National Strategy for Social Connection Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4818 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4818

  To establish the Office of Social Connection Policy, to establish a
    national strategy on social connection, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 17, 2026

  Mr. Murphy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To establish the Office of Social Connection Policy, to establish a
    national strategy on social connection, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Strategy for Social
Connection Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The health of the Nation is rightly measured not only
        by its aggregate wealth or global power, but more centrally by
        its shared vision and the bonds of connection that knit its
        people into a community.
            (2) The fraying of the social fabric is directly implicated
        in the growth of loneliness, decline of civic and religious
        participation, the disintegration of communities, rising
        economic inequality and precarity, falling economic mobility,
        rising rates of depression, anxiety and addiction, diminishing
        health and life expectancy and rising levels of polarization
        and radicalization.
            (3) These changes affect all people of the United States,
        but fall with particular force on the poor and marginalized, on
        children and adolescents, on individuals residing in
        economically disadvantaged regions, on veterans and on the
        elderly, and individuals without a college degree.
            (4) The Surgeon General declared an epidemic of loneliness
        and isolation on May 2, 2023.
            (5) According to the Surgeon General, social isolation and
        loneliness pose a significant risk to individual health and
        longevity, including a 29 percent increased risk of heart
        disease, a 32 percent increased risk of stroke, and for older
        adults, a 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia.
            (6) Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for
        premature death by 26 percent and 29 percent, respectively.
            (7) The general flourishing, economic health and stability
        of the United States, and the effective functioning of
        government and society require renewed attention to social
        connection at every level of society, from individual and
        family, to local community and Nation.
            (8) The causal connections between these changes are
        complex, and thus the various cultural, technological,
        demographic, economic, political and institutional drivers of
        social connection require attention from a dedicated expert
        body that may develop and share knowledge to incorporate into
        the national decision-making process and align relevant agency
        actions.
            (9) Federal funding for research and policy around social
        connection represents an investment in the future that is
        indispensable to sustained national progress and human
        flourishing, and there should be continuing national investment
        in identifying and expanding proven local strategies, assessing
        how agencies are or are not contributing to social connection,
        and funding incentives to drive improvement commensurate with
        addressing contemporary problems.

SEC. 3. OFFICE OF SOCIAL CONNECTION POLICY; NATIONAL STRATEGY ON SOCIAL
              CONNECTION.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Advisory council.--The term ``Advisory Council'' means
        the advisory council established under subsection (c)(1).
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
        the Office.
            (3) Inadequate.--The term ``inadequate'', with respect to
        loneliness, means the discrepancy or unmet need between an
        individual's or community's preferred and actual experience.
            (4) Loneliness.--The term ``loneliness'', with respect to
        an individual, means a subjective distressing experience of an
        individual that results from perceived isolation or inadequate
        meaningful connection.
            (5) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of Social
        Connection Policy.
            (6) Social connectedness.--The term ``social
        connectedness'' means the degree to which an individual or
        community achieves and maintains social connection needs.
            (7) Social connection.--The term ``social connection''
        means a continuum of the size and diversity of an individual's
        social network and roles, the functions such relationships and
        roles serve, and the positive or negative qualities of such
        relationships and roles.
            (8) Social disconnection.--The term ``social
        disconnection'' means objective or subjective deficits in
        social connection, including deficits in social relationships
        and roles, the functions such relationships and roles serve,
        and the positive or negative qualities of such relationships
        and roles.
            (9) Social infrastructure.--The term ``social
        infrastructure'' means the programs (such as volunteer
        organizations, sports groups, religious groups, and member
        associations), policies (such as public transportation,
        housing, and education), and physical elements (such as
        libraries, parks, green spaces, and playgrounds) of a community
        that support the development of social connection.
            (10) Social isolation.--The term ``social isolation'', with
        respect to an individual, means that the individual objectively
        has few social relationships, social roles, or group
        memberships and has infrequent social interaction.
    (b) Office of Social Connection Policy.--
            (1) In general.--There is established within the Executive
        Office of the President an office, to be known as the ``Office
        of Social Connection Policy''.
            (2) Purposes.--The purposes of the Office shall be to
        provide to the President independent, expert judgment and
        assistance on policy matters that require accurate assessments
        of social connection.
