In academia, research does not count towards professional reputation unless it is published in a "peer reviewed" journal. The Internet is undermining the business model of the "peer reviewed" journals. They can copyright their edited and formatted copy of the scientist's research report, but the original report is the property of the United States which financed the research.
I understand that. I meant it is even more ridiculous that the journals have done nothing to earn the right to claim ownership of the research. They did not even pay the researcher for the right to print it. They have no leg to stand on in their claim other than, “That’s the way it has always been done.”