Building COVID–19 Vaccine Confidence Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.1268 | Sponsor: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. (D-NY)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Act of 2021
This bill establishes a program to disseminate information about COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccinations.
To carry out this program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must award grants to health departments and certain nonprofits. In awarding the grants, the CDC must coordinate with the Office of Minority Health and, as appropriate, other federal partners.

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award targeted 
 grants to State, Tribal, Territorial, and local health departments or 
nonprofit organizations in geographic locations with racial and ethnic 
minorities and other vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted 
    by COVID-19 to disseminate information regarding the safety and 
         efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, 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 ``Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence 
Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH DISPARITY-INFORMED COVID-19 VACCINE SAFETY AND EFFICACY 
              PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), acting through the 
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in 
coordination with the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health 
and, as appropriate, with the directors of the relevant Offices of 
Minority health of the Department of Health and Human Services, the 
Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health 
Disparities, and the Director of the Indian Health Service, shall award 
grants to eligible entities to carry out evidence-based campaigns to 
disseminate COVID-19 vaccination information.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, an entity shall--
            (1) be a State, Tribal, Territorial, or local health 
        department, an Urban Indian organization (as defined in section 
        4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)), 
        a nonprofit community-based organization, or a nonprofit faith-
        based organization; and
            (2) submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
        such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
        may require, including demographic data on the entity's COVID-
        19 vaccine campaign target.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Entities receiving a grant under this section 
shall use such grant funds to--
            (1) create multilingual and culturally appropriate 
        messaging to disseminate scientific and evidence-based 
        information related to COVID-19 vaccines;
            (2) provide information on where the COVID-19 vaccine can 
        be obtained;
            (3) target racial and ethnic minority communities;
            (4) target communities with a COVID-19 Community 
        Vulnerability Index higher than the national average;
            (5) increase awareness and knowledge of the safety and 
        effectiveness of vaccines approved or authorized by the Food 
        and Drug Administration for the prevention and control of 
        COVID-19 and the benefit of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine;
            (6) increase awareness and knowledge of COVID-19, including 
        countering stigma associated with COVID-19;
            (7) address vaccine skepticism in communities of color;
            (8) address COVID-19 vaccine misinformation;
            (9) address side effects after COVID-19 vaccination;
            (10) share information on the processes and policies that 
        lead to vaccine development, licensure, manufacturing, and 
        recommendations for use; and
            (11) other matters the Secretary determines necessary.
    (d) Prohibition on Discrimination.--Programs funded under this 
section shall not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived sex, 
race, color, ethnicity, national origin, disability, sexual 
orientation, gender identity, or religion. Nothing in this section 
shall be construed to invalidate or limit rights, remedies, procedures, 
or legal standards available under any other Federal law or any law of 
a State or a political subdivision of a State, including the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000a et seq.), title IX of the Education 
Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), and section 1557 of 
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18116).
    (e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 45 days after the date on 
which appropriated funds are made available to the Secretary under this 
section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on how such 
funds have been used during such 45-day period and a plan for using any 
remaining funds within the next 45 days.
    (f) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) conduct qualitative assessments regarding the campaign 
        under this section; and
            (2) not later than one year after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, prepare and submit to the Committee on Appropriations 
        and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
        the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations and the 
        Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives an evaluation of the campaign under this 
        section.
    (g) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to limit an eligible entity from receiving a grant under this section 
for a population otherwise served by such organization with other 
Federal funds.
    (h) Prioritization.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall give special consideration to eligible entities that 
have demonstrated a commitment to a targeted campaign to reach 
communities where the greatest health disparities have been identified 
with respect to testing access and rates of infections, 
hospitalizations, and deaths related to COVID-19.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for fiscal year 
2022.
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