I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3655 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to make updates to the Vaccine 
Injury Compensation Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 1, 2021 
Mr. DOGGETT (for himself and Mr. UPTON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to make updates 
to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, and for 
other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Vaccine Injury Com-
pensation Modernization Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. CHANGES TO VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION 
PROGRAM. 
(a) SPECIAL MASTERS.— 
(1) ESTABLISH MINIMUM NUMBER OF SPECIAL 
MASTERS.—Section 2112(c)(1) of the Public Health 
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Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–12(c)(1)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘not more than 8’’ and inserting ‘‘not 
less than 10’’. 
(2) ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
Section 2112(c)(6)(E) of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–12(c)(6)(E)) is amended— 
(A) by inserting after ‘‘disposition of peti-
tions,’’ the following: ‘‘the number of petitions 
filed that are pending disposition, the number 
of hearings scheduled with respect to a pending 
disposition,’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘, including recommenda-
tions on whether additional special masters are 
needed to ensure an expeditious and fair resolu-
tion of petitions or otherwise improve the Pro-
gram’’ after ‘‘in the Program’’. 
(b) 
RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM
CDC.—Section 
2114(e)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
300aa–14(e)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘within 2 years of’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘within 6 months of’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘adults, 
or pregnant women’’ after ‘‘to children,’’. 
(c) INCREASE IN COMPENSATION.— 
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(1) 
COMPENSATION
FOR
DEATH.—Section 
2115(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 300aa–15(a)(2)) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(2) In the event of a vaccine-related death, an 
award of— 
‘‘(A) if judgment on an award of com-
pensation is entered in calendar year 2021, 
$600,000; or 
‘‘(B) if judgment on an award of com-
pensation is entered in a subsequent calendar 
year, the amount equal to the dollar amount 
applicable under this paragraph for the pre-
ceding calendar year, adjusted by the total per-
centage change that occurred during such pre-
ceding calendar year in the Consumer Price 
Index for all urban consumers (all items; U.S. 
city average).’’. 
(2) COMPENSATION
FOR
PAIN
AND
SUF-
FERING.—Section 2115(a)(4) of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–15(a)(4)) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) For actual and projected pain and suf-
fering and emotional distress from the vaccine-re-
lated injury, an award not to exceed— 
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‘‘(A) if judgment on an award of com-
pensation is entered in calendar year 2021, 
$600,000; or 
‘‘(B) if judgment on an award of com-
pensation is entered in a subsequent calendar 
year, the amount equal to the dollar amount 
applicable under this paragraph for the pre-
ceding calendar year, adjusted by the total per-
centage change that occurred during such pre-
ceding calendar year in the Consumer Price 
Index for all urban consumers (all items; U.S. 
city average).’’. 
(d) INCREASE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.—Section 
2116(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
300aa–16(a)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘36 months’’ and 
inserting ‘‘5 years’’. 
Æ 
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