```

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10374 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10374

To require the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
 to develop a consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research 
agencies to address mental health and mentoring of graduate researchers 
         and postdoctoral researchers, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 11, 2024

  Mr. Tonko (for himself and Ms. McClellan) introduced the following 
   bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                               Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To require the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
 to develop a consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research 
agencies to address mental health and mentoring of graduate researchers 
         and postdoctoral researchers, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Mental health Enhancement, 
Navigation, and Treatment for Our Researchers Act of 2024'' or the 
``MENTOR Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. POLICY GUIDELINES FOR FEDERAL RESEARCH AGENCIES TO ADDRESS 
              MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AMONG GRADUATE RESEARCHERS AND 
              POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS.

    (a) Definition.--In this section:
            (1) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (2) Graduate researchers.--The term ``graduate 
        researchers'' means individuals enrolled in a degree program 
        leading to an advanced degree who conduct research or teach in 
        any discipline at an institution of higher education that is a 
        recipient of Federal funding.
            (3) Postdoctoral researchers.--The term ``postdoctoral 
        researchers'' means individuals in training-focused positions 
        who have received a doctoral degree or equivalent and receive 
        stipends or other compensation to conduct research in any 
        discipline at an institution of higher education that is a 
        recipient of Federal funding.
            (4) Principal investigator.--The term ``principal 
        investigator'' means an individual who is a project or proposal 
        leader with respect to a research grant at an institution of 
        higher education that is a recipient of Federal funding.
            (5) Federal research agency.--The term ``Federal research 
        agency'' has the meaning given such term in section 223(d)(4) 
        of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (42 U.S.C. 6605(d)(4)).
    (b) Office of Science and Technology Policy Guidelines.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than six months after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
        Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the 
        National Science and Technology Council, the Committee on STEM, 
        the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology 
        (PCAST), institutions of higher education, graduate researchers 
        and postdoctoral researchers, principal investigators from 
        across career stages, labor representatives, mental health 
        experts, and other relevant stakeholders, shall develop a 
        consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research 
        agencies to address mentoring and mental wellness of graduate 
        researchers and postdoctoral researchers, including by 
        providing Federal research agencies with additional reports to 
        inform grant awards.
            (2) Considerations.--In developing the policy guidelines 
        under paragraph (1), the Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy shall include guidelines that--
                    (A) define what behaviors constitute bullying and 
                harassment at institutions of higher education to build 
                consistency among Federal research agencies' 
                definitions relating thereto;
                    (B) develop an operational definition of mentorship 
                for use at institutions of higher education;
                    (C) address opportunities to discourage and 
                mitigate problematic behavior and negative mentorship 
                experiences, including through--
                            (i) requiring institutions of higher 
                        education to submit to Federal research 
                        agencies annual reports on incidents of 
                        bullying and harassment;
                            (ii) requiring Federal research agencies to 
                        implement standardized mechanisms for graduate 
                        researchers and postdoctoral researchers to 
                        safely and confidentially report to such 
                        agencies incidents of bullying or harassment or 
                        negative mentorship experiences; and
                            (iii) requiring Federal research agencies 
                        to implement accountability systems that can be 
                        imposed if a principal investigator or senior 
                        grant personnel is found responsible for 
                        harassment, bullying, or other behaviors that 
                        could contribute to poor mental wellness;
                    (D) address opportunities to strengthen mentor-
                mentee relationships, including by--
                            (i) requiring principal investigators to 
                        submit mentoring plans that are aligned with 
                        best practices with any grant applications to 
                        Federal research agencies that may be used to 
                        support research conducted by graduate 
                        researchers or postdoctoral researchers;
                            (ii) requiring principal investigators to 
                        submit a list of public and guaranteed benefits 
                        for all graduate researchers and postdoctoral 
                        researchers with funding applications to 
                        Federal research agencies, including salary 
                        levels, leave policies, and health care 
                        options, including mental health;
                            (iii) requiring institutions of higher 
                        education receiving funding from Federal 
                        research agencies to describe their mentorship 
                        systems, including any systems in place to 
                        incentivize and reward effective mentorship and 
                        methods in place to evaluate mentorship and any 
                        systems to discourage inadequate mentorship;
                            (iv) requiring Federal research agencies to 
                        incorporate evaluation of a principal 
                        investigator's recent service and mentorship 
                        contributions into funding determinations, 
                        taking into account relative institutional 
                        support and time in position;
                            (v) requiring Federal research agencies to 
