[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2014 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2014

 To demonstrate a commitment to our Nation's scientists by increasing 
      opportunities for the development of our next generation of 
                              researchers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 9, 2015

  Ms. Baldwin (for herself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To demonstrate a commitment to our Nation's scientists by increasing 
      opportunities for the development of our next generation of 
                              researchers.

    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 ``Next Generation Researchers Act''.

SEC. 2. INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS.

    Part A of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 404M. NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS.

    ``(a) Next Generation of Researchers Initiative.--There shall be 
established within the Office of the Director of the National 
Institutes of Health, the Next Generation of Researchers Initiative 
(referred to in this section as the `Initiative'), through which the 
Director shall coordinate all policies and programs within the National 
Institutes of Health aimed at promoting and providing opportunities for 
new researchers and earlier research independence.
    ``(b) Activities.--The Director of NIH, through the Initiative 
shall--
            ``(1) promote policies and programs within the National 
        Institutes of Health that are aimed at improving opportunities 
        for new researchers and promoting earlier research 
        independence, including existing policies and programs such as 
        the Pathway to Independence Award, the NIH Director's New 
        Innovator Award, the Early Independence Award, and Early-Stage 
        Investigator grant review procedures;
            ``(2) develop, modify, or accelerate policies, as needed, 
        within the National Institutes of Health to promote 
        opportunities for new researchers and earlier research 
        independence, including policies to enhance training 
        opportunities for research-related career options, strengthen 
        mentorship programs between new and veteran researchers, 
        enhance workforce diversity efforts, and help to improve new 
        researchers' success in obtaining renewal funding;
            ``(3) coordinate with appropriate agencies and academic 
        institutions to develop systems to enhance workforce data for 
        biomedical postdoctoral researchers and students to help 
        improve tracking of trainees and career progress; and
            ``(4) carry out other activities, as appropriate, to 
        promote the development of the next generation of researchers 
        and earlier research independence.
    ``(c) Study and Report.--
            ``(1) Study.--The Director of NIH shall request the 
        National Academy of Sciences, as part of the studies conducted 
        under section 489, to conduct a comprehensive study on policies 
        affecting the next generation of researchers in the United 
        States. Such study shall include an evaluation of, and 
        strategies to address, the legislative, administrative, 
        educational, and cultural barriers to providing for a 
        successful next generation of researchers and to promote 
        earlier research independence.
            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
        enactment of the Next Generation Researchers Act, the National 
        Academy of Sciences shall submit to the Director, the Committee 
        on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and 
        Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives, a report concerning the results of the study 
        conducted under paragraph (1). Such report shall include--
                    ``(A) an evaluation of the legislative, 
                administrative, educational, and cultural barriers 
                faced by the next generation of researchers;
                    ``(B) an evaluation of the impact of sequestration 
                resulting from the Budget Control Act of 2011 (Public 
                Law 112-25) and Federal budget constraints on the next 
                generation of researchers; and
                    ``(C) recommendations for the implementation of 
                policies to incentivize, improve entry into, and 
                sustain careers in research for the next generation of 
                researchers and to promote earlier research 
                independence, including proposed policies for agencies 
                and academic institutions.''.
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