I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1550 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a public awareness 
campaign with respect to human papillomavirus, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 3, 2021 
Ms. CASTOR of Florida (for herself and Ms. SCHRIER) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
a public awareness campaign with respect to human 
papillomavirus, 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 ‘‘Promoting Resources 
to Expand Vaccination, Education and New Treatments 
for HPV Cancers Act of 2021’’ or the ‘‘PREVENT HPV 
Cancers Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The human papillomavirus (referred to in 
this Act as ‘‘HPV’’) causes six different types of 
cancer (anal, cervical, oropharynx, penile, vaginal, 
and vulvar). 
(2) Almost 35,000 cases of cancer are caused 
by HPV each year impacting both women and men. 
(3) About 90 percent of cervical and anal can-
cers are thought to be caused by HPV. 
(4) Black and Hispanic women are more likely 
to get HPV-associated cervical cancer than women 
of other races and ethnicities. 
(5) Approximately 60 to 70 percent of 
oropharynx cancer is tied to HPV. 
(6) Most HPV infections that can lead to can-
cer can be prevented by vaccines. 
(7) HPV vaccines can also help prevent recur-
rent respiratory papillomatosis, anal and genital 
warts. 
(8) Vaccination for HPV is approved for men 
and women. 
(9) The vaccines are most effective if adminis-
tered when an individual is between the ages of 9 
and 12. 
(10) Only about half of adolescents have com-
pleted the HPV vaccine series. 
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(11) Certain populations, like adolescents in 
rural areas and males are less likely to receive the 
HPV vaccine. 
(12) Health providers’ recommendation of the 
vaccine is critical to getting adolescents vaccinated 
SEC. 3. HPV VACCINE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. 
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: 
‘‘(o) HPV VACCINE
PUBLIC
AWARENESS
CAM-
PAIGN.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, shall carry out a national 
campaign to— 
‘‘(A) increase awareness of the importance 
of HPV vaccination; 
‘‘(B) combat misinformation about HPV 
vaccination; and 
‘‘(C) increase HPV vaccination rates and 
completion of the vaccine series, especially 
among males. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the na-
tional campaign required by paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall consult with the National Academy of 
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‘‘(I) unvaccinated individuals, in-
cluding males; 
‘‘(II) individuals with unique 
health care needs (such as lesbian, 
gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer 
individuals); 
‘‘(III) individuals with high rates 
of cervical cancer and other HPV-as-
sociated cancers (such as Black and 
Hispanic women); and 
‘‘(IV) populations impacted by 
the increase in oropharynx cancers; 
‘‘(ii) rural communities; and 
‘‘(iii) such other communities as the 
Secretary determines appropriate; 
‘‘(D) include the dissemination of HPV 
vaccination information and communication re-
sources to health care providers and health care 
facilities (including primary care providers, 
community health centers, dentists, obstetri-
cians, and gynecologists), and such providers 
and such facilities for pediatric care, State and 
local public health departments, elementary and 
secondary schools, and colleges and universities; 
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‘‘(E) be complementary to, and coordi-
nated with, any other Federal efforts with re-
spect to HPV vaccination; 
‘‘(F) include message testing to identify 
culturally competent and effective messages for 
behavioral change; and 
‘‘(G) include the award of grants or coop-
erative agreements to State, local, and Tribal 
public health departments— 
‘‘(i) to engage with communities speci-
fied in subparagraph (C), local education 
agencies, health care providers, community 
organizations, or other groups the Sec-
retary determines are appropriate to de-
velop and deliver effective strategies to in-
crease HPV vaccination rates; and 
‘‘(ii) to disseminate culturally and lin-
guistically competent resources on the Na-
tional Breast and Cervical Cancer Early 
Detection Program and where an indi-
vidual can access the screenings locally. 
‘‘(4) OPTIONS FOR DISSEMINATION OF INFOR-
MATION.—The national campaign required by para-
graph (1) may— 
‘‘(A) include the use of— 
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‘‘(i) social media, television, radio, 
print, the internet, and other media; 
‘‘(ii) in-person or virtual public com-
munications; and 
‘‘(iii) recognized, trusted figures; 
‘‘(B) be targeted to specific groups and 
communities specified in paragraph (3)(C); and 
‘‘(C) include the dissemination of informa-
tion highlighting each of the following: 
‘‘(i) Recommended age range to get 
the HPV vaccine. 
‘‘(ii) The benefits of getting vac-
cinated against HPV, including the poten-
tial to not acquire HPV-associated cancers. 
‘‘(iii) HPV vaccine safety and the sys-
tems in place to monitor such safety. 
‘‘(5) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2021 through 2025.’’. 
SEC. 4. STATE IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION SYSTEM EN-
HANCEMENT. 
Section 317(k) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 247b(k)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
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(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) State immunization information sys-
tems.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) State immunization information sys-
tems.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) In addition to any funds made available 
under subsection (j) to carry out this subsection, 
there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2021 through 2025.’’. 
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SEC. 5. EXPANDING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION WITH RE-
SPECT TO HPV-ASSOCIATED CANCERS. 
Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 409K. HPV-ASSOCIATED CANCERS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the National Cancer Institute, shall ex-
pand, intensify, and coordinate programs to conduct and 
support research with respect to HPV-associated cancers. 
‘‘(b) COORDINATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTES.— 
The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Na-
tional Cancer Institute, shall coordinate activities carried 
out by the Director pursuant to subsection (a) with similar 
activities carried out by other national research institutes 
and agencies of the National Institutes of Health to the 
extent that those Institutes and agencies have responsibil-
ities that are related to HPV-associated cancers. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—For 
purposes of carrying out this section, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2021 through 2025. 
‘‘(d) HPV-ASSOCIATED CANCER.—In this section, 
the term ‘HPV-associated cancer’ means cancer associated 
with the human papillomavirus.’’. 
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SEC. 6. BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER EARLY DETECTION 
PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1510(a) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300n–5(a)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘and $275,000,000 for fiscal year 2012’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$275,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, and 
$300,000,000 for each fiscal years 2021 through 2025’’. 
(b) COORDINATING COMMITTEE.—Section 1501(d) of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300k(d)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘2020’’ and inserting ‘‘2030’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘2020’’ and inserting ‘‘2025’’. 
SEC. 7. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Not later than 2025, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of 
the Senate a report— 
(1) that contains a qualitative assessment of 
the campaign under subsection (o) of section 317 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b) and 
the activities conducted under such campaign; and 
(2) on, with respect to the impact on cancer as-
sociated with human papillomavirus— 
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