II 

Calendar No. 410 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2014 

To demonstrate a commitment to our Nation’s scientists by increasing 

opportunities for the development of our next generation of researchers. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 

Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Ms. COLLINS, and Mr. ALEXANDER) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

APRIL 4, 2016 

Reported by Mr. ALEXANDER, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To demonstrate a commitment to our Nation’s scientists 

by increasing opportunities for the development of our 

next generation of researchers. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Next Generation Re5 searchers Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RE2 SEARCHERS. 

3 Part A of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 

4 (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

5 the following: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 404M. NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS. 

7 ‘‘(a) NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS INITIA8 TIVE.—There shall be established within the Office of the 

9 Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Next 

10 Generation of Researchers Initiative (referred to in this 

11 section as the ‘Initiative’), through which the Director 

12 shall coordinate all policies and programs within the Na13 tional Institutes of Health aimed at promoting and pro14 viding opportunities for new researchers and earlier re15 search independence. 

16 ‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES.—The Director of NIH, through the 

17 Initiative shall— 

18 ‘‘(1) promote policies and programs within the 

19 National Institutes of Health that are aimed at im20 proving opportunities for new researchers and pro21 moting earlier research independence, including ex22 isting policies and programs such as the Pathway to 

23 Independence Award, the NIH Director’s New Inno24 vator Award, the Early Independence Award, and 

25 Early-Stage Investigator grant review procedures; 


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1 ‘‘(2) develop, modify, or accelerate policies, as 

2 needed, within the National Institutes of Health to 

3 promote opportunities for new researchers and ear4 lier research independence, including policies to en5 hance training opportunities for research-related ca6 reer options, strengthen mentorship programs be7 tween new and veteran researchers, enhance work8 force diversity efforts, and help to improve new re9 searchers’ success in obtaining renewal funding; 

10 ‘‘(3) coordinate with appropriate agencies and 

11 academic institutions to develop systems to enhance 

12 workforce data for biomedical postdoctoral research13 ers and students to help improve tracking of trainees 

14 and career progress; and 

15 ‘‘(4) carry out other activities, as appropriate, 

16 to promote the development of the next generation 

17 of researchers and earlier research independence. 

18 ‘‘(c) STUDY AND REPORT.— 

19 ‘‘(1) STUDY.—The Director of NIH shall re20 quest the National Academy of Sciences, as part of 

21 the studies conducted under section 489, to conduct 

22 a comprehensive study on policies affecting the next 

23 generation of researchers in the United States. Such 

24 study shall include an evaluation of, and strategies 

25 to address, the legislative, administrative, eduVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 Apr 04, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S2014.RS S2014

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1 cational, and cultural barriers to providing for a suc2 cessful next generation of researchers and to pro3 mote earlier research independence. 

4 ‘‘(2) REPORT.—Not later than 5 years after the 

5 date of enactment of the Next Generation Research6 ers Act, the National Academy of Sciences shall sub7 mit to the Director, the Committee on Health, Edu8 cation, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on 

9 Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on 

10 Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ap11 propriations of the House of Representatives, a re12 port concerning the results of the study conducted 

13 under paragraph (1). Such report shall include— 

14 ‘‘(A) an evaluation of the legislative, ad15 ministrative, educational, and cultural barriers 

16 faced by the next generation of researchers; 

17 ‘‘(B) an evaluation of the impact of se18 questration resulting from the Budget Control 

19 Act of 2011 (Public Law 112–25) and Federal 

20 budget constraints on the next generation of re21 searchers; and 

22 ‘‘(C) recommendations for the implementa23 tion of policies to incentivize, improve entry 

24 into, and sustain careers in research for the 

25 next generation of researchers and to promote 


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1 earlier research independence, including pro2 posed policies for agencies and academic insti3 tutions.’’. 

4 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

5 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Next Generation Re6 searchers Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RE8 SEARCHERS. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Part A of title IV of the Public 

10 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended by 

11 adding at the end the following: 

12 ‘‘SEC. 404M. NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS. 

13 ‘‘(a) NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS INITIA14 TIVE.—There shall be established within the Office of the 

15 Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Next Gen16 eration of Researchers Initiative (referred to in this section 

17 as the ‘Initiative’), through which the Director shall coordi18 nate all policies and programs within the National Insti19 tutes of Health that are focused on promoting and pro20 viding opportunities for new researchers and earlier re21 search independence. 

