Discuss “Our best scientists should not be censored”

“Good science cannot long persist in an atmosphere of intimidation.”

These words were written in a letter from Representative Sherwood Boehlert (R–NY) to NASA administrator Michael Griffin, and should serve as a strict warning. Boehlert, the chairman of the House Science Committee, sent the letter to the aerospace administration’s head last week, criticizing the agency for attempting to censor its top climatologist, James Hansen.

Hansen, who has a long history of speaking out about global warming, gave a lecture last month about the growing importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Shortly after the lecture, NASA administrators ordered all his future lectures and publications to be “reviewed” before going public. The implication,...