A Democratic bill with 22 Democratic cosponsors · See all 22 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "RESEARCHER Act," requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to create policy guidelines for Federal research agencies. These guidelines aim to address the financial instability faced by graduate and postdoctoral researchers. The guidelines should cover topics like increasing stipends, improving access to healthcare, housing, and food, and managing childcare costs. Federal agencies are then expected to implement these policies and share them with researchers. Additionally, the bill mandates data collection and studies by the National Science Foundation and the National Academies to better understand these financial challenges.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +5
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
The bill provides financial relief and support for graduate and postdoctoral researchers, who are typically in this age demographic.
- Scored +5
Would students be better off under this?
The bill directly targets the economic needs of graduate students through increased stipends and better access to essential services.
- Scored +5
Does this make college cost less?
The bill addresses the financial instability of graduate researchers by providing guidelines for increased stipends and cost-of-living support.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Income Opportunities: The bill directs the development of guidelines to increase stipends for graduate and postdoctoral researchers, including those based on their location (Section 2(b)(2)(A)).
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Support for Specific Regions: There are provisions to increase stipends for postdoctoral researchers working in rural or underserved areas or specific States to help recruit and keep researchers in those regions (Section 2(b)(2)(B)).
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Improved Essential Services Access: The guidelines aim to increase access to quality, affordable medical, dental, and vision care (Section 2(b)(2)(C)).
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Reduced Living Costs: The bill includes opportunities to increase access to affordable housing and transportation (Section 2(b)(2)(D)).
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Food Security: The guidelines seek to find ways to reduce food insecurity among researchers (Section 2(b)(2)(E)).
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Family Support: The act addresses the costs associated with caring for family members, including child care (Section 2(b)(2)(F)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly identified within the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — The bill directly targets the economic needs of graduate students through increased stipends and better access to essential services. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill provides financial relief and support for graduate and postdoctoral researchers, who are typically in this age demographic. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill aims to reduce financial instability by addressing costs for food, housing, and healthcare. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill includes provisions to increase stipends specifically for researchers working in rural or underserved areas.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The bill addresses the financial instability of graduate researchers by providing guidelines for increased stipends and cost-of-living support. Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill directs the NSF to fund studies and data collection related to the financial stability of the research workforce.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make child care cost less? — The bill specifically requires guidelines to address the costs of caring for family members, including child care. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The act seeks to address financial instability by improving access to housing, food, and healthcare for researchers.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill directs the development of guidelines to increase access to quality, affordable medical, dental, and vision care.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill encourages the recruitment and retention of researchers in rural or underserved areas through increased stipends.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — By stabilizing the financial situation of researchers, the bill seeks to enhance American resilience and competitiveness. Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill aims to support the recruitment and retention of researchers in specific regions through increased stipends.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates periodic reports to Congress regarding the implementation of research stability guidelines.
- 10/26/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/8/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 5/12/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/11/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/8/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/30/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/29/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 12 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Emanuel CleaverDemocrat · Missouri
Steve CohenDemocrat · Tennessee
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickDemocrat · Florida
Suzan DelBeneDemocrat · Washington
Dwight EvansDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Bill FosterDemocrat · Illinois
Maxwell FrostDemocrat · Florida
Laura FriedmanDemocrat · California
Summer LeeDemocrat · Pennsylvania
George LatimerDemocrat · New York
Sarah McBrideDemocrat · Delaware
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Joe NeguseDemocrat · Colorado
Chellie PingreeDemocrat · Maine
Josh RileyDemocrat · New York
Darren SotoDemocrat · Florida
Paul TonkoDemocrat · New York
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Jill TokudaDemocrat · Hawaii
Shri ThanedarDemocrat · Michigan
Eugene VindmanDemocrat · Virginia