vote, a move that bypasses the usual procedures.

Delawalla is available for comment.

###

Stand Up for Science is a grassroots, Washington, D.C. based, 501(c)(4) non-profit organization mobilizing the fight for science and democracy. Stand Up for Science was formed in February 2025 in response to actions affecting federal science agencies and funding of the American scientific ecosystem. On March 7th, Stand Up For Science mobilized over 50,000 people at 170+ events across the world on its first National Day of Action. Federal scientists across multiple agencies (NIH, EPA, NASA, FEMA) have chosen Stand Up for Science as the platform to publish their open letters of concern.

Char Bowling
Stand Up for Science
media@standupforscience.net
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Bluesky
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
Other