H.R. 3054: Relieving Economic Strain to Enhance American Resilience and Competitiveness in Higher Education and Research Act

This bill, known as the "Relieving Economic Strain to Enhance American Resilience and Competitiveness in Higher Education and Research Act" or the "RESEARCHER Act," seeks to establish guidelines that address the financial issues faced by graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers within institutions of higher education that receive federal funding. Below are the key provisions and objectives of the bill:

Policy Development

The bill mandates the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to develop a set of policy guidelines within six months of enactment. These guidelines aim to help federal research agencies tackle the financial instability that affects graduate and postdoctoral researchers.

Focused Recommendations

In crafting these guidelines, the Director must consider various improvements including:

• Increasing Stipends: Recommendations to raise stipends for graduate and postdoctoral researchers, adjusted based on geographical cost of living.
• Support for Underserved Areas: Enhanced stipends for those working in rural or underserved regions to aid recruitment and retention.
• Access to Healthcare: Improved access to affordable medical, dental, and vision care.
• Housing and Transportation: Strategies to enhance access to affordable housing and transportation options.
• Food Security: Initiatives aimed at reducing food insecurity among researchers.
• Family Care Costs: Addressing the financial burden related to child care and other family care responsibilities.

Implementation and Monitoring

The bill requires that by six months after receiving the OSTP guidelines, each federal research agency implement their own policies to address the financial issues identified, ensuring that these policies are widely disseminated among stakeholders. The OSTP is also tasked with monitoring these efforts and updating the guidelines as necessary.

Reporting Requirements

The Director of the OSTP must submit a report within one year of guideline development, detailing the guidelines and progress made by federal research agencies, with subsequent reports every five years.

Data Collection Initiatives

The bill calls for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund research on financial instability faced by graduate and postdoctoral researchers, ensuring this research includes demographic breakdowns where feasible.

Studies and Assessments

Within two years, the NSF is required to work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study assessing the financial challenges facing researchers, with a report due afterward with recommendations for addressing these issues. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) must conduct a study three years post-enactment to assess the implementation of the guidelines and their effectiveness, complete with recommendations for improvements.

Definitions

The bill establishes specific definitions for "institution of higher education," "graduate researchers," and "postdoctoral researchers," aligning them with existing legal definitions under the Higher Education Act.

Relevant Companies

None found