I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1114 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide COVID–19 vaccines 

to an expanded population of veterans during a covered emergency period, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 

Mr. CRIST introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide 

COVID–19 vaccines to an expanded population of veterans during a covered emergency period, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Vaccines for Veterans 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. COVID–19 VACCINES FOR EXPANDED POPULATION 

2 OF VETERANS DURING COVERED EMER3 GENCY PERIOD. 

4 (a) COVID–19 VACCINES.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 

6 appropriations, during a covered emergency period, 

7 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may furnish the 

8 COVID–19 vaccine to any veteran who was dis9 charged from service in the Armed Forces under 

10 honorable conditions without regard to whether the 

11 veteran is enrolled in the annual patient enrollment 

12 system under section 1705 of title 38, United States 

13 Code, or otherwise eligible to receive health care 

14 services under chapter 17 of such title. 

15 (2) STATE GUIDELINES.—In furnishing 

16 COVID–19 vaccines pursuant to paragraph (1), 

17 each director of a Department of Veterans Affairs 

18 health care facility may determine priorities among 

19 veterans eligible to receive COVID–19 vaccines in 

20 accordance with guidelines established by the State 

21 in which the facility is located. 

22 (b) COORDINATION.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section, 

24 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate 

25 with the entities described in paragraph (2), as ap26 propriate, to determine— 


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1 (A) whether an individual seeking to re2 ceive a COVID–19 vaccine pursuant this sec3 tion meets the requirements of subsection 

4 (a)(1); and 

5 (B) the relevant prioritization for such in6 dividual, in accordance with subsection (a)(2). 

7 (2) COORDINATING ENTITIES.—The entities de8 scribed in this paragraph are the following: 

9 (A) The Secretary of Defense. 

10 (B) The Secretary of Health and Human 

11 Services. 

12 (C) The Director of the Centers for Dis13 ease Control and Prevention. 

14 (D) The Administrator of the Federal 

15 Emergency Management Agency. 

16 (E) The heads of State departments of 

17 health (or related agencies). 

18 (F) Any other Federal agency determined 

19 relevant by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

20 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 (1) The term ‘‘covered emergency period’’ 

22 means a period beginning on the date on which a 

23 President declares a national emergency under the 

24 National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) 

25 with respect to the coronavirus disease 2019 


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1 (COVID–19) and ending on the date that is 30 days 

2 after the date on which such national emergency 

3 declaration terminates. 

4 (2) The term ‘‘covered medical condition’’ 

5 means a medical condition determined by the Direc6 tor of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven7 tion to be high risk with respect to COVID–19. 

8 (3) The term ‘‘COVID–19 vaccine’’ means any 

9 vaccine approved or authorized by the Commissioner 

10 of Food and Drugs for COVID–19. 

11 (4) The term ‘‘State’’ includes each of the sev12 eral States, the District of Columbia, each territory 

13 or possession of the United States, and each feder14 ally recognized Indian Tribe. 

Æ 


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