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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10374 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10374
To require the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
to develop a consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research
agencies to address mental health and mentoring of graduate researchers
and postdoctoral researchers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 11, 2024
Mr. Tonko (for himself and Ms. McClellan) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
to develop a consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research
agencies to address mental health and mentoring of graduate researchers
and postdoctoral researchers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Mental health Enhancement,
Navigation, and Treatment for Our Researchers Act of 2024'' or the
``MENTOR Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. POLICY GUIDELINES FOR FEDERAL RESEARCH AGENCIES TO ADDRESS
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AMONG GRADUATE RESEARCHERS AND
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS.
(a) Definition.--In this section:
(1) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(2) Graduate researchers.--The term ``graduate
researchers'' means individuals enrolled in a degree program
leading to an advanced degree who conduct research or teach in
any discipline at an institution of higher education that is a
recipient of Federal funding.
(3) Postdoctoral researchers.--The term ``postdoctoral
researchers'' means individuals in training-focused positions
who have received a doctoral degree or equivalent and receive
stipends or other compensation to conduct research in any
discipline at an institution of higher education that is a
recipient of Federal funding.
(4) Principal investigator.--The term ``principal
investigator'' means an individual who is a project or proposal
leader with respect to a research grant at an institution of
higher education that is a recipient of Federal funding.
(5) Federal research agency.--The term ``Federal research
agency'' has the meaning given such term in section 223(d)(4)
of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (42 U.S.C. 6605(d)(4)).
(b) Office of Science and Technology Policy Guidelines.--
(1) In general.--Not later than six months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the
National Science and Technology Council, the Committee on STEM,
the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
(PCAST), institutions of higher education, graduate researchers
and postdoctoral researchers, principal investigators from
across career stages, labor representatives, mental health
experts, and other relevant stakeholders, shall develop a
consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research
agencies to address mentoring and mental wellness of graduate
researchers and postdoctoral researchers, including by
providing Federal research agencies with additional reports to
inform grant awards.
(2) Considerations.--In developing the policy guidelines
under paragraph (1), the Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy shall include guidelines that--
(A) define what behaviors constitute bullying and
harassment at institutions of higher education to build
consistency among Federal research agencies'
definitions relating thereto;
(B) develop an operational definition of mentorship
for use at institutions of higher education;
(C) address opportunities to discourage and
mitigate problematic behavior and negative mentorship
experiences, including through--
(i) requiring institutions of higher
education to submit to Federal research
agencies annual reports on incidents of
bullying and harassment;
(ii) requiring Federal research agencies to
implement standardized mechanisms for graduate
researchers and postdoctoral researchers to
safely and confidentially report to such
agencies incidents of bullying or harassment or
negative mentorship experiences; and
(iii) requiring Federal research agencies
to implement accountability systems that can be
imposed if a principal investigator or senior
grant personnel is found responsible for
harassment, bullying, or other behaviors that
could contribute to poor mental wellness;
(D) address opportunities to strengthen mentor-
mentee relationships, including by--
(i) requiring principal investigators to
submit mentoring plans that are aligned with
best practices with any grant applications to
Federal research agencies that may be used to
support research conducted by graduate
researchers or postdoctoral researchers;
(ii) requiring principal investigators to
submit a list of public and guaranteed benefits
for all graduate researchers and postdoctoral
researchers with funding applications to
Federal research agencies, including salary
levels, leave policies, and health care
options, including mental health;
(iii) requiring institutions of higher
education receiving funding from Federal
research agencies to describe their mentorship
systems, including any systems in place to
incentivize and reward effective mentorship and
methods in place to evaluate mentorship and any
systems to discourage inadequate mentorship;
(iv) requiring Federal research agencies to
incorporate evaluation of a principal
investigator's recent service and mentorship
contributions into funding determinations,
taking into account relative institutional
support and time in position;
(v) requiring Federal research agencies to
include explicit funds for mentoring activities
within research grants, including for mentor
training programs, and professional development
opportunities;
(vi) making public recommendations for
process and outcome measures that can be used
to evaluate mentorship progress and a principal
investigator's continued learning, competency,
and implementation of effective and inclusive
mentoring practices within a grant-funded
project; and
(vii) making recommendations to Federal
research agencies and institutions of higher
education to help reduce administrative burdens
on principal investigators to increase time for
developing and implementing effective and
inclusive mentoring practices; and
(E) address opportunities to improve the mental
wellbeing of graduate researchers and postdoctoral
researchers, including by--
(i) requiring institutions of higher
education receiving funding from Federal
research agencies to report to such agencies
methods to provide support for international
graduate researchers and international
postdoctoral researchers;
(ii) requiring institutions of higher
education receiving funding from Federal
research agencies to report to such agencies
institutional protections and supports for
graduate researchers and postdoctoral
researchers experiencing mental health problems
and systems for ensuring graduate researchers
and postdoctoral researchers are made aware of
such protections and supports;
(iii) requiring principal investigators and
institutions of higher education receiving
funding from Federal research agencies to
report to such agencies support systems for
underrepresented and minority graduate
researchers and postdoctoral researchers with
grant applications to such agencies;
(iv) requiring Federal research agencies to
provide explicit funding opportunities to cover
permanent research staff salaries;
(v) requiring institutions of higher
education receiving funding Federal research
agencies to ensure access to quality,
affordable physical and mental health care for
graduate researchers and postdoctoral
researchers; and
(vi) making recommendations for Federal
research agencies and institutions of higher
education receiving funding from such agencies
to ensure financial security of graduate
researchers and postdoctoral researchers.
(3) Application.--
(A) In general.--The Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy shall encourage and
monitor efforts of Federal research agencies to
develop, adopt, and implement policies based on the
policy guidelines under paragraph (1).
(B) Consistency.--To the extent practicable, the
policies developed, adopted, and implemented pursuant
to subparagraph (A) shall be consistent with other
relevant standards and laws as determined by the
Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy.
(C) Federal research agency implementation.--Not
later than one year after receiving the policy
guidelines under paragraph (1), the head of each
Federal research agency shall--
(i) develop and implement policies with
respect to the mental health of graduate
researchers and postdoctoral researchers that
are consistent with such policy guidelines; and
(ii) broadly disseminate such policies to
past and current recipients of, and applicants
for, research and development awards made by
such agency.
(4) Updates.--The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy shall update the policy guidelines under
paragraph (1) every five years as new data collected under
subsection (d) is available to provide metrics for evaluation
and best practices.
(5) Report.--Not later than one year after the date after
the guidelines are developed pursuant to paragraph (1) and not
later than one year after each update pursuant to paragraph
(4), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions of the Senate a report containing information
relating to the following:
(A) The policy guidelines under paragraph (1), and
the updates under paragraph (4), as the case may be.
(B) Progress on the implementation of such
guidelines by Federal research agencies.
(d) Data on Mental Health of Graduate Researchers and Postdoctoral
Researchers.--The Director of the National Science Foundation, in
collaboration with the Director of the National Institutes of Health,
shall conduct and publish biennial evaluations of the state of mental
health of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers
(disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics).
(e) GAO Study.--Not later than three years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the Committee on Energy
and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report that--
(1) outlines implemented guidelines under subsection (b)
and analyzes the effectiveness of such guidelines;
(2) includes recommendations on potential changes to
practices and policies to improve such guidelines and such
implementation; and
(3) includes recommendations on additional data collection
and research needed to monitor progress on improving mental
health and wellness of graduate researchers and postdoctoral
researchers.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
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