Murphy Introduces Bill to Tackle Loneliness and Social Disconnection, Improve the Spiritual Health of Our Democracy

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday introduced the National Strategy for Social Connection Act, legislation to create a comprehensive national response to epidemic-levels of social isolation and revitalize community and connection throughout the United States. The National Strategy for Social Connection Act would create a permanent Office of Social Connection Policy within the White House to work across federal agencies to develop effective strategies to combat social isolation and provide national guidelines for social connection. The bill would also fund research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate the public health implications of social isolation and help Americans feel more connected.

Social isolation is a fundamentally cross-cutting issue, fueling deaths of despair in adults, record levels of social anxiety in teens, and mass polarization and dysfunction in our politics. Studies show a 'friendship recession' has taken root in American social life: more adults than ever report having zero close friends, the amount of time the average person spends with friends has fallen by nearly half, and 54 percent of Americans report suffering from social isolation. Mass loneliness has profound consequences for our mental and physical health, significantly elevating the risk of heart disease, obesity, depression, stroke, dementia, and premature death.

Because our emerging culture of social isolation has many causes, an effective policy response demands sustained and strategic coordination led by our federal government. Murphy's bill would bring the U.S. in line with other advanced democracies, including Japan and the United Kingdom, that have created dedicated ministries of loneliness within their national governments.

"Americans are feeling more disconnected than ever and it's a full-blown crisis for our democracy when people retreat to their devices and lose sight of what it means to be part of a community," said Murphy. "Tackling the loneliness crisis is a shared project, and the government's role is to understand why people feel so angry and alone, and to create a culture and an economy that encourages more social connection."

The National Strategy for Social Connection Act would:

• Establish an Office of Social Connection Policy within the Executive Office of the President to Combat Loneliness and Strengthen Communities: This permanent team would advise the President on how loneliness and social isolation relates to the economy, public health, national security, the environment, and civic and community engagement.
• Require a National Strategy on Social Connection: The Office would develop a government-wide strategy to integrate social connection policy across federal departments and agencies, such as transportation, housing, health, education, and labor, to promote connection and improve social infrastructure, quality of life, and community engagement in the United States.
• Support continued research and improved data on social disconnection and loneliness: The bill would provide for consistent, sustainable funding to support CDC research on social connection, loneliness, and social infrastructure.
• Improve public education and awareness on social connection: Similar to existing national guidelines on nutrition, sleep, and physical activity, the Office would issue research-based best practices on how to better engage and connect within our local communities.

The National Strategy for Social Connection Act is endorsed by the Foundation for Social Connection Action Network.

"The Foundation for Social Connection Action Network proudly endorses the Addressing SILO Act and the National Strategy for Social Connection Act. America's epidemic of loneliness demands a coordinated, government-wide response, particularly for older adults and people with disabilities. Taken together, these two pieces of legislation prioritize resources for the area agencies on aging and community-based organizations and establishes an Office of Social Connection Policy and federal strategy that touches housing, transportation, health, education, and labor. Both bills reflect our vision: social connection policy cannot be a siloed, it must be woven into the fabric of how government and communities serve people. We commend Sen. Murphy for his leadership and stand ready to work alongside him to make social connection a national priority," said Andrew MacPherson, Founder and Board Chair, Foundation for Social Connection Action Network.

In tandem with the National Strategy for Social Connection Act, Senator Murphy also introduced the Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (SILO) Act, legislation to target loneliness in our senior and disabled communities by providing annual funding to support organizations that foster social connection within these vulnerable groups.

Full text of the bill is available here. A one-pager of the bill is available here.