VACCINE Act
Bill: H.R.1099 | Sponsor: Rep. Brown, Anthony G. (D-MD)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Vaccine Administration Centralization to Coordinate and Improve National Execution Act or the VACCINE Act
This bill establishes a grant program for states, tribal nations, and territories to set up or expand COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccine registration systems. The system must be the jurisdiction's sole means of registering an individual for a vaccine.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must set up a website and a call center to share information with the public about each registration system. HHS must also develop standards to allow for electronic information exchange among the systems. To carry out the program, HHS may use funds from the Public Health Emergency Fund.
The authority for this program terminates at the end of the COVID-19 emergency period.

To establish a national system for individuals to register for the 
     administration of a COVID-19 vaccine, 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 ``Vaccine Administration 
Centralization to Coordinate and Improve National Execution Act'' or 
the ``VACCINE Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL SYSTEM FOR COVID-19 VACCINATION ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants to States to 
enable such States to establish, expand, or provide a statewide system 
as the sole and exclusive means by which individuals may register for 
the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine in such State.
    (b) Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant, a State 
        shall establish mechanisms, including an internet website and a 
        call center, through which a resident of such State that elects 
        to receive a vaccine may register to receive administration of 
        a COVID-19 vaccine in that State.
            (2) Criteria.--A State that receives a grant under this 
        section shall comply with criteria established by the Secretary 
        for carrying out activities under such grant.
            (3) Required information.--An internet website or a call 
        center established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall, to the 
        extent practicable, provide to the residents of the State 
        involved information on at least the following:
                    (A) The date on which a resident becomes eligible 
                for the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.
                    (B) The locations at which the resident may receive 
                administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.
                    (C) The hours of operation at each such location.
    (c) National Communication Mechanism.--The Secretary shall 
establish communication mechanisms, including an internet website and a 
call center, through which any individual may receive information on 
each State mechanism established pursuant to subsection (b)(1).
    (d) Electronic Exchange Standards.--For purposes of establishing 
the statewide systems described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
establish standards and the architecture to allow for and promote the 
electronic exchange of information required to facilitate coordination 
between and among Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial 
entities and public and private health care entities for the 
administration of a COVID-19 vaccine to individuals eligible and 
registered to receive such a vaccine.
    (e) Funding.--Of the funds in the Public Health Emergency Fund 
under section 319(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
247d(b)), the Secretary may use such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this section.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States 
        and the District of Columbia, each of the territories, and 
        Indian tribes.
    (g) Sunset.--This section shall be in effect only until the date on 
which the duration of the public health emergency declared by the 
Secretary under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
247d) on January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID-19 (including any 
renewal thereof) terminates.
                                 <all>