[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 26, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7101-H7103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       BRYCEN GRAY AND BEN PRICE COVID-19 COGNITIVE RESEARCH ACT

  Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 7180) to authorize the Director of the National Science 
Foundation to award grants to support research on the disruption of 
regular cognitive processes associated with COVID-19 infection, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7180

       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 ``Brycen Gray and Ben Price 
     COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act--
       (1) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the 
     National Science Foundation;
       (2) the term ``National Academies'' means the National 
     Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine; and
       (3) the term ``eligible entity'' means an institution of 
     higher education (as such term is defined in section 102 of 
     the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) or a 
     consortium composed of non-profit organizations and 
     institutions of higher education.

     SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect 
     of life across the globe. Furthermore, it has produced major 
     disruptions of individual's physical and mental health, 
     including with respect of children and adolescents.
       (2) Historical epidemiological perspectives suggest an 
     association between exposure to general respiratory viruses 
     and subsequent disruption of regular cognitive processes.
       (3) Early research suggests that one in three individuals 
     diagnosed with a COVID-19 infection experiences a disruption 
     of regular cognitive processes within six months of such 
     diagnosis.
       (4) Research is urgently needed to better understand why 
     disruption in regular cognitive processes occur in patients 
     as a consequence of a COVID-19 infection and how long such 
     disruptions can continue after recovery.
       (5) The National Science Foundation has a deep history of 
     supporting interdisciplinary, basic research that spans the 
     social, behavioral, and fundamental biological sciences and 
     paves the way for scientific advancements.

     SEC. 4. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RESEARCH.

       The Director shall award grants to eligible entities, 
     including through the RAPID funding mechanism, on a 
     competitive, merit-reviewed basis to support 
     interdisciplinary research on the disruption of regular 
     cognitive processes associated with both short-term and long-
     term COVID-19 infections, including with respect to children 
     and adolescents. Such research may include the following:
       (1) Foundational studies on the effects of cognition, 
     emotion, and neural structure and function relating to any 
     disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with 
     COVID-19 infection.
       (2) Analysis of findings on the disruption of regular 
     cognitive processes associated with COVID-19 infection, 
     including the development of predictive theoretical 
     frameworks to guide future research.
       (3) Development of physical and conceptual tools needed to 
     evaluate cognition, emotion, and neural structure and 
     function of the brain as a consequence of a COVID-19 
     infection, and the potential relevance of such infection to 
     the disruption of regular cognitive processes.
       (4) Studies on the relevance of psychological and 
     psychosocial factors, including major disruptions of physical 
     health, mental health, and economic stability associated with 
     the COVID-19 pandemic, on the disruption of regular cognitive 
     processes, including an identification and evaluation of such 
     factors.
       (5) Any other activities the Director determines will 
     support interdisciplinary research and collaboration on the 
     disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with 
     COVID-19 infection, including with respect to children and 
     adolescents.

     SEC. 5. NATIONAL ACADEMIES STUDY ON THE DISRUPTION OF 
                   COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19 
                   INFECTION.

