I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1114 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide COVID–19 vaccines 
to an expanded population of veterans during a covered emergency pe-
riod, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 18, 2021 
Mr. CRIST introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide 
COVID–19 vaccines to an expanded population of vet-
erans during a covered emergency period, 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 ‘‘Vaccines for Veterans 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. COVID–19 VACCINES FOR EXPANDED POPULATION 
OF 
VETERANS 
DURING 
COVERED 
EMER-
GENCY PERIOD. 
(a) COVID–19 VACCINES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, during a covered emergency period, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may furnish the 
COVID–19 vaccine to any veteran who was dis-
charged from service in the Armed Forces under 
honorable conditions without regard to whether the 
veteran is enrolled in the annual patient enrollment 
system under section 1705 of title 38, United States 
Code, or otherwise eligible to receive health care 
services under chapter 17 of such title. 
(2) 
STATE
GUIDELINES.—In 
furnishing 
COVID–19 vaccines pursuant to paragraph (1), 
each director of a Department of Veterans Affairs 
health care facility may determine priorities among 
veterans eligible to receive COVID–19 vaccines in 
accordance with guidelines established by the State 
in which the facility is located. 
(b) COORDINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate 
with the entities described in paragraph (2), as ap-
propriate, to determine— 
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(A) whether an individual seeking to re-
ceive a COVID–19 vaccine pursuant this sec-
tion meets the requirements of subsection 
(a)(1); and 
(B) the relevant prioritization for such in-
dividual, in accordance with subsection (a)(2). 
(2) COORDINATING ENTITIES.—The entities de-
scribed in this paragraph are the following: 
(A) The Secretary of Defense. 
(B) The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services. 
(C) The Director of the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention. 
(D) The Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(E) The heads of State departments of 
health (or related agencies). 
(F) Any other Federal agency determined 
relevant by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered emergency period’’ 
means a period beginning on the date on which a 
President declares a national emergency under the 
National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) 
with respect to the coronavirus disease 2019 
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(COVID–19) and ending on the date that is 30 days 
after the date on which such national emergency 
declaration terminates. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered medical condition’’ 
means a medical condition determined by the Direc-
tor of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion to be high risk with respect to COVID–19. 
(3) The term ‘‘COVID–19 vaccine’’ means any 
vaccine approved or authorized by the Commissioner 
of Food and Drugs for COVID–19. 
(4) The term ‘‘State’’ includes each of the sev-
eral States, the District of Columbia, each territory 
or possession of the United States, and each feder-
ally recognized Indian Tribe. 
Æ 
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