[House Report 117-371]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress    }                                      {      Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                      {     117-371

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



 
       BRYCEN GRAY AND BEN PRICE COVID-19 COGNITIVE RESEARCH ACT

                                _______
                                

 June 15, 2022.--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. 7180]

    The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, to whom 
was referred 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, 
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                     Page
   I. Amendment........................................................  
  II.  Purpose of the Bill............................................  2
 III. Background and Need for the Legislation.........................  2
  IV. Committee Consideration and Votes...............................  2
   V. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill.........................  2
  VI. Section-By-Section Analysis (By Title and Section)..............  3
 VII. Committee Views.................................................  4
VIII. Cost Estimate...................................................  4
  IX. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.......................  5
   X. Compliance with Public Law 104-4 (Unfunded Mandates)............  5
  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.Proceedings of Full Committee Markup............................  6


                        II. PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of the bill is to provide for multidisciplinary 
research at the National Science Foundation on the disruption 
of regular cognitive processes associated with COVID-19 
infection.

              III. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

    Preliminary research indicates that as many as 1 in 3 
COVID-19 survivors experience a cognitive impairment following 
their acute infection. 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, and brain hemorrhages. Despite the significant 
progress made by researchers to increase 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 improve 
our ability support impacted patients.
    The Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research 
Act, introduced by Representatives Anthony Gonzalez, Adam 
Kinzinger, Susan Wild, Tony Cardenas, Peter Meijer, Scott 
Peters, David Joyce, and Bob Gibbs, authorizes the National 
Science Foundation 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. NSF would solicit proposals for 
foundational studies on the effects of cognition, emotion, and 
neural structure and function related to COVID-19 infections, 
developing new tools to evaluate cognitive disruptions related 
to COVID-19, and examining the relevance of psychological and 
psychosocial factors. In addition, the bill tasks the National 
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study and 
produce a report on the disruption of cognitive processes 
associated with COVID-19 infection.
    This legislation is named in honor of Brycen Gray and Ben 
Price, who were constituents of Rep. Gonzalez and Rep. 
Kinzinger. Despite having no history of mental illness prior to 
their COVID-19 infections, each suffered from severe cognitive 
effects and tragically took their own lives.

                 IV. COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION AND VOTES

    On March 21, 2022, Representative Anthony Gonzalez, 
Representative Adam Kinzinger, and Representative Susan Wild 
introduced H.R. 7180, the Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 
Cognitive Research Act. The bill was referred to the House 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
    On May 17, 2022, the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology met to consider H.R. 7180. No amendments to the bill 
text were offered. Acting Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren moved that the 
Committee favorably report the bill, H.R. 7180, 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

     The Act directs the National Science Foundation to support 
the interdisciplinary research on the disruption of regular 
cognitive processes associated with both short and long-term 
COVID-19 infections.
    The bill also directs the National Science Foundation to 
enter into an agreement with the National Academies of 
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a study that includes 
an evaluation of the disruption of cognitive processes 
associated with COVID-19 infection.
    The legislation authorizes $10,000,000 for fiscal years 
2023 through 2025 to the National Science Foundation to 
implement the bill. Of these funds, $1,000,000 is directed to 
be used to carry out the National Academies study.

         VI. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS (BY TITLE AND SECTION)

Section 1. Short title

    Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act

Section 2. Definitions

    Definitions for ``Director'', ``National Academies'', and 
``eligible entities''.

Section 3. Findings

    This section highlights the need for additional research on 
the mental health effects of COVID-19, and the important role 
that the National Science Foundation can play through basic 
research.

Section 4. National Science Foundation Research

    This section directs the National Science Foundation to 
award grants to institutions of higher education and nonprofit 
organizations to conduct interdisciplinary research on the 
disruption of regular cognitive processes by a COVID-19 
infection.
    It further details that this research may include 
foundational studies on the effects of a COVID-19 infection, 
analysis of findings including the development of a predictive 
framework, development of tools to evaluate the structure and 
function of the brain resulting from a COVID-19 infection, 
studies on the relevance of psychological and psychosocial 
factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and any other 
activities that the Director of the National Science Foundation 
determines will support the interdisciplinary research on the 
disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with 
COVID-19.

Section 5. National Academy study on the disruption of cognitive 
        processes associated with COVID-19 infection

    This section directs the National Science Foundation to 
enter into an agreement with the National Academies of 
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a study that includes 
an evaluation of the disruption of cognitive processes 
associated with COVID-19 infection. The study shall include: a 
review of research literature to identify research gaps, an 
assessment of the necessity of establishing causal inference 
approaches on the impacts of COVID-19, an evaluation on the 
coordination of research data collection, and an evaluation on 
the impacts of COVID-19 on underrepresented populations. 
Additionally, the study should make recommendations on ways to 
coordinate engagement with researchers and stakeholders to 
ensure best practices and information are being shared among 
stakeholders.
    The final report is required no longer than 16 months after 
the date of enactment. The Director shall then submit to 
Congress information about any plans to implement 
recommendations in the study.

Section 6. Authorization of appropriations

    This section authorizes $10,000,000 for fiscal years 2023 
through 2025 to the National Science Foundation to implement 
the bill. Of these funds, $1,000,000 is directed to be used to 
carry out the National Academies study in Section 5.

                          VII. COMMITTEE VIEWS

    The intent of this legislation is to improve the 
understanding of COVID-19's cognitive impact, particularly as 
it relates to mental health. Since the beginning of the COVID-
19 pandemic, researchers in both the public and private sectors 
have been working to improve the understanding of the effects 
and impacts of COVID-19. The Committee believes this bill 
addresses important aspects of that analysis: looking at the 
mental health implications of COVID-19 and researching ways 
that the disease may impact the neurological functions of 
cognition.
    The Committee has worked with the National Science 
Foundation to learn more about the research and work being done 
on this topic and believes this legislation would help to bring 
emphasis to this topic as an area of study, including through 
the Foundation's funding of awards through the RAPID response 
mechanism. Additionally, the Committee believes that the bill 
will provide an opportunity to further inform the public on 
biological effects of COVID-19 infections that may last for a 
long period of time and beyond initial symptoms of the 
infection.
    The Committee intends for the report conducted by the 
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to 
further inform the research being done through the National 
Science Foundation, and other sources, and to provide 
perspective on research gaps. The Committee believes the 
National Academies' report will play an important role in 
informing local stakeholders who may be working on these issues 
at a grassroots level and help to suggest best practices and 
solutions for individuals with a disruption of cognitive 
processes due to COVID-19. The Committee intends that the 
recommendations included in the report be seriously considered 
by the National Science Foundation Director in creating plans 
to conduct future research on this topic.

                          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

    No Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate at the time of 
report filing.

                     X. FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    H.R. 7180 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. 7180 is to provide for research and development on the 
disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with 
COVID-19 infection.

               XIII. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    H.R. 7180 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. 7180 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. 7180 contains no earmarks, limited 
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.

              XVI. APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that H.R. 7180 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.



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