[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 85 (Monday, May 17, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2390-H2392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SUPPORTING EARLY-CAREER RESEARCHERS ACT

  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 144) to forestall the loss of research talent by 
establishing a temporary early career research fellowship program, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 144

       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 ``Supporting Early-Career 
     Researchers Act''.

[[Page H2391]]

  


     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Nation's universities and industrial research labs 
     are facing unprecedented budget pressure as part of the 
     COVID-19 health crisis, resulting in considerably fewer 
     openings for research and teaching positions.
       (2) Emergency funding is needed to forestall the loss of 
     research talent likely to occur if early-career researchers 
     are forced to seek employment outside of research due to the 
     sharp economic decline caused by the COVID-19 health crisis.
       (3) The future of America's defense will rely on advanced 
     technologies to maintain its military superiority over its 
     rivals, including China. These technologies will require new 
     levels of scientific and engineering aptitude and 
     understanding. Early career researchers will play a critical 
     role in the development of these technologies, and the loss 
     of an entire generation of researchers due to the COVID-19 
     pandemic will be detrimental to the United States national 
     security.

     SEC. 3. EARLY-CAREER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Director of the National Science 
     Foundation may establish a 2-year pilot program to award 
     grants to highly qualified early-career investigators to 
     carry out an independent research program at the qualified 
     institution of higher education chosen by such investigator, 
     to last for a period not greater than 2 years.
       (b) Selection Process.--The Director of the National 
     Science Foundation shall select grantees under subsection (a) 
     from among citizens, nationals, and lawfully admitted 
     permanent resident aliens of the United States.
       (c) Outreach.--The Director shall conduct program outreach 
     to recruit fellowship applicants--
       (1) from all regions of the country;
       (2) from historically underrepresented populations in the 
     fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; 
     and
       (3) who graduate from or intend to carry out research at a 
     variety of types of institutions of higher education, 
     including--
       (A) Historically Black Colleges and Universities;
       (B) Hispanic-Serving Institutions;
       (C) Tribal Colleges and Universities; and
       (D) institutions of higher education that are not among the 
     top 50 institutions in annual Federal funding for research.
       (d) Special Consideration.--The Director shall give special 
     consideration to an application from an individual who 
     graduated from or is intending to carry out research at an 
     institution of the type listed in subsection (c)(3).
       (e) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the conclusion of 
     the second year of the pilot program, the Director shall 
     submit a report to Congress that includes--
       (1) statistical summary data on fellowship awardees 
     disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, age, years since 
     completion of doctoral degree, and institution type;
       (2) an assessment, drawing on feedback from the research 
     community and other sources of information, of the 
     effectiveness of the pilot program for mitigating the loss of 
     research talent due to the pandemic; and
       (3) if determined effective, a plan for permanent 
     implementation of the pilot program.
       (f) Qualified Institution of Higher Education Defined.--The 
     term ``qualified institution of higher education'' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher Education 
     of Act of 1965, except that such term does not include an 
     institution described in subsection (a)(1)(C) of such 
     section.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to the Director of 
     the National Science Foundation $250,000,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2021 through 2022 to carry out the activities in 
     this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 144, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 144, the Supporting Early-
Career Researchers Act. I commend Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for introducing 
this bill, which I am pleased to cosponsor.
  The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives, and the 
U.S. research enterprise has not been spared. As research labs and 
universities around the country took action to mitigate the spread of 
the virus in their labs and on their campuses, research productivity 
decreased dramatically. We still do not know the full financial 
consequences incurred by these institutions or their full costs in 
terms of lost science.
  Compounding these declines in research productivity, women 
researchers and researchers from groups historically underrepresented 
in STEM have been particularly disadvantaged during the crisis because 
of childcare and other factors.
  Facing unprecedented financial difficulties, many research 
universities instituted hiring freezes, and faculty job openings 
declined by nearly 70 percent. This limited job market has a greater 
effect on early-career researchers who may have their career derailed 
before it truly begins. Already, some early-career researchers are 
having to choose between applying their training and talent to an 
academic career and supporting their families.
  Early-career researchers play a vital role in the U.S. research 
ecosystem. They are not only highly productive researchers, they also 
play a significant role in training the next generation of 
undergraduate and graduate STEM students. Their departure from research 
careers, if we do not stop it, will have a profound and long-lasting 
consequence on U.S. innovation and competitiveness in the 21st century.
  Mr. Speaker, as increasing numbers of Americans receive COVID-19 
vaccines and the research enterprise continues its recovery, we must 
make the retention of early-career researchers a priority. The 
Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act directs the National Science 
Foundation to establish a new $250 million post-doctoral fellowship 
program to support early-career researchers.
  This program will help prevent a significant loss of STEM talent. 
More than 40 organizations have endorsed this legislation. I, again, 
thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for their continued 
deliberation on this important issue, and I look forward to working 
with my colleagues on getting this bill signed into law.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 144, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 144, the Supporting 
Early-Career Researchers Act, the first bipartisan bill Chairwoman 
Johnson and I introduced in the 117th Congress.
  Over the past year, COVID-19 has caused substantial disruptions 
across this country, including in the U.S. research enterprise. Most 
research and development work stopped or was dramatically limited to 
provide for safe social distancing, and it is estimated we lost between 
20 and as much as 40 percent of our research output.
  In addition to this loss of research, we are facing the loss of our 
researchers. Graduate students and post-docs are particularly 
vulnerable to research disruptions. With their research on pause, these 
young scientists are finding it difficult to complete their degree 
requirements. Those who have finished their degrees are having trouble 
finding work.
  Much of academia has implemented hiring freezes, and it is estimated 
that faculty openings in the sciences have decreased by more than 70 
percent compared to 2019. At the same time, the pace of innovation is 
accelerating globally, and with it, the competition for scientific and 
technical talent.
  The Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly stated it is determined to 
overtake the U.S. in critical technologies like AI, quantum computing, 
and advanced manufacturing. These technologies will require new levels 
of scientific skills and understanding, and this new generation of 
scientists will play a critical role in how they are developed.
  Now more than ever, the innovation capacity of the U.S. and our 
prosperity and security depend on an effective and an innovative STEM 
workforce to compete with our adversaries.
  If we do not provide the resources to support these young 
researchers, we will be limiting our ability to support new and 
innovative discoveries for years to come. Unfortunately, of the nearly 
$6 trillion in COVID research spending that Congress has passed, only 
$600 million was allocated to helping the research industry recover.

