SEC. 2. GRANTS TO INCREASE THE RATE OF IMMUNIZA-
TIONS. 
Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 247b) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(n) GRANTS TO INCREASE THE RATE OF IMMUNI-
ZATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, shall make grants to cov-
ered health departments to increase the rate of rec-
ommended immunizations during the COVID–19 
public health emergency. 
‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—A covered health depart-
ment receiving a grant under this section may use 
funds received through the grant for the following: 
‘‘(A) Providing funds to programs that in-
crease the rate of recommended immunizations 
during the COVID–19 public health emergency, 
including supporting evidence-based outreach 
and educational activities in communities served 
by the covered health department involved. 
‘‘(B) Supporting efforts by health care 
providers to communicate the importance of 
maintaining immunization schedules and vis-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Feb 21, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H736.IH
H736
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
iting a primary care provider during the 
COVID–19 public health emergency. 
‘‘(C) Increasing awareness with respect to 
health insurance options and programs that re-
duce the cost of vaccines, including the Vac-
cines for Children program (or similar pro-
gram) carried out by the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention. 
‘‘(D) Evaluating efforts to increase the 
rate of recommended immunizations in commu-
nities described in subparagraph (A) during the 
COVID–19 public health emergency. 
‘‘(E) Developing and distributing culturally 
and linguistically appropriate messages about 
the importance of recommended immunizations 
during the COVID–19 public health emergency, 
including vaccines licensed under section 351 of 
this Act to prevent, mitigate, or treat the virus 
that causes COVID–19. 
‘‘(F) 
Combating 
misinformation 
and 
disinformation with respect to the safety of vac-
cines, including a vaccine that will be licensed 
under section 351 of this Act to prevent, miti-
gate, or treat the virus that causes COVID–19. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Feb 21, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H736.IH
H736
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(3) PARTNERSHIPS.—A covered health depart-
ment that receives a grant under this section may 
develop a partnership with entities and individuals in 
the communities served by the State, local, or Tribal 
government involved to carry out the activities under 
paragraph (2), including— 
‘‘(A) a health care provider; 
‘‘(B) a school nurse; 
‘‘(C) an organization that primarily pro-
vides health care or social services for— 
‘‘(i) groups that have a low rate of 
immunizations; 
‘‘(ii) individuals with a chronic health 
condition or underlying medical condition 
associated with increased risk for severe ill-
ness from COVID–19; or 
‘‘(iii) individuals with a limited pro-
ficiency in the English language; 
‘‘(D) a faith-based organization; 
‘‘(E) a long-term care facility, senior cen-
ter, or other facility in which recommended im-
munizations for older adults may be provided or 
promoted by the staff of such facility or center; 
‘‘(F) a vaccine coalition; 
‘‘(G) a pediatric hospital; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Feb 21, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H736.IH
H736
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(H) a pharmacy; 
‘‘(I) a kindergarten, elementary, or sec-
ondary school; or 
‘‘(J) an institution of higher education. 
‘‘(4) EVALUATION.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date on which a covered health department 
receives a grant under this subsection, the covered 
health department shall submit to the Secretary an 
evaluation on the effectiveness of the activities car-
ried out using such funds to increase the rate of rec-
ommended immunizations. 
‘‘(5) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 2 
years after the date of the enactment of this sub-
section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re-
port that includes— 
‘‘(A) an evaluation of the effectiveness of 
the activities under paragraph (2) to increase 
the rate of recommended immunizations, based 
on the evaluations submitted pursuant to para-
graph (4); and 
‘‘(B) recommendations to increase the rate 
of recommended immunizations, including rec-
ommendations with respect to any public health 
emergency that occurs in the future. 
‘‘(6) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Feb 21, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H736.IH
H736
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) COVERED HEALTH DEPARTMENT.— 
The term ‘covered health department’ means 
the public health department of a State, local, 
or Tribal government. 
‘‘(B) COVID–19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMER-
GENCY.—The term ‘COVID–19 public health 
emergency’ means the public health emergency 
declared by the Secretary under section 319 on 
January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID–19. 
‘‘(C) 
INSTITUTION
OF
HIGHER
EDU-
CATION.—The term ‘institution of higher edu-
cation’ has the meaning given that term in sec-
tion 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1001). 
‘‘(D) RECOMMENDED
IMMUNIZATIONS.— 
The term ‘recommended immunizations’ means 
immunizations recommended by the Advisory 
Committee on Immunization Practices of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
‘‘(7) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this sub-
section, there is authorized to be appropriated, 
$560,000,000 to remain available until ex-
pended. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Feb 21, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H736.IH
H736
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) 
APPORTIONMENT.—In 
awarding 
grant funds under this subsection, the Sec-
retary shall apportion the amounts appropriated 
pursuant to subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, 
based on the population of the State, local, or 
Tribal government involved, as follows: 
‘‘(i) Not less than 50 percent of such 
funds to State and Tribal public health de-
partments. 
‘‘(ii) Not less than 50 percent of such 
funds to local health departments.’’. 
SEC. 3. COVID–19 VACCINE GUIDANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 months after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Director of the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention (in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘Director’’), in consultation with the 
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the 
Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services, shall develop and distribute to health care pro-
viders and State education agencies guidance to provide 
health counseling services with respect to a vaccine li-
censed under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 262) for the prevention, mitigation, or treat-
ment of COVID–19. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Feb 21, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H736.IH
H736
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
(b) CONTENT.—The guidance developed pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall— 
(1) be aligned with evidence-based practices; 
and 
(2) include information that is culturally appro-
priate. 
(c) UPDATE.—The Director shall periodically update 
and distribute, as appropriate, the guidance developed 
pursuant to subsection (a). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
$2,500,000 to remain available until expended. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Feb 21, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H736.IH
H736
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS