This bill aims to make life more affordable for graduate and postdoctoral researchers who are supported by federal research funds. It tells the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to set clear guidelines for federal research agencies to help reduce financial stress for these researchers. The guidelines should look at raising stipends (with adjustments for local cost of living), extra stipend boosts to attract postdocs to rural or underserved areas, and better access to health care, housing, transportation, food, and family care like child care . Federal research agencies must then create and share their own policies that follow these guidelines .

The bill also pushes for better data and accountability. It adds tracking of stipend amounts and financial hardship (by demographics where possible), funds outside groups to study these issues, and asks the National Academies to report on how stipends compare to local costs for basics like health care, housing, food, and child care. It further requires reports on progress and a Government Accountability Office review to check whether agencies followed through and what else is needed .

• Who is affected | Graduate students and postdocs supported by federal research funding at colleges and universities
• What changes | Federal guidelines to reduce financial strain; potential stipend increases (including location-based adjustments and added support in rural/underserved areas); improved access to health care, housing, transportation, food, and family care; new data collection and studies to track progress
• When | Guidelines due within 6 months of the law; agencies must adopt policies within 6 months after receiving the guidelines; a progress report due 1 year after guidelines and then every 5 years; National Academies report due about 2 years after an agreement starts; GAO review due within 3 years