[[Page H2392]]

  That is only 1 percent for a sector of our economy that drives as 
much as 85 percent of the long-term growth. We have relied on American 
science and scientists to combat COVID and we are not giving them the 
funding they need to resume the work that has been stopped by the 
pandemic and keep our future innovators in the system. Our STEM 
pipeline and future competitors could be irreparably damaged if we 
don't act quickly.
  Mr. Speaker, that is why I am so proud to cosponsor this legislation. 
It will establish a pilot program at the National Science Foundation to 
provide 2-year fellowships to young researchers whose career paths have 
been disrupted by the pandemic. The bill will support 3,200 fellowships 
over 4 years. These fellowships will allow talented young scientists 
and engineers to carry out independent research at an institution of 
higher education of their choosing.

  This bill provides targeted and temporary relief to support early-
career scientists, keeping them in the STEM pipeline while the research 
enterprise recovers. By supporting these young researchers, we are 
investing in America's research and technology leadership.
  This legislation has been endorsed by over 30 organizations, and has 
nearly as many cosponsors. It was favorably reported out of the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on a bipartisan basis, and 
I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for 
working with me on this important legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Meijer).
  Mr. MEIJER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support 
for the bill on the floor this evening that will make substantial 
improvements in American research and development during a time when it 
is so badly needed. The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented 
disruptions to our research enterprise and Congress must respond before 
our research community is irreparably harmed.
  H.R. 144, the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act, will address 
this crisis by providing funding to enable researchers to stay on their 
chosen research career track. This will help prevent further loss of 
critical talent from the U.S. STEM workforce and strengthen our Nation 
as we compete with China to invest in the future.
  Within my district in West Michigan and across the State are some of 
the top-tier universities and research institutions our world has to 
offer. This bill will play a vital role in helping to restart any 
research they had to delay or postpone during the pandemic.
  The pandemic has created these challenges, and our research and 
development fields have felt them. We must make a serious effort to 
increase productivity across STEM disciplines in order to remain 
globally competitive.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 144, and I encourage my 
colleagues to vote with me in support of this bill.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself 
such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, America's scientific progress depends on a large pool of 
talented STEM professionals. Our early-career researchers are a 
critical link in the chain of developing the next generation of 
scientists.
  Unfortunately, in the STEM community, these young scientists have 
been disproportionately affected by COVID-related lab closures, reduced 
funding, and hiring freezes. We risk losing these valuable scientists 
if we do nothing.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join Chairwoman Johnson in championing the 
Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act to support this up-and-coming 
generation of scientists and preserve America's research and 
technological leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for 
working in a bipartisan and collaborative way on this legislation. I 
encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the 
bipartisan Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act.
  I thank Mr. Lucas and Chair Johnson, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 144, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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