[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 211 (Monday, December 14, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7469-S7470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ADVANCING RESEARCH TO PREVENT SUICIDE ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be discharged from 
further consideration of H.R. 4704 and the Senate proceed to its 
immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 4704) to direct the Director of the National 
     Science Foundation to support multidisciplinary research on 
     the science of suicide, and to advance the knowledge and 
     understanding of issues that may be associated with several 
     aspects of suicide including intrinsic and extrinsic factors 
     related to areas such as wellbeing, resilience, and 
     vulnerability.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the Wicker amendment at 
the desk be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a 
third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered 
made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 2706), in the nature of a substitute, was agreed 
to, as follows

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing Research to 
     Prevent Suicide Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The rate of Americans dying by suicide is on the rise, 
     increasing 10.7 to 14.0 deaths per 100,000 people from 2001 
     to 2017.
       (2) Suicide is the tenth-leading cause of death among 
     people in the United States and the second-leading cause of 
     death for young people between the ages of 15 and 34.

[[Page S7470]]

       (3) The National Science Foundation funds research that is 
     improving our basic understanding of factors with potential 
     relevance to suicide, including potential relevance to 
     prevention and treatment.
       (4) Despite progress in mental health research, current 
     gaps exist in scientific understanding and basic knowledge of 
     human neural, genetic, cognitive, perceptual, behavioral, 
     social, and environmental factors with potential relevance to 
     suicide.

     SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RESEARCH.

       (a) In General.--The Director of the National Science 
     Foundation, in consultation with the Director of the National 
     Institutes of Health and the Director of the National 
     Institute of Mental Health and taking into consideration 
     prioritized research agendas or strategic plans, as 
     appropriate, shall, subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, award grants on a competitive, merit-reviewed 
     basis to institutions of higher education (or consortia of 
     such institutions) to support multidisciplinary, fundamental 
     research with potential relevance to suicide, including 
     potential relevance to prevention and treatment, including, 
     but not limited to--
       (1) basic understanding of human social behavior;
       (2) the neural basis of human cognition;
       (3) basic understanding of cognitive, linguistic, social, 
     cultural, and biological processes related to human 
     development across the lifespan;
       (4) basic understanding of perceptual, motor, and cognitive 
     processes, and their interaction, in typical human behavior; 
     and
       (5) basic understanding of the relevance of drug and 
     alcohol abuse.
       (b) Encouraging Applications From Early Career 
     Researchers.--To promote the development of early career 
     researchers, in awarding funds under subsection (a), the 
     Director of the National Science Foundation shall encourage 
     applications submitted by early career researchers, including 
     doctoral students or postdoctoral researchers.

  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill was read the third time.
  The bill (H.R. 4704), as amended, was passed.

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