            (3) Director.--
                    (A) In general.--The head of the Office shall be
                the Director, who shall be appointed by the President,
                by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
                    (B) Compensation.--The Director shall be
                compensated at the rate provided for level IV of the
                Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5,
                United States Code.
            (4) Associate directors.--
                    (A) In general.--The President may appoint, by and
                with the advice and consent of the Senate, not more
                than 4 Associate Directors of the Office.
                    (B) Compensation.--An Associate Director appointed
                under subparagraph (A) shall be compensated at the rate
                provided for level V of the Executive Schedule under
                section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
            (5) Duties.--
                    (A) In general.--The Director shall--
                            (i) advise the President on timely and
                        authoritative research regarding public health,
                        technological, and social infrastructure
                        aspects of social connection and loneliness
                        that require attention at the highest levels of
                        the Federal Government;
                            (ii) advise the President on social
                        connection and loneliness considerations with
                        respect to issues of national concern,
                        including the economy, public health, national
                        security, the environment, and civic and
                        community engagement;
                            (iii) with respect to research and
                        development relating to social connection and
                        loneliness--
                                    (I) assist the Director of the
                                Office of Management and Budget with an
                                annual review and analysis of funding
                                proposed for such research and
                                development for all Federal agencies;
                                and
                                    (II) assist the Director of the
                                Office of Management and Budget and the
                                heads of the Federal agencies
                                throughout the budget development
                                process;
                            (iv) assist the President in providing
                        general leadership and coordination of Federal
                        research and development programs relating to
                        social connection and loneliness;
                            (v) provide prompt, effective, reliable,
                        and systematic information to the public on the
                        impact of policies and programs conducted by
                        the Federal Government on social connection and
                        maintenance and development of social
                        infrastructure;
                            (vi) establish, maintain, and update the
                        national strategy in accordance with
                        subparagraph (B); and
                            (vii) carry out such other activities as
                        the President may determine.
                    (B) National strategy.--
                            (i) In general.--The Office shall
                        establish, maintain, and periodically update an
                        integrated national strategy to improve social
                        connection, ameliorate loneliness, and slow or
                        stop the progression of social disconnection.
                            (ii) Requirement.--The national strategy
                        under clause (i) shall be an inclusive, Federal
                        Government-wide approach that leverages
                        existing Federal resources and authorities to
                        achieve enhanced social connection.
    (c) Advisory Council.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
        enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish an
        intergovernmental advisory council the purpose of which shall
        be to address loneliness, social disconnection, and social
        connection experienced by individuals in the United States.
            (2) Activities.--The Advisory Council shall--
                    (A) carry out an annual assessment on social
                connection in accordance with paragraph (5);
                    (B) provide information on, and coordinate, social
                connection research and services across all Federal
                agencies;
                    (C) encourage the development of effective
                strategies and approaches to prevent social
                disconnection and improve social infrastructure,
                quality of life, and community;
                    (D) review the impact of social disconnection and
                loneliness on physical, mental, and social health;
                    (E) to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate
                with international bodies to integrate and inform the
                global mission to improve social connection;
                    (F) advise the Director;
                    (G) issue national guidelines on social connection;
                and
                    (H) carry out such other activities as the Director
                determines appropriate.
            (3) Membership.--
                    (A) Composition.--The Advisory Council shall be
                composed of--
                            (i) the Director (or the Director's
                        designee), who shall serve as the Chair of the
                        Advisory Council;
                            (ii) the Federal members under subparagraph
                        (B); and
                            (iii) the non-Federal members under
                        subparagraph (C).
