Relieving Economic Strain to Enhance American Resilience and Competitiveness in Higher Education and Research Act

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 financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Relieving Economic Strain to Enhance American Resilience and Competitiveness in Higher Education and Research Act RESEARCHER Act 2. Policy guidelines for Federal research agencies to address financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers (a) Definition In this section: (1) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education 20 U.S.C. 1001 (2) Graduate researchers The term graduate researchers (3) Postdoctoral researchers The term postdoctoral researchers (b) OSTP 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 Education, PCAST, institutions of higher education, graduate and postdoctoral organizations, and other relevant stakeholders, shall develop a consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research agencies to address financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers. (2) Requirements In developing the policy guidelines under paragraph (1), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall include guidelines that address, to the extent practicable, the following: (A) Opportunities to increase stipends for graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers, including indexing based on location and accounting for cost of living adjustments. (B) Opportunities to increase access to quality, affordable medical, dental, and vision care. (C) Opportunities to increase access to affordable housing and transportation. (D) Opportunities to reduce food insecurity. (E) Opportunities to address costs of caring for family members, including child care. (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 and implement policies based on the policy guidelines under paragraph (1). (B) Federal research agency implementation Not later than six months after receiving the policy guidelines under paragraph (1), the head of each Federal research agency shall— (i) develop and implement policies with respect to financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers that are consistent with such policy guidelines; and (ii) broadly disseminate such policies to current and potential recipients of 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) as the Director determines necessary. (5) Report Not later than one year after the date after the guidelines are submitted and every five years thereafter, 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). (B) Progress on the implementation of such guidelines by Federal research agencies. (c) Data collection The Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of Public Law 117–167 (1) in section 10314(b) ( 42 U.S.C. 18994 (A) in paragraph (2)— (i) in subparagraph (D), by striking and (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); and (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph: (E) graduate researcher and postdoctoral researcher stipend amounts and financial instability (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics); and ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education 20 U.S.C. 1001 (B) Graduate researchers The term graduate researchers (C) Postdoctoral researchers The term postdoctoral researchers ; and (2) in paragraph (1) of section 10502(a) ( 42 U.S.C. 19152(a) graduate and postdoctoral research stipend amounts (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics), and awarded budget (d) Data on financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers The Director of the National Science Foundation shall make awards, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions or organizations) to collect and analyze data on financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics). (e) National Academies assessment (1) In general Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to undertake a study and issue a report on the status of financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers. To the extent feasible, the study shall include an assessment (disaggregated, to the extent practicable, by demographics) at a minimum of the immediately preceding five years of the following: (A) Stipends relative to average local medical, dental, and vision expenses. (B) Stipends relative to average local housing and transportation costs. (C) Stipends relative to average local food costs. (D) Stipends relative to average local costs of caring for family members, including child care costs. (2) Report Not later than two years after the date on which the agreement between the Director of the National Science Foundation and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is entered into pursuant to paragraph (1), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall submit to 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 the results of the assessment under such paragraph and recommendations relating thereto regarding how Federal agencies, Congress, institutions of higher education, and other relevant entities may address financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers. (f) 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) assesses the degree to which Federal research agencies have implemented the policy guidelines under subsection (b) and the effectiveness of such implementation; (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 reducing financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers.

Summary: Relieving Economic Strain to Enhance American Resilience and Competitiveness in Higher Education and Research Act or the RESEARCHER Act This bill requires executive guidance and policy changes with respect to the compensation and benefits afforded to graduate and postdoctoral researchers.Specifically, the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy must develop a set of policy guidelines for federal agencies to address the financial instability of graduate and postdoctoral researchers. The guidelines must address certain issues, including stipends that are appropriately indexed to cost-of-living adjustments, health care benefits, and affordable housing and child care. Federal agencies must develop policies that are consistent with such guidelines within six months of the guidelines' issuance.Additionally, the National Science Foundation must (1) provide awards to institutions of higher education or nonprofits to collect data on the financial instability of graduate and postdoctoral researchers, and (2) contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to report on stipends for graduate and postdoctoral researchers relative to their cost-of-living expenses.The Government Accountability Office must report on the implementation of relevant policy changes.