In the Senate of the United States, 

December 14, 2020. 

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 4704) entitled ‘‘An Act 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.’’, do pass with the following 

AMENDMENT: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 

following: 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Advancing Research to 

3 Prevent Suicide Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 
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1 (1) The rate of Americans dying by suicide is on 

2 the rise, increasing 10.7 to 14.0 deaths per 100,000 

3 people from 2001 to 2017. 

4 (2) Suicide is the tenth-leading cause of death 

5 among people in the United States and the second6 leading cause of death for young people between the 

7 ages of 15 and 34. 

8 (3) The National Science Foundation funds re9 search that is improving our basic understanding of 

10 factors with potential relevance to suicide, including 

11 potential relevance to prevention and treatment. 

12 (4) Despite progress in mental health research, 

13 current gaps exist in scientific understanding and 

14 basic knowledge of human neural, genetic, cognitive, 

15 perceptual, behavioral, social, and environmental fac16 tors with potential relevance to suicide. 

17 SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RESEARCH. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National 

19 Science Foundation, in consultation with the Director of 

20 the National Institutes of Health and the Director of the 

21 National Institute of Mental Health and taking into consid22 eration prioritized research agendas or strategic plans, as 

23 appropriate, shall, subject to the availability of appropria24 tions, award grants on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis 

25 to institutions of higher education (or consortia of such in-
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1 stitutions) to support multidisciplinary, fundamental re2 search with potential relevance to suicide, including poten3 tial relevance to prevention and treatment, including, but 

4 not limited to— 

5 (1) basic understanding of human social behav6 ior; 

7 (2) the neural basis of human cognition; 

8 (3) basic understanding of cognitive, linguistic, 

9 social, cultural, and biological processes related to 

10 human development across the lifespan; 

11 (4) basic understanding of perceptual, motor, 

12 and cognitive processes, and their interaction, in typ13 ical human behavior; and 

14 (5) basic understanding of the relevance of drug 

15 and alcohol abuse. 

16 (b) ENCOURAGING APPLICATIONS FROM EARLY CA17 REER RESEARCHERS.—To promote the development of 

18 early career researchers, in awarding funds under sub19 section (a), the Director of the National Science Foundation 

20 shall encourage applications submitted by early career re-
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1 searchers, including doctoral students or postdoctoral re2 searchers. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H.R. 4704 

AMENDMENT