                    (B) Federal members.--
                            (i) In general.--In addition to the
                        Director (or the Director's designee), the
                        Federal members of the Advisory Council shall
                        consist of 1 representative from each of--
                                    (I) the Department of Commerce;
                                    (II) the Department of Defense;
                                    (III) the Department of Education;
                                    (IV) the Department of Health and
                                Human Services, including--
                                            (aa) the Administration on
                                        Community Living;
                                            (bb) the Centers for
                                        Disease Control and Prevention;
                                        and
                                            (cc) the Office of the
                                        Director of the National
                                        Institutes of Health;
                                    (V) the Department of Homeland
                                Security;
                                    (VI) the Department of Housing and
                                Urban Development, including the Office
                                of Community Planning and Development;
                                    (VII) the Department of Justice;
                                    (VIII) the Department of Labor;
                                    (IX) the Department of the
                                Treasury;
                                    (X) the Department of
                                Transportation;
                                    (XI) the Department of Veterans
                                Affairs;
                                    (XII) the Corporation for National
                                and Community Service; and
                                    (XIII) other relevant Federal
                                agencies, as determined by the
                                Director.
                            (ii) Appointment.--The Federal members
                        under clause (i) shall be appointed--
                                    (I) by the head of the respective
                                agency or office; and
                                    (II) so as to ensure that the
                                membership of the Advisory Council is
                                diverse and inclusive.
                    (C) Non-federal members.--The non-Federal members
                of the Advisory Council shall be appointed by the
                Director, and shall consist of experts in their
                respective fields, including--
                            (i) 1 or more caregivers;
                            (ii) 1 or more health care providers;
                            (iii) 1 or more representatives of
                        nonprofit organizations that advocate for
                        policies that reduce loneliness and social
                        isolation;
                            (iv) 1 or more representatives of State,
                        territorial, local, and Tribal governments;
                            (v) 1 or more researchers from research
                        institutions;
                            (vi) 1 or more representatives of State
                        education agencies;
                            (vii) 1 or more representatives of Veterans
                        Service Organizations;
                            (viii) 1 or more employers;
                            (ix) 1 or more workplace representatives;
                            (x) 1 or more representatives of volunteer
                        organizations;
                            (xi) 1 or more representatives of nonprofit
                        organizations that advocate for youth and have
                        youth serving on their boards or in leadership
                        positions;
                            (xii) 1 or more representatives of
                        community action agencies;
                            (xiii) 1 or more representatives of
                        disability rights organizations; and
                            (xiv) 1 or more representatives of LGBTQIA+
                        advocacy organizations.
            (4) Meetings.--
                    (A) Quarterly meetings.--The Advisory Council shall
                meet not less frequently than quarterly, and at the
                call of the Director.
                    (B) Open meetings.--The meetings of the Advisory
                Council shall be open to the public.
            (5) Annual assessment.--Not later than 2 years after the
        date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
        Advisory Council shall carry out an assessment of the progress
        of the United States in improving social connection,
        including--
                    (A) an assessment of steps that have been, or
                should be, taken--
                            (i) to increase the use of the national
                        strategy described in subsection (b)(5)(B) in
                        Federal policy development and implementation;
                            (ii) to establish a framework to improve
                        and connect social services;
                            (iii) to promote continuous community-led
                        planning and design to improve social
                        connection through reimagined community spaces,
                        transportation, housing, and technologies;
                            (iv) to establish and scale community
                        connection programs;
                            (v) to coordinate public health campaigns
                        that raise awareness and reduce the stigma
                        surrounding loneliness;
                            (vi) to strengthen measurement practices to
                        increase collection of data measuring
                        loneliness and social connection;
                            (vii) to provide assistance to State,
                        local, and Tribal governments seeking to
                        improve social connection among residents; and
                            (viii) to support youth participation in
                        strategies to improve social connection and
                        community connection; and
                    (B) an assessment of other issues the Director
                determines appropriate.
            (6) Annual report.--Not later than 18 months after the date
        of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Advisory
        Council shall submit to the Director and Congress a report that
        describes--
                    (A) an evaluation of all Federal efforts to address
                loneliness and improve social connection;
                    (B) recommendations for legislative changes needed
                to implement goals described in clauses (i) through
                (viii) of paragraph (5)(A); and
                    (C) an evaluation of the implementation, including
                outcomes, of the national strategy described in
                subsection (b)(5)(B).
    (d) Data Sharing.--Each Federal agency that has data relating to
loneliness and social connection shall share such data with the
Director and make such data publicly available, subject to applicable
Federal law relating to disclosure of such data, to enable the Advisory
Council to complete the reports described in subsection (c)(6).
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to conduct or
support research on loneliness and social connection.
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