S. 4818: National Strategy for Social Connection Act

This bill would create a new federal office focused on loneliness and social connection. Specifically, it would establish an Office of Social Connection Policy inside the Executive Office of the President, led by a Senate-confirmed director and up to four Senate-confirmed associate directors.

What the new office would do

The office would advise the President on issues related to loneliness, social connection, and social infrastructure. It would also coordinate federal research and policy in this area, review proposed funding for related research across agencies, and help develop a government-wide approach to improving social connection.

The bill says the office would create and maintain a national strategy on social connection. That strategy would be updated periodically and would aim to:

• improve social connection;
• reduce loneliness; and
• slow or stop social disconnection.

Advisory council

The bill would require the director to set up an intergovernmental advisory council within one year. This council would include federal representatives from several agencies, including Commerce, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, Treasury, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, and AmeriCorps, plus other agencies the director chooses.

The council would also include non-federal members such as caregivers, health care providers, nonprofit advocates, state and local government representatives, researchers, education agency representatives, veterans organizations, employers, workplace representatives, volunteer organizations, youth-focused nonprofits, community action agencies, disability rights organizations, and LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations.

The council would meet at least quarterly, and its meetings would be open to the public.

Studies, reports, and guidance

The council would be required to:

• conduct annual assessments of how the country is doing in improving social connection;
• coordinate social-connection research and services across federal agencies;
• issue national guidelines on social connection;
• review how loneliness affects physical, mental, and social health; and
• report to the Director and Congress at least once a year.

Those reports would evaluate federal efforts, recommend legislative changes, and assess how well the national strategy is working. The assessments would also look at topics such as improving data collection, supporting state and local governments, improving community spaces and transportation, expanding community programs, reducing stigma around loneliness, and involving young people in these efforts.

Data sharing

Federal agencies that have data related to loneliness or social connection would be required to share that data with the Director and make it public where allowed by law. This would support the council’s reports and assessments.

Funding

The bill would authorize $5 million per year for the CDC from fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to research or support research on loneliness and social connection.

Relevant Companies

None found