H. R. 1276 

One Hundred Seventeenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE FIRST SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Sunday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-one 

An Act 

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

certain individuals, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening and Amplifying 

Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize All Veterans and Every 

Spouse Act’’ or the ‘‘SAVE LIVES Act’’. 

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO FURNISH COVID–19 VACCINE TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS NOT 

ENROLLED IN PATIENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

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

a vaccine for COVID–19 to a covered individual during the COVID– 

19 public health emergency. 

(b) PRIORITIZATION.—In furnishing vaccines for COVID–19 

under the laws administered by the Secretary, the Secretary shall— 

(1) prioritize the vaccination of veterans who are enrolled 

in the patient enrollment system, veterans who receive hospital 

care and medical services pursuant to subsection (c)(2) of section 

1705 of title 38, United States Code, and accompanying caregivers of such veterans before the vaccination of covered individuals not otherwise described in this paragraph; and 

(2) only furnish vaccines for COVID–19 to covered individuals under this section to the extent that such vaccines are 

available. 

(c) TIMING OF VACCINES PROVIDED TO SPOUSES OF VETERANS.— 

The Secretary may determine the timing for offering a vaccine 

for COVID–19 to the spouse of a veteran from the Department 

of Veterans Affairs. 

(d) VACCINE ALLOCATION.—It is the sense of Congress that, 

to the extent practicable based on the current national supply 

chain, the Secretary of Health and Human Services should adjust 

the allocation for the Department of Veterans Affairs for the vaccine 

for COVID–19 based on the additional eligibility of covered individuals under this section. 

(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) ACCOMPANYING CAREGIVER.—The term ‘‘accompanying 

caregiver’’ means a caregiver described in subparagraph (D), 

(E), or (F) of paragraph (2) who is accompanying a veteran 

who is receiving a vaccine for COVID–19 furnished by the 

Department. 
H. R. 1276—2 

(2) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘covered individual’’ 

means any of the following individuals: 

(A) A veteran who is not eligible to enroll in the patient 

enrollment system. 

(B) A veteran who is eligible for care under section 

1724 of title 38, United States Code. 

(C) A beneficiary under section 1781 of such title. 

(D) A family caregiver of a veteran participating in 

the program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers under section 1720G(a) of such title. 

(E) A caregiver of a veteran participating in the program of general caregiver support services under section 

1720G(b) of such title. 

(F) A caregiver of a veteran participating in the Medical Foster Home Program, Bowel and Bladder Program, 

Home Based Primary Care Program, or Veteran Directed 

Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

(G) A spouse of a veteran. 

(3) COVERED PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.—The term ‘‘covered public health emergency’’ means an emergency with 

respect to COVID–19 declared by a Federal, State, or local 

authority. 

(4) COVID–19.—The term ‘‘COVID–19’’ means the 

coronavirus disease 2019. 

(5) PATIENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘patient 

enrollment system’’ means the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and 

operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code. 

(6) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 

that term in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.