HR3054-119

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Relieving Economic Strain to Enhance American Resilience and Competitiveness in Higher Education and Research Act or the RESEARCHER Act.

2. Policy guidelines for Federal research agencies to address financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers In this section: 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). The term graduate researchers means individuals enrolled in a degree program leading to an advanced degree who receive stipends or other compensation to conduct research in any discipline at an institution of higher education that is a recipient of Federal funding. 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. 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 Education, PCAST, institutions of higher education, graduate and postdoctoral organizations, and other relevant stakeholders, shall develop a consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research agencies to address financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers. In developing the policy guidelines under paragraph (1), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall include guidelines that address, to the extent practicable, the following: Opportunities to increase stipends for graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers, including indexing based on location. Increasing stipends for postdoctoral researchers conducting research in rural or underserved areas, or in States eligible to receive funding from the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research under section 113 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1862g), to support the recruitment and retention of researchers in such regions. Opportunities to increase access to quality, affordable medical, dental, and vision care. Opportunities to increase access to affordable housing and transportation. Opportunities to reduce food insecurity. Opportunities to address costs of caring for family members, including child care. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall encourage and monitor efforts of Federal research agencies to develop and implement policies based on the policy guidelines under paragraph (1). Not later than six months after receiving the policy guidelines under paragraph (1), the head of each Federal research agency shall— develop and implement policies with respect to financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers that are consistent with such policy guidelines; and broadly disseminate such policies to current and potential recipients of research and development awards made by such agency. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall update the policy guidelines under paragraph (1) as the Director determines necessary. Not later than one year after the date after the policy guidelines under paragraph (1) are developed and every five years thereafter, 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: Such policy guidelines. Progress on the implementation of such guidelines by Federal research agencies. The Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of Public Law 117–167) is amended— in section 10314(b) (42 U.S.C. 18994)— in paragraph (2)— in subparagraph (D), by striking and after the semicolon; by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); and by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph: graduate researcher and postdoctoral researcher stipend amounts and financial instability (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics); and by adding at the end the following new paragraph: In this subsection: 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). The term graduate researchers means individuals enrolled in a degree program leading to an advanced degree who receive stipends or other compensation to conduct research in any discipline at an institution of higher education that is a recipient of Federal funding. 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. in paragraph (1) of section 10502(a) (42 U.S.C. 19152(a)), by inserting graduate and postdoctoral research stipend amounts (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics), before and awarded budget. The Director of the National Science Foundation shall make awards, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions or organizations) to collect and analyze data on financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics). Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to undertake a study and issue a report on the status of financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers. To the extent feasible, the study shall include an assessment (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics) at a minimum of the immediately preceding five years of the following: Stipends relative to average local medical, dental, and vision expenses. Stipends relative to average local housing and transportation costs. Stipends relative to average local food costs. Stipends relative to average local costs of caring for family members, including child care costs. Not later than two years after the date on which the agreement between the Director of the National Science Foundation and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is entered into pursuant to paragraph (1), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall submit to 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 the results of the assessment under such paragraph and recommendations relating thereto regarding how Federal agencies, Congress, institutions of higher education, and other relevant entities may address financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers. 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— assesses the degree to which Federal research agencies have implemented the policy guidelines under subsection (b) and the effectiveness of such implementation; includes recommendations on potential changes to practices and policies to improve such guidelines and such implementation; and includes recommendations on additional data collection and research needed to monitor progress on reducing financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers. (E)graduate researcher and postdoctoral researcher stipend amounts and financial instability (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics); and; and (5)DefinitionsIn this subsection:(A)Institution of higher educationThe 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).(B)Graduate researchersThe term graduate researchers means individuals enrolled in a degree program leading to an advanced degree who receive stipends or other compensation to conduct research in any discipline at an institution of higher education that is a recipient of Federal funding.(C)Postdoctoral researchersThe 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. ; and