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

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 410
114th CONGRESS
  2d 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, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Alexander) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

                             April 4, 2016

              Reported by Mr. Alexander, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Next Generation Researchers 
Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF 
              RESEARCHERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    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:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 404M. NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Activities.--The Director of NIH, through the 
Initiative shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(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;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(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;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(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</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) carry out other activities, as appropriate, 
        to promote the development of the next generation of 
        researchers and earlier research independence.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Study and Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(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.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(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--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) an evaluation of the legislative, 
                administrative, educational, and cultural barriers 
                faced by the next generation of researchers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(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</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(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.''.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Next Generation Researchers Act''.

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

    (a) In General.--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 that are focused on promoting and providing 
opportunities for new researchers and earlier research independence.
    ``(b) Activities.--The Director of the National Institutes of 
Health, through the Initiative shall--
            ``(1) promote policies and programs within the National 
        Institutes of Health that are focused on improving 
        opportunities for new researchers and promoting earlier 
        research independence, including existing policies and 
        programs, as appropriate;
            ``(2) develop, modify, or prioritize policies, as needed, 
        within the National Institutes of Health to promote 
        opportunities for new researchers and earlier research 
        independence, such as policies to increase opportunities for 
        new researchers to receive funding, enhance training and 
        mentorship programs for researchers, and enhance workforce 
        diversity;
            ``(3) coordinate, as appropriate, with relevant agencies, 
        professional and academic associations, academic institutions, 
        and others, to improve and update existing information on the 
        biomedical research workforce in order to inform programs 
        related to the training, recruitment, and retention of 
        biomedical researchers; and
            ``(4) carry out other activities, including evaluation and 
        oversight of existing programs, as appropriate, to promote the 
        development of the next generation of researchers and earlier 
        research independence.''.
    (b) National Academy of Sciences Recommendations.--In carrying out 
activities under section 404M(b) of the Public Health Service Act, the 
Director of the National Institutes of Health shall take into 
consideration the recommendations made by the National Academies of 
Sciences as part of the comprehensive study on policies affecting the 
next generation of researchers under the Department of Health and Human 
Services Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law No. 114-113), and submit 
a report to 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, with respect to any actions taken by the National 
Institutes of Health based on the recommendations not later than 2 
years after the completion of the study required pursuant to such 
Public Law No. 114-113.

SEC. 3. INTRAMURAL AND EXTRAMURAL LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS.

    (a) Intramural Loan Repayment Program.--Section 487A of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288-1) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``for research with 
        respect to acquired immune deficiency syndrome'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``The Secretary shall carry out a 
                program'' and inserting ``The Director of NIH shall, as 
                appropriate and based on workforce and scientific 
                priorities, carry out a program through the 
                subcategories listed in subsection (b)(1) (or modified 
                subcategories as provided for in subsection (b)(2))'';
                    (B) by striking ``conduct'' and inserting ``conduct 
                research'';
                    (C) by striking ``research with respect to acquired 
                immune deficiency syndrome''; and
                    (D) by striking ``$35,000'' and inserting 
                ``$50,000'';
            (3) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (d);
            (4) by inserting after subsection (a), the following:
    ``(b) Subcategories of Research.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program under 
        subsection (a), the Director of NIH--
                    ``(A) shall continue to focus on--
                            ``(i) general research;
                            ``(ii) research on acquired immune 
                        deficiency syndrome; and
                            ``(iii) clinical research conducted by 
                        appropriately qualified health professional who 
                        are from disadvantaged backgrounds; and
                    ``(B) may focus on an area of emerging scientific 
                or workforce need.
            ``(2) Elimination or establishment of subcategories.--The 
        Director of NIH may eliminate one or more subcategories 
        provided for in paragraph (1) due to changes in workforce or 
        scientific needs related to biomedical research. The Director 
        may establish other subcategory areas based on workforce and 
        scientific priorities if the total number of subcategories does 
        not exceed the number of subcategories listed in paragraph (1).
    ``(c) Limitation.--The Director of NIH may not enter into contract 
with a health professional pursuant to subsection (a) unless such 
professional has a substantial amount of education loans relative to 
income (as determined pursuant to guidelines issued by the 
Director).''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Availability of Appropriations.--Amounts available for 
carrying out this section shall remain available until the expiration 
of the second fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year for which 
such amounts are made available.''.
    (b) Extramural Loan Repayment Program.--Section 487B of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288-2) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``for research with 
        respect to contraception and infertility'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``The Secretary, in consultation 
                with the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver 
                National Institute of Child Health and Human 
                Development, shall establish a program'' and inserting 
                ``In General.--The Director of the NIH shall, as 
                appropriate and based on workforce and scientific 
                priorities, carry out a program through the 
                subcategories listed in subsection (b)(1) (or modified 
                subcategories as provided for in subsection (b)(2)),'';
                    (B) by striking ``(including graduate students)'';
                    (C) by striking ``with respect to contraception, or 
                with respect to infertility,''; and
                    (D) by striking ``service, not more than $35,000'' 
                and inserting ``research, not more than $50,000'';
            (3) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections 
        (d) and (e), respectively;
            (4) by inserting after subsection (a), the following:
    ``(b) Subcategories of Research.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program under 
        subsection (a), the Director of NIH--
                    ``(A) shall continue to focus on--
                            ``(i) contraception or infertility 
                        research;
                            ``(ii) pediatric research;
                            ``(iii) minority health disparities 
                        research;
                            ``(iv) clinical research; and
                            ``(v) clinical research conducted by 
                        appropriately qualified health professional who 
                        are from disadvantaged backgrounds; and
                    ``(B) may focus on an area of emerging scientific 
                or workforce need.
            ``(2) Elimination or establishment of subcategories.--The 
        Director of NIH may eliminate one or more subcategories 
        provided for in paragraph (1) due to changes in workforce or 
        scientific needs related to biomedical research. The Director 
        may establish other subcategory areas based on workforce and 
        scientific priorities if the total number of subcategories does 
        not exceed the number of subcategories listed in paragraph (1).
    ``(c) Limitation.--The Director of NIH may not enter into contract 
with a health professional pursuant to subsection (a) unless such 
professional has a substantial amount of education loans relative to 
income (as determined pursuant to guidelines issued by the 
Director).'';
            (5) in subsection (d) (as so redesignated), by striking 
        ``The provisions'' and inserting ``Applicability of Certain 
        Provisions Regarding Obligated Service.--The provisions''; and
            (6) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated), by striking 
        ``Amounts'' and inserting ``Availability of Appropriations.--
        Amounts''.
    (c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--Title IV of the Public 
Health Service Act is amended--
            (1) by striking section 464z-5 (42 U.S.C. 285t-2);
            (2) by striking section 487C (42 U.S.C. 288-3);
            (3) by striking section 487E (42 U.S.C. 288-5); and
            (4) by striking section 487F (42 U.S.C. 288-5a).
    (d) GAO Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the National 
Institutes of Health to attract, retain, and develop emerging 
scientists, including underrepresented individuals in the sciences, 
such as women and other groups. Such report shall include an analysis 
of the impact of the additional authority provided to the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services under this Act to address workforce shortages 
and gaps in priority research areas, including which centers and 
research areas offered loan repayment program participants the 
increased award amount.
                                                       Calendar No. 410

114th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2014

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                             April 4, 2016

                       Reported with an amendment