                        include explicit funds for mentoring activities 
                        within research grants, including for mentor 
                        training programs, and professional development 
                        opportunities;
                            (vi) making public recommendations for 
                        process and outcome measures that can be used 
                        to evaluate mentorship progress and a principal 
                        investigator's continued learning, competency, 
                        and implementation of effective and inclusive 
                        mentoring practices within a grant-funded 
                        project; and
                            (vii) making recommendations to Federal 
                        research agencies and institutions of higher 
                        education to help reduce administrative burdens 
                        on principal investigators to increase time for 
                        developing and implementing effective and 
                        inclusive mentoring practices; and
                    (E) address opportunities to improve the mental 
                wellbeing of graduate researchers and postdoctoral 
                researchers, including by--
                            (i) requiring institutions of higher 
                        education receiving funding from Federal 
                        research agencies to report to such agencies 
                        methods to provide support for international 
                        graduate researchers and international 
                        postdoctoral researchers;
                            (ii) requiring institutions of higher 
                        education receiving funding from Federal 
                        research agencies to report to such agencies 
                        institutional protections and supports for 
                        graduate researchers and postdoctoral 
                        researchers experiencing mental health problems 
                        and systems for ensuring graduate researchers 
                        and postdoctoral researchers are made aware of 
                        such protections and supports;
                            (iii) requiring principal investigators and 
                        institutions of higher education receiving 
                        funding from Federal research agencies to 
                        report to such agencies support systems for 
                        underrepresented and minority graduate 
                        researchers and postdoctoral researchers with 
                        grant applications to such agencies;
                            (iv) requiring Federal research agencies to 
                        provide explicit funding opportunities to cover 
                        permanent research staff salaries;
                            (v) requiring institutions of higher 
                        education receiving funding Federal research 
                        agencies to ensure access to quality, 
                        affordable physical and mental health care for 
                        graduate researchers and postdoctoral 
                        researchers; and
                            (vi) making recommendations for Federal 
                        research agencies and institutions of higher 
                        education receiving funding from such agencies 
                        to ensure financial security of graduate 
                        researchers and postdoctoral researchers.
            (3) Application.--
                    (A) In general.--The Director of the Office of 
                Science and Technology Policy shall encourage and 
                monitor efforts of Federal research agencies to 
                develop, adopt, and implement policies based on the 
                policy guidelines under paragraph (1).
                    (B) Consistency.--To the extent practicable, the 
                policies developed, adopted, and implemented pursuant 
                to subparagraph (A) shall be consistent with other 
                relevant standards and laws as determined by the 
                Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
                Policy.
                    (C) Federal research agency implementation.--Not 
                later than one year after receiving the policy 
                guidelines under paragraph (1), the head of each 
                Federal research agency shall--
                            (i) develop and implement policies with 
                        respect to the mental health of graduate 
                        researchers and postdoctoral researchers that 
                        are consistent with such policy guidelines; and
                            (ii) broadly disseminate such policies to 
                        past and current recipients of, and applicants 
                        for, research and development awards made by 
                        such agency.
            (4) Updates.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy shall update the policy guidelines under 
        paragraph (1) every five years as new data collected under 
        subsection (d) is available to provide metrics for evaluation 
        and best practices.
            (5) Report.--Not later than one year after the date after 
        the guidelines are developed pursuant to paragraph (1) and not 
        later than one year after each update pursuant to paragraph 
        (4), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
        Policy shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
        Technology, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and 
        the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
        and Pensions of the Senate a report containing information 
        relating to the following:
                    (A) The policy guidelines under paragraph (1), and 
                the updates under paragraph (4), as the case may be.
                    (B) Progress on the implementation of such 
                guidelines by Federal research agencies.
    (d) Data on Mental Health of Graduate Researchers and Postdoctoral 
Researchers.--The Director of the National Science Foundation, in 
collaboration with the Director of the National Institutes of Health, 
shall conduct and publish biennial evaluations of the state of mental 
health of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers 
(disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics).
    (e) GAO Study.--Not later than three years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report that--
            (1) outlines implemented guidelines under subsection (b) 
        and analyzes the effectiveness of such guidelines;
            (2) includes recommendations on potential changes to 
        practices and policies to improve such guidelines and such 
        implementation; and
            (3) includes recommendations on additional data collection 
        and research needed to monitor progress on improving mental 
        health and wellness of graduate researchers and postdoctoral 
        researchers.
                                 <all>
```