Bill Summary
The "Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Neurological Impact Act" is a proposed bill that would give the Director of the National Science Foundation the authority to award grants for research on neurological and psychiatric illnesses related to COVID-19. This would include research into the incidence, brain function, and psychological factors associated with these illnesses. The bill also calls for the establishment of an interagency working group to coordinate federal programs and research related to these illnesses, and to engage with researchers and stakeholders to share information and best practices. The working group would be co-chaired by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and would terminate after 5 years.
Possible Impacts
1. The establishment of an interagency working group to coordinate federal programs and activities related to neurological and psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19 could result in increased collaboration and information sharing among researchers and stakeholders, potentially leading to better understanding and treatment of these illnesses.
2. The provision for grants to support research on neurological and psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19 could provide funding and resources for scientists to conduct important research in this area, potentially leading to new discoveries and treatments for these illnesses.
3. The emphasis on including children and adolescents in the research could lead to better understanding of how COVID-19 affects these age groups and could potentially inform interventions and treatments specifically tailored for them.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5772 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5772
To authorize the Director of the National Science Foundation to award
grants to support research on neurological and psychiatric illnesses
associated with COVID-19 infection, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 28, 2021
Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio (for himself, Mr. Kinzinger, Ms. Wild, Mr.
Cardenas, Mr. Meijer, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Joyce of Ohio) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Director of the National Science Foundation to award
grants to support research on neurological and psychiatric illnesses
associated with COVID-19 infection, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19
Neurological Impact Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Historical epidemiological perspectives suggest an
association between exposure to general respiratory viruses and
subsequent neurological and psychiatric illnesses.
(2) Early research suggests that one in three patients
diagnosed with a COVID-19 infection experiences a neurological
or psychiatric illness within six months of such diagnosis.
(3) Research is urgently needed to better understand why
neurological and psychiatric illnesses occur in patients
following a COVID-19 infection, so that treatments and
therapeutic strategies can be developed.
(4) The National Science Foundation and the National
Institutes of Health have a deep history of supporting
collaborative research that spans the biological sciences and
paves the way for health-related advancements.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RESEARCH.
The Director of the National Science Foundation, in consultation
with the Director of the National Institutes of Health and the Director
of the National Institute of Mental Health, is authorized to award
grants on a competitive basis to support multidisciplinary research on
neurological and psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19
infection, including with respect to children and adolescents. Such
research may include research into any of the following:
(1) The incidence of neurological and psychiatric illness
associated with COVID-19 infection.
(2) Brain function following a COVID-19 infection and the
potential relevance of such infection to neurological and
psychiatric illnesses.
(3) The relevance of psychological and psychosocial factors
associated with the COVID-19 pandemic to neurological and
psychiatric illnesses, including an identification and
evaluation of such factors.
(4) Other science with potential relevance to the causes,
diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of neurological and
psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19 infection.
SEC. 4. COVID-19 MENTAL HEALTH INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.
(a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, in consultation with the National Science and
Technology Council, shall establish an interagency working group--
(1) to coordinate Federal programs and activities with
roles in addressing--
(A) neurological and psychiatric illnesses
associated with COVID-19 infection; and
(B) psychological and psychosocial factors
associated with the COVID-19 pandemic that may be
relevant to such illnesses;
(2) to coordinate Federal research and data collection,
including with respect to children and adolescents--
(A) to identify neurological and psychiatric
illnesses associated with COVID-19 infection; and
(B) to improve understanding of psychological and
psychosocial factors associated with the COVID-19
pandemic that may be relevant to such illnesses; and
(3) to coordinate engagement with researchers and
stakeholders from universities, industry, public health
organizations, health care providers, State and local
governments, elementary and secondary educational
organizations, and non-profit organizations to ensure that
research, information, and best practices relating to
neurological and psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19
infection are shared among such entities.
(b) Co-Chairs.--The interagency working group shall be co-chaired
by--
(1) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy; and
(2) a member of the interagency working group selected by
the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(c) Termination.--The interagency working group shall terminate on
the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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