---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19151"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19151"
heading: "Federal research agency policies for caregivers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19151"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter V — Broadening Participation in Science"
  - "Part A — STEM Opportunities"
---

# §19151. Federal research agency policies for caregivers

- (a) **OSTP guidance—** Not later than 12 months after August 9, 2022, the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1), in consultation with the heads of relevant [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), shall provide guidance to each [Federal research agency](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) to establish policies that—
  - (1) apply to all—
    - (A) research awards granted by such [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1); and
    - (B) principal investigators of such research and their trainees, including postdoctoral researchers and graduate students, who have caregiving responsibilities, including care for a newborn or newly adopted child and care for an immediate family member who has a disability or a serious health condition; and
  - (2) provide, to the extent feasible—
    - (A) flexibility in timing for the initiation of approved research awards granted by such [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1);
    - (B) no-cost extensions of such research awards;
    - (C) award supplements, as appropriate, to research awards to sustain research activities conducted under such awards; and
    - (D) any other appropriate accommodations at the discretion of the [director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of each such [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1).
- (b) **Uniformity of guidance—** In providing guidance under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) shall encourage uniformity, to the extent practicable, and consistency in the policies established pursuant to such guidance across all [Federal research agencies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10).
- (c) **Establishment of policies—** Consistent, to the extent practicable, with the guidance under [subsection (a)](#a), [Federal research agencies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) shall—
  - (1) maintain or develop and implement policies for individuals described in paragraph (1)(B) of such subsection; and
  - (2) broadly disseminate in easily accessible formats such policies to current and potential award [recipients](/usc/42/18901.md?p=24).
- (d) **Data on usage—** [Federal research agencies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) shall consider—
  - (1) collecting data, including demographic data that can be disaggregated by sex, geographic location, and socioeconomic indicators, which may include employment status, occupation, educational attainment, parental education, and income, on the usage of the policies under [subsection (c)](#c), at both institutions of higher education and [Federal laboratories](/usc/42/18901.md?p=9); and
  - (2) reporting such data on an annual basis to the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) in such form as required by the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title V, § 10501, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1609.)