[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8490 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8490
To establish the Office of Social Connection Policy, to establish a
national strategy on social connection, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2024
Mr. Bera introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Office of Social Connection Policy, to establish a
national strategy on social connection, 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 ``National Strategy for Social
Connection Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The health of the Nation is rightly measured not only
by its aggregate wealth or global power, but more centrally by
its shared vision and the bonds of connection that knit its
people into a community.
(2) The fraying of the social fabric is directly implicated
in the growth of loneliness, decline of civic and religious
participation, the disintegration of communities, rising
economic inequality and precarity, falling economic mobility,
rising rates of depression, anxiety and addiction, diminishing
health and life expectancy and rising levels of polarization
and radicalization.
(3) These changes affect all people of the United States,
but fall with particular force on the poor and marginalized, on
children and adolescents, on individuals residing in
economically disadvantaged regions, on veterans and on the
elderly, and individuals without a college degree.
(4) The Surgeon General declared an epidemic of loneliness
and isolation on May 2, 2023.
(5) According to the Surgeon General, social isolation and
loneliness pose a significant risk to individual health and
longevity, including a 29 percent increased risk of heart
disease, a 32 percent increased risk of stroke, and for older
adults, a 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia.
(6) Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for
premature death by 26 percent and 29 percent, respectively.
(7) The general flourishing, economic health and stability
of the United States, and the effective functioning of
government and society require renewed attention to social
connection at every level of society, from individual and
family, to local community and Nation.
(8) The causal connections between these changes are
complex, and thus the various cultural, technological,
demographic, economic, political and institutional drivers of
social connection require attention from a dedicated expert
body that may develop and share knowledge to incorporate into
the national decision making process and align relevant agency
actions.
(9) Federal funding for research and policy around social
connection represents an investment in the future that is
indispensable to sustained national progress and human
flourishing, and there should be continuing national investment
in identifying and expanding proven local strategies, assessing
how agencies are or are not contributing to social connection,
and funding incentives to drive improvement commensurate with
addressing contemporary problems.
SEC. 3. OFFICE OF SOCIAL CONNECTION POLICY; NATIONAL STRATEGY ON SOCIAL
CONNECTION.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Advisory council.--The term ``Advisory Council'' means
the advisory council established under subsection (c)(1).
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Office.
(3) Inadequate.--The term ``inadequate'', with respect to
loneliness, means the discrepancy or unmet need between an
individual's or community's preferred and actual experience.
(4) Loneliness.--The term ``loneliness'', with respect to
an individual, means a subjective distressing experience of an
individual that results from perceived isolation or inadequate
meaningful connection.
(5) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of Social
Connection Policy.
(6) Social connectedness.--The term ``social
connectedness'' means the degree to which an individual or
community achieves and maintains social connection needs.
(7) Social connection.--The term ``social connection''
means a continuum of the size and diversity of an individual's
social network and roles, the functions such relationships and
roles serve, and the positive or negative qualities of such
relationships and roles.
(8) Social disconnection.--The term ``social
disconnection'' means objective or subjective deficits in
social connection, including deficits in social relationships
and roles, the functions such relationships and roles serve,
and the positive or negative qualities of such relationships
and roles.
(9) Social infrastructure.--The term ``social
infrastructure'' means the programs (such as volunteer
organizations, sports groups, religious groups, and member
associations), policies (such as public transportation,
housing, and education), and physical elements (such as
libraries, parks, green spaces, and playgrounds) of a community
that support the development of social connection.
(10) Social isolation.--The term ``social isolation'', with
respect to an individual, means that the individual objectively
has few social relationships, social roles, or group
memberships and has infrequent social interaction.
(b) Office of Social Connection Policy.--
(1) In general.--There is established within the Executive
Office of the President an office, to be known as the ``Office
of Social Connection Policy''.
(2) Purposes.--The purposes of the Office shall be to
provide to the President independent, expert judgment and
assistance on policy matters that require accurate assessments
of social connection.
(3) Director.--
(A) In general.--The head of the Office shall be
the Director, who shall be appointed by the President,
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(B) Compensation.--The Director shall be
compensated at the rate provided for level IV of the
Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5,
United States Code.
(4) Associate directors.--
(A) In general.--The President may appoint, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate, not more
than 4 Associate Directors of the Office.
(B) Compensation.--An Associate Director appointed
under subparagraph (A) shall be compensated at the rate
provided for level V of the Executive Schedule under
section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
(5) Duties.--
(A) In general.--The Director shall--
(i) advise the President on timely and
authoritative research regarding public health,
technological, and social infrastructure
aspects of social connection and loneliness
that require attention at the highest levels of
the Federal Government;
(ii) advise the President on social
connection and loneliness considerations with
respect to issues of national concern,
including the economy, public health, national
security, the environment, and civic and
community engagement;
(iii) with respect to research and
development relating to social connection and
loneliness--
(I) assist the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget with an
annual review and analysis of funding
proposed for such research and
development for all Federal agencies;
and
(II) assist the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget and the
heads of the Federal agencies
throughout the budget development
process;
(iv) assist the President in providing
general leadership and coordination of Federal
research and development programs relating to
social connection and loneliness;
(v) provide prompt, effective, reliable,
and systematic information to the public on the
impact of policies and programs conducted by
the Federal Government on social connection and
maintenance and development of social
infrastructure;
(vi) establish, maintain, and update the
national strategy in accordance with
subparagraph (B); and
(vii) carry out such other activities as
the President may determine.
