I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1268 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award targeted 
grants to State, Tribal, Territorial, and local health departments or 
nonprofit organizations in geographic locations with racial and ethnic 
minorities and other vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted 
by COVID–19 to disseminate information regarding the safety and effi-
cacy of COVID–19 vaccines, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 23, 2021 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Ms. MENG, Mr. COHEN, Mr. SAN NICOLAS, Mr. 
SIRES, Mr. EVANS, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. HASTINGS, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. 
JONES, Mr. NADLER, Mr. TORRES of New York, Mrs. WATSON COLE-
MAN, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. STRICKLAND, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. 
CLARKE of New York, Ms. BOURDEAUX, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of 
New York, and Mr. CARBAJAL) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to award targeted grants to State, Tribal, Territorial, 
and local health departments or nonprofit organizations 
in geographic locations with racial and ethnic minorities 
and other vulnerable populations disproportionately im-
pacted by COVID–19 to disseminate information regard-
ing the safety and efficacy of COVID–19 vaccines, and 
for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Building COVID–19 
Vaccine Confidence Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. HEALTH DISPARITY-INFORMED COVID–19 VACCINE 
SAFETY AND EFFICACY PUBLIC AWARENESS 
CAMPAIGN GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’), acting through the Director of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention and in coordination with 
the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health and, 
as appropriate, with the directors of the relevant Offices 
of Minority health of the Department of Health and 
Human Services, the Director of the National Institute on 
Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the Director 
of the Indian Health Service, shall award grants to eligible 
entities to carry out evidence-based campaigns to dissemi-
nate COVID–19 vaccination information. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section, an entity shall— 
(1) be a State, Tribal, Territorial, or local 
health department, an Urban Indian organization 
(as defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care 
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Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)), a nonprofit 
community-based organization, or a nonprofit faith- 
based organization; and 
(2) submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require, including 
demographic data on the entity’s COVID–19 vaccine 
campaign target. 
(c) USE
OF FUNDS.—Entities receiving a grant 
under this section shall use such grant funds to— 
(1) create multilingual and culturally appro-
priate messaging to disseminate scientific and evi-
dence-based information related to COVID–19 vac-
cines; 
(2) provide information on where the COVID– 
19 vaccine can be obtained; 
(3) target racial and ethnic minority commu-
nities; 
(4) target communities with a COVID–19 Com-
munity Vulnerability Index higher than the national 
average; 
(5) increase awareness and knowledge of the 
safety and effectiveness of vaccines approved or au-
thorized by the Food and Drug Administration for 
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the prevention and control of COVID–19 and the 
benefit of receiving a COVID–19 vaccine; 
(6) increase awareness and knowledge of 
COVID–19, including countering stigma associated 
with COVID–19; 
(7) address vaccine skepticism in communities 
of color; 
(8) address COVID–19 vaccine misinformation; 
(9) address side effects after COVID–19 vac-
cination; 
(10) share information on the processes and 
policies that lead to vaccine development, licensure, 
manufacturing, and recommendations for use; and 
(11) other matters the Secretary determines 
necessary. 
(d) PROHIBITION ON DISCRIMINATION.—Programs 
funded under this section shall not discriminate on the 
basis of actual or perceived sex, race, color, ethnicity, na-
tional origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, 
or religion. Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
invalidate or limit rights, remedies, procedures, or legal 
standards available under any other Federal law or any 
law of a State or a political subdivision of a State, includ-
ing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000a et 
seq.), title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 
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U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), the Americans with Disabilities 
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), and section 1557 
of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 
U.S.C. 18116). 
(e) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 45 days 
after the date on which appropriated funds are made avail-
able to the Secretary under this section, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on how such funds have 
been used during such 45-day period and a plan for using 
any remaining funds within the next 45 days. 
(f) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall— 
(1) conduct qualitative assessments regarding 
the campaign under this section; and 
(2) not later than one year after the date of en-
actment of this Act, prepare and submit to the Com-
mittee on Appropriations and the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Appropriations and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
of Representatives an evaluation of the campaign 
under this section. 
(g) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 
shall be construed to limit an eligible entity from receiving 
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a grant under this section for a population otherwise 
served by such organization with other Federal funds. 
(h) PRIORITIZATION.—In awarding grants under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall give special consider-
ation to eligible entities that have demonstrated a commit-
ment to a targeted campaign to reach communities where 
the greatest health disparities have been identified with 
respect to testing access and rates of infections, hos-
pitalizations, and deaths related to COVID–19. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2022. 
Æ 
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