       (a) Study.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 45 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an 
     agreement with the National Academies to study and produce a 
     report on the disruption of cognitive processes associated 
     with COVID-19 infection. The study shall--
       (A) review the research literature and identify research 
     gaps regarding Federal programs and activities with roles in 
     addressing both short-term and long-term consequences 
     associated with COVID-19 infection;
       (B) assess the necessity of establishing causal inference 
     approaches into research on the impacts of COVID-19 infection 
     on cognitive processes to determine reverse causation;
       (C) evaluate and make recommendations regarding the 
     coordination of research and data collection, including with 
     respect to children and adolescents, to identify the 
     disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with 
     COVID-19 infection, including long-term COVID-19;
       (D) evaluate impacts of COVID-19 infection on populations 
     under-represented in cognitive literature, such as poor, 
     rural, and minority populations; and
       (E) make recommendations regarding ways to coordinate 
     engagement with researchers and stakeholders from 
     universities, industry, public health organizations, State 
     and local governments, elementary and secondary educational 
     organizations, and non-profit organizations to ensure that 
     research, information, and best practices relating to the 
     disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with 
     COVID-19 infection, including long-term COVID-19, are shared 
     among such entities.
       (2) Completion.--The study required under paragraph (1) 
     shall be completed by not later than the date that is 16 
     months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (b) Reports.--
       (1) By the national academies.--Upon completion of the 
     study under subsection (a), the National Academies shall 
     transmit to the Director and Congress a report on such study.
       (2) By the director.--Not later than three months after 
     receipt of the report under paragraph (1), the Director shall 
     transmit to Congress a summary of the Director's plans, if 
     any, to implement the recommendations of the National 
     Academies contained in such report.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to the Director to 
     carry out this Act $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2023, to 
     remain available through fiscal year 2025, of which 
     $1,000,000 is authorized to carry out the study and produce 
     the reports under section 5.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 7180, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7180, the Brycen Gray and 
Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act. I thank Representative 
Gonzalez for introducing this important bill.
  The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted our lives in countless ways over 
the past 2 years. As many of us continue to pick up the pieces and 
settle into a new normal, we can't lose sight of those who haven't been 
as fortunate.
  Early research results indicate that a COVID-19 infection may leave 
individuals with an increased risk of developing mental health 
conditions. Millions who have been infected with COVID-19 now find 
themselves saddled with crippling anxiety, depression, and sleep 
problems, and they may be at an increased risk of death by suicide and 
drug overdose.

                              {time}  1530

  While researchers are raising alarms about these risks, improved data 
collection and additional research is needed to better understand the 
mental health implications of a COVID-19 infection. This bill directs 
the National

[[Page H7102]]

Science Foundation to rally the research community to take on this 
task.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 7180, and I thank my colleague, Mr. 
Gonzalez, for introducing and championing this important legislation.
  The Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act directs 
the National Science Foundation to support research on the long-term 
neurological effects of COVID, particularly in adolescents. It also 
instructs NSF to commission a National Academies study on the 
disruption of cognitive processes associated with COVID.
  This bill is named for two men who died by suicide after suffering 
neurological problems caused by COVID-19.
  Tragically, there have been numerous instances of psychosis developed 
after COVID illnesses. The neurological effects of this disease is not 
well understood, and H.R. 7180 will help to change that.
  Research on this issue has been progressing as we continue to learn 
more about the long-term effects of the disease. This bill will help 
accelerate these efforts to better inform the public and medical 
community; and hopefully, it will prevent more tragic deaths from 
occurring.
  I again thank Representative Gonzalez for his hard work on behalf of 
his constituents.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gonzalez).
  Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, 
the Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act. I was 
proud to introduce this legislation alongside my friends Ms. Wild, Mr. 
Kinzinger, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Meijer, Mr. Peters, Mr. Joyce, and Mr. 
Gibbs, and I thank each of them for their leadership on the issue. I 
also thank the two wonderful leaders of our committee, Chairwoman 
Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas, and their staffs for moving this 
important legislation forward.
  Before I get into the heart of the bill, I will take a minute to 
share a little bit about who Brycen Gray and Ben Price were.
  Brycen Gray was a 17-year-old young man from my district in northeast 
Ohio. Adored by his parents, Shawn and Tara, as well as his brothers, 
Ricky and Patrick, Brycen sadly passed a little over a year ago. Known 
for his quick wit and sense of humor with just the right amount of 
sarcasm, Brycen could inspire the kind of laughter that makes you cry. 
Brycen was loving, charismatic, and selfless. Brycen was the kind of 
kid every parent dreams of.
  Ben Price was a 48-year-old loving husband to his wife Jennifer, and 
a devoted father to their two amazing children Jett and Maya. Sadly, we 
lost Ben at the beginning of last year. Ben was a busy small business 
owner and farmer from the outskirts of Chicago, but his life revolved 
around his family, friends, and community. One of his passions was to 
jump-start the Special Connections of Grundy County, whose mission is 
to connect people with disabilities, like his beloved son Jett, to 
their community. Ben led by example and loved without reservation.
  Both Brycen and Ben tragically passed after battles with cognitive 
impairments caused by COVID-19. Despite having no history of mental 
illness, each of them began to battle symptoms such as anxiety, panic, 
and paranoia. The disease took Brycen and Ben from two of the 
healthiest, most vibrant people you could find to individuals so 
debilitated that they could not bear to live another day. While they 
fought to the bitter end, each chose to end their pain.
  There is no greater joy than being a parent. For those of us blessed 
to have children, we know it is the most important job any of us will 
ever have. To be sure, there are plenty of challenges attributed to the 
job. There is nothing more rewarding than watching your children grow, 
while at the same time there is nothing more terrifying than watching 
your children experience the tragedies that befell Brycen and Ben.
  That is why the health and safety of our children should always come 
first. That is exactly why I started working on this bill. If we 
believe in protecting our families, we need to act now and start 
finding answers to why COVID-19 can have such a significant impact on 
the brain.
  The legislation before us today is another important step in that 
effort. Thus far, we have learned that as many as one in three COVID-19 
survivors experience a cognitive impairment following their acute 
infection. More alarming, nearly one in eight COVID-19 survivors are 
diagnosed with an illness for the first time. With nearly 80 million 
documented cases of infection in the U.S., the health implications 
could be massive.
  While anxiety, mood, and brain fog are among the most common 
symptoms, researchers have also uncovered a prevalence of serious 
complications such as psychosis, dementia, paralysis, and brain 
hemorrhages. Moreover, additional impairments related to cognitive 
syndrome like impairments in memory, executive function, attention, and 
speed of information are common among COVID-19 survivors.
  Despite the significant progress made by researchers to improve our 
understanding of COVID-19, it remains unclear how the virus alters 
brain function, who is most at risk, and what can be done to quickly 
diagnose and treat impacted patients.
  The Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act aims to 
close these gaps by accelerating our research efforts. Specifically, it 
authorizes the NSF to award grants on a competitive basis to support 
interdisciplinary research on the disruption of regular cognitive 
processes associated with both short-term and long-term COVID-19 
infections.

