Vaccines for Veterans Act
Bill: H.R.1114 | Sponsor: Rep. Crist, Charlie (D-FL)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Vaccines for Veterans Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccine during the COVID-19 emergency period to veterans who were discharged from service under honorable conditions, regardless of whether they are enrolled in the VA health care system or are otherwise eligible to receive VA health care.
Under the bill, the directors of VA medical facilities are authorized to determine priorities among eligible veterans to receive vaccines in accordance with state guidelines.
The VA must coordinate with various entities (e.g., the Department of Defense) to determine whether an individual seeking to receive a vaccine meets the requirements set forth in this bill and the relevant prioritization for such individual.

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide COVID-19 
    vaccines to an expanded population of veterans during a covered 
               emergency period, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Vaccines for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. COVID-19 VACCINES FOR EXPANDED POPULATION OF VETERANS DURING 
              COVERED EMERGENCY 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 discharged 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 appropriate, to 
        determine--
                    (A) whether an individual seeking to receive a 
                COVID-19 vaccine pursuant this section meets the 
                requirements of subsection (a)(1); and
                    (B) the relevant prioritization for such 
                individual, in accordance with subsection (a)(2).
            (2) Coordinating entities.--The entities described 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 Disease 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 (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 Director of the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention 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 several States, 
        the District of Columbia, each territory or possession of the 
        United States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe.
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