II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4014 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 6, 2022 

Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mr. CASSIDY, and Mr. BROWN) introduced the 

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

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

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. 

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 ‘‘Brycen Gray and Ben 

5 Price COVID–19 Cognitive Research Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act— 


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1 (1) the term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 

2 the National Science Foundation; 

3 (2) the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means an institu4 tion of higher education (as such term is defined in 

5 section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

6 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or a consortium composed of non7 profit organizations and institutions of higher edu8 cation; and 

9 (3) the term ‘‘National Academies’’ means the 

10 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 

11 Medicine. 

12 SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 

13 Congress makes the following findings: 

14 (1) The COVID–19 pandemic has disrupted 

15 nearly every aspect of life across the globe. Further16 more, it has produced major disruptions of individ17 ual’s physical and mental health, including with re18 spect of children and adolescents. 

19 (2) Historical epidemiological perspectives sug20 gest an association between exposure to general res21 piratory viruses and subsequent disruption of reg22 ular cognitive processes. 

23 (3) Early research suggests that 1 in 3 individ24 uals diagnosed with a COVID–19 infection experiVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:14 Apr 07, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4014.IS S4014

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1 ences a disruption of regular cognitive processes 

2 within 6 months of such diagnosis. 

3 (4) Research is urgently needed to better un4 derstand why disruption in regular cognitive proc5 esses occur in patients as a consequence of a 

6 COVID–19 infection and how long such disruptions 

7 can continue after recovery. 

8 (5) The National Science Foundation has a 

9 deep history of supporting interdisciplinary, basic re10 search that spans the social, behavioral, and funda11 mental biological sciences and paves the way for sci12 entific advancements. 

13 SEC. 4. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RESEARCH. 

14 The Director shall award grants to eligible entities, 

15 including through the RAPID funding mechanism, on a 

16 competitive, merit-reviewed basis to support interdiscipli17 nary research on the disruption of regular cognitive proc18 esses associated with both short-term and long-term 

19 COVID–19 infections, including with respect to children 

20 and adolescents. Such research may include the following: 

21 (1) Foundational studies on the effects of cog22 nition, emotion, and neural structure and function 

23 relating to any disruption of regular cognitive proc24 esses associated with COVID–19 infection. 


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1 (2) Analysis of findings on the disruption of 

2 regular cognitive processes associated with COVID– 

3 19 infection, including the development of predictive 

4 theoretical frameworks to guide future research. 

5 (3) Development of physical and conceptual 

6 tools needed to evaluate cognition, emotion, and neu7 ral structure and function of the brain as a con8 sequence of a COVID–19 infection, and the potential 

9 relevance of such infection to the disruption of reg10 ular cognitive processes. 

11 (4) Studies on the relevance of psychological 

12 and psychosocial factors, including major disruptions 

13 of physical health, mental health, and economic sta14 bility associated with the COVID–19 pandemic, on 

15 the disruption of regular cognitive processes, includ16 ing an identification and evaluation of such factors. 

17 (5) Any other activities the Director determines 

18 will support interdisciplinary research and collabora19 tion on the disruption of regular cognitive processes 

20 associated with COVID–19 infection, including with 

21 respect to children and adolescents. 

22 SEC. 5. NATIONAL ACADEMIES STUDY ON THE DISRUPTION 

23 OF COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED 

24 WITH COVID–19 INFECTION. 

25 (a) STUDY.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 45 days after 

2 the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall 

3 enter into an agreement with the National Acad4 emies to study and produce a report on the disrup5 tion of cognitive processes associated with COVID– 

6 19 infection. The study shall— 

7 (A) review the research literature and iden8 tify research gaps regarding Federal programs 

9 and activities with roles in addressing both 

10 short-term and long-term consequences associ11 ated with COVID–19 infection; 

12 (B) assess the necessity of establishing 

13 causal inference approaches into research on 

14 the impacts of COVID–19 infection on cognitive 

15 processes to determine reverse causation; 

16 (C) evaluate and make recommendations 

17 regarding the coordination of research and data 

18 collection, including with respect to children 

19 and adolescents, to identify the disruption of 

20 regular cognitive processes associated with 

21 COVID–19 infection, including long-term 

22 COVID–19; 

23 (D) evaluate impacts of COVID–19 infec24 tion on populations under-represented in cogVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:14 Apr 07, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4014.IS S4014

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1 nitive literature, such as poor, rural, and minor2 ity populations; and 

3 (E) make recommendations regarding ways 

4 to coordinate engagement with researchers and 

5 stakeholders from institutions of higher edu6 cation, industry, public health organizations, 

7 State and local governments, local educational 

8 agencies, and non-profit organizations to ensure 

9 that research, information, and best practices 

10 relating to the disruption of regular cognitive 

11 processes associated with COVID–19 infection, 

12 including long-term COVID–19, are shared 

13 among such entities. 

14 (2) COMPLETION.—The study required under 

15 paragraph (1) shall be completed by not later than 

16 the date that is 16 months after the date of enact17 ment of this Act. 

18 (b) REPORTS.— 

19 (1) BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES.—Upon 

20 completion of the study under subsection (a), the 

21 National Academies shall transmit to the Director 

22 and Congress a report on such study. 

23 (2) BY THE DIRECTOR.—Not later than 3 

24 months after receipt of the report under paragraph 

25 (1), the Director shall transmit to Congress a sumVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:14 Apr 07, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4014.IS S4014

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1 mary of the Director’s plans, if any, to implement 

2 the recommendations of the National Academies 

3 contained in such report. 

4 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

5 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Direc6 tor to carry out this Act $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2023, 

7 to remain available through fiscal year 2025, of which 

8 $1,000,000 is authorized to carry out the study and 

9 produce the reports under section 5. 

Æ 


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