In the Senate of the United States, 
March 17 (legislative day, March 16), 2021. 
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 1276) entitled ‘‘An Act to authorize the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs to furnish COVID–19 vaccines to certain 
individuals, and for other purposes.’’, do pass with the fol-
lowing 
AMENDMENT: 
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following: 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening and Am-
plifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize All Vet-
erans and Every Spouse Act’’ or the ‘‘SAVE LIVES Act’’.
† HR 1276 EAS 
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
TO FURNISH COVID–19 VACCINE TO CERTAIN 
INDIVIDUALS NOT ENROLLED IN PATIENT EN-
ROLLMENT SYSTEM OF DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may furnish a vaccine for COVID–19 to a covered indi-
vidual 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 pursu-
ant to subsection (c)(2) of section 1705 of title 38, 
United States Code, and accompanying caregivers of 
such veterans before the vaccination of covered indi-
viduals not otherwise described in this paragraph; 
and 
(2) only furnish vaccines for COVID–19 to cov-
ered 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.
† HR 1276 EAS 
(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 addi-
tional eligibility of covered individuals under this section. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ACCOMPANYING CAREGIVER.—The term ‘‘ac-
companying 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. 
(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 partici-
pating in the program of comprehensive assist-
ance 
for 
family 
caregivers 
under 
section 
1720G(a) of such title.
† HR 1276 EAS 
(E) A caregiver of a veteran participating 
in the program of general caregiver support serv-
ices 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 Pro-
gram 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 an-
nual patient enrollment of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs established and operated under section 
1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.
† HR 1276 EAS 
(6) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101(2) of title 38, 
United States Code. 
Attest: 
Secretary.