This bill establishes a new Office of Social Connection Policy within the Executive Office of the President to address what the Surgeon General has declared an epidemic of loneliness and social isolation affecting Americans. The office will be led by a Director appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, supported by up to four Associate Directors, and will develop a national strategy to improve social connection and reduce loneliness across all levels of society. The bill creates an advisory council composed of federal agency representatives and non-federal experts including healthcare providers, researchers, nonprofit advocates, state and local officials, and representatives from communities disproportionately affected by isolation, such as veterans, youth, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. The advisory council will conduct annual assessments of social connection progress, coordinate social connection research across federal agencies, and issue annual reports to Congress with recommendations for legislative changes. The bill authorizes five million dollars annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct research on loneliness and social connection.
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