[House Report 116-342]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress   }                                           {    Report
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session     }                                           {   116-342

======================================================================



 
               ADVANCING RESEARCH TO PREVENT SUICIDE ACT

                                _______
                                

 December 12, 2019.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

    Ms. Johnson of Texas, from the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                  Technology, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 4704]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, to whom 
was referred the 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, having considered the same, 
report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that 
the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
   I. Amendment.......................................................2
  II. Purpose of the Bill.............................................2
 III. Background and Need for the Legislation.........................2
  IV. Committee Consideration and Votes...............................3
   V. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill.........................3
  VI. Section-By-Section Analysis (By Title and Section)..............3
 VII. Committee Views.................................................3
 VIII Cost Estimate...................................................3
  IX. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.......................4
   X. Compliance with Public Law 104-4 (Unfunded Mandates)............4
  XI. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations................5
 XII. Statement on General Performance Goals and Objectives...........5
XIII. Federal Advisory Committee Statement............................5
 XIV. Duplication of Federal Programs.................................5
  XV. Earmark Identification..........................................5
 XVI. Applicability to the Legislative Branch.........................5
XVII. Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law..........5
XVIII.Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, As Reported...........5

 XIX. Proceedings of Full Committee Markup............................6

                              I. Amendment

    The amendment is as follows:
  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.
          (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) 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 on Mental Health where appropriate, shall 
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) To promote the development of early career researchers, in 
awarding funds under subsection (a) the National Science Foundation 
shall encourage applications submitted by early career researchers, 
including doctoral students or postdoctoral researchers.

                        II. Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of the bill is to provide for 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.

              III. Background and Need for the Legislation

    Suicide is a major public health concern. According to the 
Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the second leading 
cause of death among young people between ages 10 and 34 and 
the fourth leading cause of death for individuals between ages 
35 and 54. In 2017, suicide (47,173) accounted for more than 
twice as many fatalities than homicide (19,510). Over the last 
few decades, research has improved our understanding of the 
complex and multifaceted risk factors and environmental 
circumstances that contribute to suicidal thoughts and 
behavior, but more research is needed to inform efforts to 
address these risks and save lives. The Advancing Research to 
Prevent Suicide Act--introduced on October 16, 2019 by 
Representatives McAdams, Gonzalez, Johnson, and Balderson--
authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support 
research on the science of suicide.

                 IV. Committee Consideration and Votes

    On October 16, 2019, Representatives McAdams, Gonzalez, 
Johnson, and Balderson introduced H.R. 4704, the Advancing 
Research to Prevent Suicide Act. The bill was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
    On November 14, 2019, the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology met to consider H.R. 4704. Representative Wexton 
offered an amendment to include research on the relevance of 
drug and alcohol abuse. The amendment was agreed to by a voice 
vote. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson moved that the Committee 
favorably report the bill, H.R. 4704, as amended, to the House 
with the recommendation that the bill be approved. The motion 
was agreed to by a voice vote.

               V. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill

    H.R. 4704 directs the Director of the NSF to support 
multidisciplinary, fundamental research with potential 
relevance to suicide, including potential relevance to 
prevention and treatment.

         VI. Section-by-Section Analysis (by Title and Section)


Section 1. Short title

    Advancing Research to Prevent Suicide Act.

Section 2. Findings

    Highlights the need for research on the science of suicide.

Section 3. National Science Foundation research

    Authorizes the National Science Foundation to support 
research with relevance to suicide.

                          VII. Committee Views

    The intent of the Committee is that NSF support 
multidisciplinary, fundamental research on the complex, 
multifaceted factors with potential relevance to suicide, 
including research on the relevance of genetic factors. In 
carrying out this Act, NSF should consider broadening existing 
research activities and expanding collaboration with other 
agencies in this area.

                          VIII. Cost Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its own the 
estimate of new budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax 
expenditures or revenues contained in the cost estimate 
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974.

             IX. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate


                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                 Washington, DC, December 11, 2019.
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson,
Chairwoman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Madam Chairwoman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4704, the 
Advancing Research to Prevent Suicide Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani 
Shankaran.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

    
    

    H.R. 4704 would direct the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) to award grants to institutions of higher education for 
research on the science of suicide, including prevention and 
treatment. Using information from the NSF, CBO estimates that 
implementing the bill would have no significant effect on the 
federal budget because the agency already awards grants to 
study the science of suicide. In recent years, the agency has 
awarded a few million dollars annually for such research.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani 
Shankaran. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                     X. Federal Mandates Statement

    H.R. 4704 contains no unfunded mandates.

          XI. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    The Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are 
reflected in the body of this report.

       XII. Statement on General Performance Goals and Objectives

    Pursuant to clause 3(c) of House Rule XIII, the goal of 
H.R. 4704 is to provide for research on the science of suicide.

               XIII. Federal Advisory Committee Statement

    H.R. 4704, does not create any advisory committees.

                  XIV. Duplication of Federal Programs

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision 
of H.R. 4704 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the 
federal government known to be duplicative of another federal 
program, including any program that was included in a report to 
Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the 
most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

                       XV. Earmark Identification

    Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the 
Committee finds that H.R. 4704 contains no earmarks, limited 
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.

              XVI. Applicability to the Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that H.R. 4704 does not relate to the 
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services 
or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of 
the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 104-1).

           XVII. Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or 
                               Tribal Law

    This bill is not intended to preempt any state, local, or 
tribal law.

      XVIII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    This legislation does not amend any existing Federal 
statute.


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