MENTOR Act of 2024

Bill: 118-hr-10374
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
Introduced: 2024-12-11
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Latest action: action_date: 2024-12-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10374 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.

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 . 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.