RISE Act Would Provide Relief Funding for Federally Funded Scientists
On June 24, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI) introduced the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act (H.R. 7308), which would authorize $26 billion in relief funding for federal science agencies to support researchers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds could be used to enable graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and Principal Investigators to complete work that was disrupted by COVID-19, or extend the training or employment of researchers on an existing research project for up to two years because of the disruption of the job market. The bill follows a similar Dear Colleague Letter led by DeGette and Upton in April with 180 Members of Congress signing on. A timeline for consideration and potential passage of the bill remains unclear. While it would be a likely candidate for inclusion in a larger COVID-19 aid package, the House is still waiting for the Senate to introduce a counterpart to its previously passed COVID-19 relief bill before it considers a new one.