VACCINE Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1099 To establish a national system for individuals to register for the administration of a COVID–19 vaccine, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 18, 2021 Mr. BROWN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To establish a national system for individuals to register for the administration of a COVID–19 vaccine, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Vaccine Administra- 4 tion Centralization to Coordinate and Improve National 5 Execution Act’’ or the ‘‘VACCINE Act’’. 6 SEC. 2. NATIONAL SYSTEM FOR COVID–19 VACCINATION AD- 7 MINISTRATION. 8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grants 9 to States to enable such States to establish, expand, or 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:55 Mar 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1099.IH H1099 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1099 IH provide a statewide system as the sole and exclusive means 1 by which individuals may register for the administration 2 of a COVID–19 vaccine in such State. 3 (b) ELIGIBILITY.— 4 (1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 5 grant, a State shall establish mechanisms, including 6 an internet website and a call center, through which 7 a resident of such State that elects to receive a vac- 8 cine may register to receive administration of a 9 COVID–19 vaccine in that State. 10 (2) CRITERIA.—A State that receives a grant 11 under this section shall comply with criteria estab- 12 lished by the Secretary for carrying out activities 13 under such grant. 14 (3) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—An internet 15 website or a call center established pursuant to para- 16 graph (1) shall, to the extent practicable, provide to 17 the residents of the State involved information on at 18 least the following: 19 (A) The date on which a resident becomes 20 eligible for the administration of a COVID–19 21 vaccine. 22 (B) The locations at which the resident 23 may receive administration of a COVID–19 vac- 24 cine. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:55 Mar 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1099.IH H1099 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1099 IH (C) The hours of operation at each such 1 location. 2 (c) NATIONAL COMMUNICATION MECHANISM.—The 3 Secretary shall establish communication mechanisms, in- 4 cluding an internet website and a call center, through 5 which any individual may receive information on each 6 State mechanism established pursuant to subsection 7 (b)(1). 8 (d) ELECTRONIC EXCHANGE STANDARDS.—For pur- 9 poses of establishing the statewide systems described in 10 subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish standards and 11 the architecture to allow for and promote the electronic 12 exchange of information required to facilitate coordination 13 between and among Federal, State, local, Tribal, and ter- 14 ritorial entities and public and private health care entities 15 for the administration of a COVID–19 vaccine to individ- 16 uals eligible and registered to receive such a vaccine. 17 (e) FUNDING.—Of the funds in the Public Health 18 Emergency Fund under section 319(b) of the Public 19 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d(b)), the Secretary 20 may use such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 21 section. 22 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 23 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 24 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:40 Mar 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1099.IH H1099 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1099 IH (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 1 the 50 States and the District of Columbia, each of 2 the territories, and Indian tribes. 3 (g) SUNSET.—This section shall be in effect only 4 until the date on which the duration of the public health 5 emergency declared by the Secretary under section 319 6 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on Jan- 7 uary 31, 2020, with respect to COVID–19 (including any 8 renewal thereof) terminates. 9 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:55 Mar 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1099.IH H1099 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS