[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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