I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1276 

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

to certain individuals, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 24, 2021 

Mr. TAKANO (for himself and Mr. BOST) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish 

COVID–19 vaccines to certain individuals, 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 ‘‘Department of Vet5 erans Affairs Veterans’ and Caregivers’ COVID–19 Im6 munizations Now Expanded Act of 2021’’ or the ‘‘VA 

7 VACCINE Act of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

2 TO FURNISH COVID–19 VACCINES TO CER3 TAIN INDIVIDUALS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

5 may furnish a COVID–19 vaccine to a covered individual 

6 during the COVID–19 public health emergency. 

7 (b) VACCINES FURNISHED ABROAD.—In the case of 

8 an individual who is a covered individual by reason of sub9 section (d)(1)(B), the Secretary may furnish a COVID– 

10 19 vaccine to such individual under subsection (a) regard11 less of whether the Secretary determines that such vaccine 

12 is needed for the treatment of a service-connected dis13 ability of the veteran or as part of a rehabilitation pro14 gram under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code. 

15 (c) ENROLLED VETERAN PRIORITY.—In furnishing 

16 COVID–19 vaccines, the Secretary shall— 

17 (1) prioritize the vaccination of veterans who 

18 are enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the 

19 Department of Veterans Affairs under section 1705 

20 of title 38, United States Code, over the vaccination 

21 of covered individuals under this section; and 

22 (2) only furnish such vaccines to covered indi23 viduals under this section to the extent that such 

24 vaccines are available. 

25 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) The term ‘‘covered individual’’ means any of 

2 the following: 

3 (A) A veteran who is not eligible to enroll 

4 in the patient enrollment system of the Depart5 ment of Veterans Affairs under section 1705 of 

6 title 38, United States Code. 

7 (B) A veteran who is eligible for care 

8 under section 1724 of such title. 

9 (C) A family caregiver of an eligible vet10 eran participating in the program of com11 prehensive assistance for family caregivers 

12 under section 1720G(a) of such title. 

13 (D) A caregiver of a covered veteran par14 ticipating in the program of general caregiver 

15 support services under section 1720G(b) of 

16 such title. 

17 (E) A caregiver of a veteran participating 

18 in the Medical Foster Home Program, Bowel 

19 and Bladder Program, Home Based Primary 

20 Care Program, or Veteran Directed Care Pro21 gram of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

22 (2) The term ‘‘COVID–19’’ means the 

23 coronavirus disease 2019. 

24 (3) The term ‘‘COVID–19 public health emer25 gency’’ means the public health emergency declared 


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1 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on 

2 January 27, 2020, with respect to the coronavirus 

3 disease 2019. 

Æ 


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