Gonzalez, Kinzinger, Joyce, Meijer unveil bill to award grants for COVID-related research

Bipartisan legislation recently proposed by U.S. Reps. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Dave Joyce (R-OH), and Peter Meijer (R-MI) would support research on neurological and psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19 infection.

Rep. Gonzalez on Oct. 28 sponsored the Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Neurological Impact Act, H.R. 5772, with original cosponsors including Reps. Kinzinger, Joyce, Meijer, and Susan Wild (D-PA). 

If enacted, H.R. 5772 would authorize the National Science Foundation (NSF), in consultation with the National Institutes of Health, to award the grants on a competitive basis. The bill is named for northeast Ohio native Brycen Gray and Illinois native Ben Price. Both men, who had no history of mental illness, suffered from neurological illnesses caused by COVID-19, according to information provided by the lawmakers.

“The heartbreaking loss of Brycen Gray and Ben Price has shone an unforgiving light on how little we know about COVID-19’s direct impact on mental health.” Rep. Gonzalez said. “While we’ve made great strides to further understand COVID-19 and its complexities, significant research gaps remain as to how and why this virus can hit the brain and trigger serious mental illnesses.”

The congressman said that H.R. 5772 “effectively closes these gaps and lays the groundwork for preventing and treating these illnesses in the future.”

Rep. Kinzinger pointed out that there have been cases of drastic neurological changes and psychiatric illness among individuals following a COVID-19 diagnosis that, in some instances, has led to suicide. 

“After speaking to the Price family and hearing stories from other members’ constituents, I knew something had to be done,” said Rep. Kinzinger. “I am hopeful that this legislation will be swiftly considered by Congress so we can get answers for these families and establish a strategy to prevent additional cases.” 

“With as many as one in three COVID-19 patients experiencing a neuropsychiatric illness following infection, there remains so much about this virus we don’t know,” Rep. Meijer said. “Engaging NSF in the research of long-term neurological effects of COVID-19 will be critical in our efforts to understand this virus.”

Rep. Joyce said the bill will provide critical support to research centers that are working to better understand and address neurological and psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19. “We must continue to fight for medical breakthroughs for the Americans struggling from the residual effects of COVID-19,” he added.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Children’s Hospital Association support the measure.