Community Immunity During COVID–19 Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.736 | Sponsor: Rep. Underwood, Lauren (D-IL)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Community Immunity During COVID-19 Act of 2021
This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to award grants to health departments to increase rates of recommended immunizations during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The CDC must also develop, in consultation with specified entities, guidance for health care providers on counseling patients about COVID-19 vaccines.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services to make grants to covered health departments 
   to increase the rate of recommended immunizations, 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 ``Community Immunity During COVID-19 
Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO INCREASE THE RATE OF IMMUNIZATIONS.

    Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(n) Grants To Increase the Rate of Immunizations.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
        shall make grants to covered health departments to increase the 
        rate of recommended immunizations during the COVID-19 public 
        health emergency.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--A covered health department receiving 
        a grant under this section may use funds received through the 
        grant for the following:
                    ``(A) Providing funds to programs that increase 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 visiting a primary care 
                provider during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
                    ``(C) Increasing awareness with respect to health 
                insurance options and programs that reduce the cost of 
                vaccines, including the Vaccines for Children program 
                (or similar program) carried out by the Centers for 
                Disease Control and Prevention.
                    ``(D) Evaluating efforts to increase the rate of 
                recommended immunizations in communities 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 vaccines, including a 
                vaccine that will be licensed under section 351 of this 
                Act to prevent, mitigate, or treat the virus that 
                causes COVID-19.
            ``(3) Partnerships.--A covered health department 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 provides 
                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 
                        illness from COVID-19; or
                            ``(iii) individuals with a limited 
                        proficiency in the English language;
                    ``(D) a faith-based organization;
                    ``(E) a long-term care facility, senior center, or 
                other facility in which recommended immunizations for 
                older adults may be provided or promoted by the staff 
                of such facility or center;
                    ``(F) a vaccine coalition;
                    ``(G) a pediatric hospital;
                    ``(H) a pharmacy;
                    ``(I) a kindergarten, elementary, or secondary 
                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 carried out using such funds to increase the rate of 
        recommended immunizations.
            ``(5) Report to congress.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        submit to Congress a report 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 paragraph (4); and
                    ``(B) recommendations to increase the rate of 
                recommended immunizations, including recommendations 
                with respect to any public health emergency that occurs 
                in the future.
            ``(6) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(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 emergency.--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 education.--The term 
                `institution of higher education' has the meaning given 
                that term in section 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 subsection, 
                there is authorized to be appropriated, $560,000,000 to 
                remain available until expended.
                    ``(B) Apportionment.--In awarding grant funds under 
                this subsection, the Secretary 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 
                        departments.
                            ``(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 Centers 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 providers and State education agencies guidance to provide health 
counseling services with respect to a vaccine licensed under section 
351 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262) for the 
prevention, mitigation, or treatment of COVID-19.
    (b) Content.--The guidance developed pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) be aligned with evidence-based practices; and
            (2) include information that is culturally appropriate.
    (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.
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