22 ‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES.—The Director of the National Insti23 tutes of Health, through the Initiative shall— 

24 ‘‘(1) promote policies and programs within the 

25 National Institutes of Health that are focused on imVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 Apr 04, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S2014.RS S2014

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1 proving opportunities for new researchers and pro2 moting earlier research independence, including exist3 ing policies and programs, as appropriate; 

4 ‘‘(2) develop, modify, or prioritize policies, as 

5 needed, within the National Institutes of Health to 

6 promote opportunities for new researchers and earlier 

7 research independence, such as policies to increase op8 portunities for new researchers to receive funding, en9 hance training and mentorship programs for re10 searchers, and enhance workforce diversity; 

11 ‘‘(3) coordinate, as appropriate, with relevant 

12 agencies, professional and academic associations, aca13 demic institutions, and others, to improve and update 

14 existing information on the biomedical research work15 force in order to inform programs related to the 

16 training, recruitment, and retention of biomedical re17 searchers; and 

18 ‘‘(4) carry out other activities, including evalua19 tion and oversight of existing programs, as appro20 priate, to promote the development of the next genera21 tion of researchers and earlier research independ22 ence.’’. 

23 (b) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES RECOMMENDA24 TIONS.—In carrying out activities under section 404M(b) 

25 of the Public Health Service Act, the Director of the NaVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 Apr 04, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S2014.RS S2014

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1 tional Institutes of Health shall take into consideration the 

2 recommendations made by the National Academies of 

3 Sciences as part of the comprehensive study on policies af4 fecting the next generation of researchers under the Depart5 ment of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 

6 2016 (Public Law No. 114-113), and submit a report to 

7 Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and 

8 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the 

9 Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee 

10 on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, with re11 spect to any actions taken by the National Institutes of 

12 Health based on the recommendations not later than 2 years 

13 after the completion of the study required pursuant to such 

14 Public Law No. 114-113. 

15 SEC. 3. INTRAMURAL AND EXTRAMURAL LOAN REPAYMENT 

16 PROGRAMS. 

17 (a) INTRAMURAL LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.—Sec18 tion 487A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288- 

19 1) is amended— 

20 (1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘FOR RE21 SEARCH WITH RESPECT TO ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFI22 CIENCY SYNDROME’’; 

23 (2) in subsection (a)— 

24 (A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary shall carry 

25 out a program’’ and inserting ‘‘The Director of 


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1 NIH shall, as appropriate and based on work2 force and scientific priorities, carry out a pro3 gram through the subcategories listed in sub4 section (b)(1) (or modified subcategories as pro5 vided for in subsection (b)(2))’’; 

6 (B) by striking ‘‘conduct’’ and inserting 

7 ‘‘conduct research’’; 

8 (C) by striking ‘‘research with respect to ac9 quired immune deficiency syndrome’’; and 

10 (D) by striking ‘‘$35,000’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘$50,000’’; 

12 (3) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection 

13 (d); 

14 (4) by inserting after subsection (a), the fol15 lowing: 

16 ‘‘(b) SUBCATEGORIES OF RESEARCH.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program 

18 under subsection (a), the Director of NIH— 

19 ‘‘(A) shall continue to focus on— 

20 ‘‘(i) general research; 

21 ‘‘(ii) research on acquired immune de22 ficiency syndrome; and 

23 ‘‘(iii) clinical research conducted by 

24 appropriately qualified health professional 


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1 who are from disadvantaged backgrounds; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(B) may focus on an area of emerging sci4 entific or workforce need. 

5 ‘‘(2) ELIMINATION OR ESTABLISHMENT OF SUB6 CATEGORIES.—The Director of NIH may eliminate 

7 one or more subcategories provided for in paragraph 

8 (1) due to changes in workforce or scientific needs re9 lated to biomedical research. The Director may estab10 lish other subcategory areas based on workforce and 

11 scientific priorities if the total number of subcat12 egories does not exceed the number of subcategories 

13 listed in paragraph (1). 

14 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—The Director of NIH may not enter 

15 into contract with a health professional pursuant to sub16 section (a) unless such professional has a substantial 

17 amount of education loans relative to income (as deter18 mined pursuant to guidelines issued by the Director).’’; and 

19 (5) by adding at the end the following: 

20 ‘‘(e) AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Amounts 

21 available for carrying out this section shall remain avail22 able until the expiration of the second fiscal year beginning 

23 after the fiscal year for which such amounts are made avail24 able.’’. 