  Grantees will be tasked with carrying out foundational studies on the 
effects of cognition, emotion, neural structure, and function related 
to COVID-19 infections, developing new tools to evaluate cognitive 
disruptions from COVID-19, and examining the relevance of psychological 
and psychosocial factors. In addition, the bill stands up a team at the 
National Academies to study and produce a report on the issue.
  We can't bring Brycen and Ben back, but we can ensure that their 
memories live on. I don't want to lose any more Americans because we 
weren't bold enough to take on an issue that might scare us, an issue 
we don't fully understand, an issue that is far more common than many 
in this body realize.
  No family should have to endure the tragedy of losing a loved one 
from COVID-19's cognitive impacts. The Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-
19 Cognitive Research Act ensures we will do everything in our power to 
find answers and deliver solutions. We cannot afford to lose any more 
time.
  Again, I thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for their 
constant, incredible leadership on our committee. I urge my colleagues 
to support the bill.
  Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  This legislation reflects how Congress can work in a bipartisan way 
to address difficult issues that our constituents are facing. The 
deaths of Brycen Gray and Ben Price due to COVID psychosis were 
unexpected and tragic.
  While their memories will live on through their families and friends, 
we can give them a further memorial through the passage of this 
legislation and, hopefully, prevent more tragedies like this in the 
future.
  H.R. 7180 represents a grassroots effort to address the issue in a 
thoughtful and meaningful way.
  Again, I thank my friend Mr. Gonzalez for championing this 
legislation. Many times, people who observe this body may think it is 
all about political tit-for-tat or it is about making noise or 
directing time and energy in a fashion that is less than productive. 
What Congressman Gonzalez has demonstrated here today in the case of 
both Brycen and Ben is that we are

[[Page H7103]]

people, too, as Members. This tragedy touched Mr. Gonzalez and 
compelled him to respond legislatively to make sure that other families 
can be spared what the Grays and Prices have gone through. It is a 
testament to my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Gonzalez) and a statement that 
we are basically good and decent people in this place. We just need to 
focus on the priorities that are important to our fellow Americans as 
Congressman Gonzalez is doing today.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of this legislation, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I, too, thank Congressman Gonzalez for 
offering this bill. I suspect there is nary a family represented in 
this body that has not been touched by a mental illness at one point or 
another and the tragedy and the suffering that that involves. We have 
all seen what happens with the loss of a child.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7180, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7180.
  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. TIFFANY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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