S. 5295

119 S5295 IS: NIH Mentorship Modernization Act
 U.S. Senate
 2026-08-06
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. 5295  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   August 6, 2026   Mr. McCormick  (for himself and  Mr. Coons ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions    A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to strengthen mentorship and career development support for early-career researchers receiving funding from the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   NIH Mentorship Modernization Act  .
2.
Mentorship and career development support
Part G of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288 et set seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
489A.
Mentorship and career development support
(a)
In general
The Secretary shall establish minimum mentorship standards and support requirements applicable to entities receiving career development, institutional training, fellowship, research education, and other research training awards from the National Institutes of Health that the Secretary determines would benefit from additional mentorship support beyond statutory or award-specific requirements. In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable—
(1)
build upon existing mentorship requirements, reporting processes, and award documentation, including annual progress reports add other existing reporting mechanisms of the National Institutes of Health;
(2)
avoid duplicative administrative or reporting requirements; and
(3)
provide flexibility for institutions with mentorship programs that are substantially similar to the standards and requirements established under this section.
(b)
Mentorship standards
(1)
In general
The standards and procedures established under subsection (a) shall include standards for measurable minimum expectations relating to—
(A)
regular mentor-mentee engagement;
(B)
professional development support and career guidance;
(C)
periodic assessment of mentee research and career progress;
(D)
minimum qualification requirements and mentorship competencies for mentors participating in programs supported by such awards; and
(E)
such other mentorship activities as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(2)
Compliance
The Secretary shall establish procedures for entities to certify, through existing annual reporting requirements of the National Institutes of Health, compliance with the standards established under this section.
(c)
Dissemination of mentorship practices and guidance
(1)
In general
The Secretary—
(A)
shall encourage dissemination of evidence-based mentorship practices and guidance, including mentoring compacts, mentor-mentee agreements, individualized development plans, mentor training curricula, and other evidence-based mentorship resources, relating to the standards established under this section; and
(B)
may encourage entities to adopt such practices and guidance, as appropriate.
(2)
Cross-institution mentoring
The practices and guidance issued under this subsection may address mentorship arrangements involving multiple institutions, including documentation of mentoring responsibilities and recognition of co-mentors.
(d)
Mentor support
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may provide supplemental funding or other support to institutions to assist with implementation of the mentorship standards established under this section. Such support may include funding for mentor training, mentorship coordination, implementation of mentorship agreements, mentor development activities, and other reasonable expenses associated with carrying out this section.
(e)
Continuous improvement
The Secretary shall periodically review mentorship practices across career development and research training awards of the National Institutes of Health and update mentorship standards established under this section, as appropriate, to reflect evidence-based practices.
(f)
Applicability
The standards and procedures established under this section shall apply only to awards made on or after the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, except that a recipient of an award made prior to such date may voluntarily comply with such standards and procedures.
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