INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS.

SEC. 2021. INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS. (a) In general.—Part A of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: “SEC. 404M. [42 U.S.C. 283o] NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS “(a) Next Generation of Researchers Initiative.—There shall be established within the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Next Generation of Researchers Initiative (referred to in this section as the ‘Initiative’), through which the Director shall coordinate all policies and programs within the National Institutes of Health that are focused on promoting and providing opportunities for new researchers and earlier research independence. “(b) Activities.—The Director of the National Institutes of Health, through the Initiative shall— “(1) promote policies and programs within the National Institutes of Health that are focused on improving opportunities for new researchers and promoting earlier research independence, including existing policies and programs, as appropriate; “(2) develop, modify, or prioritize policies, as needed, within the National Institutes of Health to promote opportunities for new researchers and earlier research independence, such as policies to increase opportunities for new researchers to receive funding, enhance training and mentorship programs for researchers, and enhance workforce diversity; “(3) coordinate, as appropriate, with relevant agencies, professional and academic associations, academic institutions, and others, to improve and update existing information on the biomedical research workforce in order to inform programs related to the training, recruitment, and retention of biomedical researchers; and “(4) carry out other activities, including evaluation and oversight of existing programs, as appropriate, to promote the development of the next generation of researchers and earlier research independence.” . (b) Consideration of Recommendations.—In carrying out activities under section 404M(b) of the Public Health Service Act, the Director of the National Institutes of Health shall take into consideration the recommendations made by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine as part of the comprehensive study on policies affecting the next generation of researchers under the Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114-113), and submit a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, with respect to any actions taken by the National Institutes of Health based on the recommendations not later than 2 years after the completion of the study required pursuant to the Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2016.