(B) National strategy.--
(i) In general.--The Office shall
establish, maintain, and periodically update an
integrated national strategy to improve social
connection, ameliorate loneliness, and slow or
stop the progression of social disconnection.
(ii) Requirement.--The national strategy
under clause (i) shall be an inclusive, Federal
Government-wide approach that leverages
existing Federal resources and authorities to
achieve enhanced social connection.
(c) Advisory Council.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish an
intergovernmental advisory council the purpose of which shall
be to address loneliness, social disconnection, and social
connection experienced by individuals in the United States.
(2) Activities.--The Advisory Council shall--
(A) carry out an annual assessment on social
connection in accordance with paragraph (5);
(B) provide information on, and coordinate, social
connection research and services across all Federal
agencies;
(C) encourage the development of effective
strategies and approaches to prevent social
disconnection and improve social infrastructure,
quality of life, and community;
(D) review the impact of social disconnection and
loneliness on physical, mental, and social health;
(E) to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate
with international bodies to integrate and inform the
global mission to improve social connection;
(F) advise the Director;
(G) issue national guidelines on social connection;
and
(H) carry out such other activities as the Director
determines appropriate.
(3) Membership.--
(A) Composition.--The Advisory Council shall be
composed of--
(i) the Director (or the Director's
designee), who shall serve as the Chair of the
Advisory Council;
(ii) the Federal members under subparagraph
(B); and
(iii) the non-Federal members under
subparagraph (C).
(B) Federal members.--
(i) In general.--In addition to the
Director (or the Director's designee), the
Federal members of the Advisory Council shall
consist of 1 representative from each of--
(I) the Department of Commerce;
(II) the Department of Defense;
(III) the Department of Education;
(IV) the Department of Health and
Human Services, including--
(aa) the Administration on
Community Living;
(bb) the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention;
and
(cc) the Office of the
Director of the National
Institutes of Health;
(V) the Department of Homeland
Security;
(VI) the Department of Housing and
Urban Development, including the Office
of Community Planning and Development;
(VII) the Department of Justice;
(VIII) the Department of Labor;
(IX) the Department of the
Treasury;
(X) the Department of
Transportation;
(XI) the Department of Veterans
Affairs;
(XII) the Corporation for National
and Community Service; and
(XIII) other relevant Federal
agencies, as determined by the
Director.
(ii) Appointment.--The Federal members
under clause (i) shall be appointed--
(I) by the head of the respective
agency or office; and
(II) so as to ensure that the
membership of the Advisory Council is
diverse and inclusive.
(C) Non-federal members.--The non-Federal members
of the Advisory Council shall be appointed by the
Director, and shall consist of experts in their
respective fields, including--
(i) 1 or more caregivers;
(ii) 1 or more health care providers;
(iii) 1 or more representatives of
nonprofit organizations that advocate for
policies that reduce loneliness and social
isolation;
(iv) 1 or more representatives of State,
territorial, local, and Tribal governments;
(v) 1 or more researchers from research
institutions;
(vi) 1 or more representatives of State
education agencies;
(vii) 1 or more representatives of Veterans
Service Organizations;
(viii) 1 or more employers;
(ix) 1 or more workplace representatives;
(x) 1 or more representatives of volunteer
organizations;
(xi) 1 or more representatives of nonprofit
organizations that advocate for youth and have
youth serving on their boards or in leadership
positions;
(xii) 1 or more representatives of
community action agencies;
(xiii) 1 or more representatives of
disability rights organizations; and
(xiv) 1 or more representatives of LGBTQIA+
advocacy organizations.
(4) Meetings.--
(A) Quarterly meetings.--The Advisory Council shall
meet not less frequently than quarterly, and at the
call of the Director.
(B) Open meetings.--The meetings of the Advisory
Council shall be open to the public.
(5) Annual assessment.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Advisory Council shall carry out an assessment of the progress
of the United States in improving social connection,
including--
(A) an assessment of steps that have been, or
should be, taken--
(i) to increase the use of the national
strategy described in subsection (b)(5)(B) in
Federal policy development and implementation;
(ii) to establish a framework to improve
and connect social services;
(iii) to promote continuous community-led
planning and design to improve social
connection through reimagined community spaces,
transportation, housing, and technologies;
(iv) to establish and scale community
connection programs;
(v) to coordinate public health campaigns
that raise awareness and reduce the stigma
surrounding loneliness;
(vi) to strengthen measurement practices to
increase collection of data measuring
loneliness and so