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1 (b) EXTRAMURAL LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.—Sec2 tion 487B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288- 

3 2) is amended— 

4 (1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘FOR RE5 SEARCH WITH RESPECT TO CONTRACEPTION AND IN6 FERTILITY’’; 

7 (2) in subsection (a)— 

8 (A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary, in consulta9 tion with the Director of the Eunice Kennedy 

10 Shriver National Institute of Child Health and 

11 Human Development, shall establish a program’’ 

12 and inserting ‘‘IN GENERAL.—The Director of 

13 the NIH shall, as appropriate and based on 

14 workforce and scientific priorities, carry out a 

15 program through the subcategories listed in sub16 section (b)(1) (or modified subcategories as pro17 vided for in subsection (b)(2)),’’; 

18 (B) by striking ‘‘(including graduate stu19 dents)’’; 

20 (C) by striking ‘‘with respect to contracep21 tion, or with respect to infertility,’’; and 

22 (D) by striking ‘‘service, not more than 

23 $35,000’’ and inserting ‘‘research, not more than 

24 $50,000’’; 


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1 (3) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 

2 subsections (d) and (e), respectively; 

3 (4) by inserting after subsection (a), the fol4 lowing: 

5 ‘‘(b) SUBCATEGORIES OF RESEARCH.— 

6 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program 

7 under subsection (a), the Director of NIH— 

8 ‘‘(A) shall continue to focus on— 

9 ‘‘(i) contraception or infertility re10 search; 

11 ‘‘(ii) pediatric research; 

12 ‘‘(iii) minority health disparities re13 search; 

14 ‘‘(iv) clinical research; and 

15 ‘‘(v) clinical research conducted by ap16 propriately qualified health professional 

17 who are from disadvantaged backgrounds; 

18 and 

19 ‘‘(B) may focus on an area of emerging sci20 entific or workforce need. 

21 ‘‘(2) ELIMINATION OR ESTABLISHMENT OF SUB22 CATEGORIES.—The Director of NIH may eliminate 

23 one or more subcategories provided for in paragraph 

24 (1) due to changes in workforce or scientific needs re25 lated to biomedical research. The Director may estabVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 Apr 04, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S2014.RS S2014

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1 lish other subcategory areas based on workforce and 

2 scientific priorities if the total number of subcat3 egories does not exceed the number of subcategories 

4 listed in paragraph (1). 

5 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—The Director of NIH may not enter 

6 into contract with a health professional pursuant to sub7 section (a) unless such professional has a substantial 

8 amount of education loans relative to income (as deter9 mined pursuant to guidelines issued by the Director).’’; 

10 (5) in subsection (d) (as so redesignated), by 

11 striking ‘‘The provisions’’ and inserting ‘‘APPLICA12 BILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS REGARDING OBLI13 GATED SERVICE.—The provisions’’; and 

14 (6) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated), by 

15 striking ‘‘Amounts’’ and inserting ‘‘AVAILABILITY OF

16 APPROPRIATIONS.—Amounts’’. 

17 (c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

18 Title IV of the Public Health Service Act is amended— 

19 (1) by striking section 464z-5 (42 U.S.C. 285t20 2); 

21 (2) by striking section 487C (42 U.S.C. 288-3); 

22 (3) by striking section 487E (42 U.S.C. 288-5); 

23 and 

24 (4) by striking section 487F (42 U.S.C. 288-5a). 


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1 (d) GAO REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 

2 date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of 

3 the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the 

4 efforts of the National Institutes of Health to attract, retain, 

5 and develop emerging scientists, including underrepresented 

6 individuals in the sciences, such as women and other 

7 groups. Such report shall include an analysis of the impact 

8 of the additional authority provided to the Secretary of 

9 Health and Human Services under this Act to address 

10 workforce shortages and gaps in priority research areas, in11 cluding which centers and research areas offered loan re12 payment program participants the increased award 

13 amount. 


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Calendar No. 410 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2014 

A BILL 

To demonstrate a commitment to our Nation’s sciopment of our next generation of researchers. entists by increasing opportunities for the develAPRIL 4, 2016 

Reported with an amendment 


sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with BILLS