Title: Justice for Vaccine Victims Act of 2022
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Justice for Vaccine Victims Act of 2022
This bill terminates the COVID-19 emergency and requires an investigation into adverse events associated with a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill also repeals federal income tax deductions for certain state, local, and foreign taxes paid by an individual.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must terminate the COVID-19 emergency within three months of the bill's enactment. The bill also removes, within three months of that termination, liability protections that apply to the administration or use of certain medical countermeasures (e.g., vaccines) during the public health emergency.
Additionally, the HHS Office of Inspector General must investigate adverse events associated with a COVID-19 vaccine that are reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. In carrying out the investigation, the office must ask specified questions of (1) each individual (or the individual's survivors) who reported an adverse event, (2) each manufacturer of a COVID-19 vaccine distributed in the United States, and (3) a sample of health care providers. The office must report its findings and recommendations, and the report must include, among other matters, transcripts of all interviews with individuals, manufacturers, and health care providers. The office must also report on the costs of carrying out this investigation.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7308 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7308

 To direct the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human 
    Services to investigate and report on the Vaccine Adverse Event 
               Reporting System, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2022

    Mrs. Greene of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
   the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human 
    Services to investigate and report on the Vaccine Adverse Event 
               Reporting System, 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 ``Justice for Vaccine Victims Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. INVESTIGATION ON VACCINE ADVERSE EVENT REPORTING SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--The Inspector General of the Department of Health 
and Human Services shall investigate the Vaccine Adverse Event 
Reporting System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 
Food and Drug Administration.
    (b) Required Questions.--
            (1) Individuals.--
                    (A) In conducting the investigation under 
                subsection (a), the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Health and Human Services shall ask every individual 
                who reported an adverse event to a COVID-19 vaccine at 
                a minimum the following questions:
                            (i) Which COVID-19 vaccine did you receive?
                            (ii) Which vaccine did you receive as a 
                        booster shot?
                            (iii) Do you have any allergies or 
                        preexisting conditions?
                            (iv) Was the adverse event mild, such as 
                        minor pain or swelling, or severe, such as 
                        leading to hospitalization, disability, or 
                        death?
                            (v) Can you describe in detail the symptoms 
                        of the adverse event?
                            (vi) In detail, can you describe any health 
                        problems you believe were caused by the adverse 
                        event?
                            (vii) Are you aware of any other 
                        individuals within your community who had a 
                        similar adverse event?
                            (viii) When receiving a vaccination did you 
                        notice anything suspicious regarding how the 
                        vaccination was administered?
                            (ix) How soon after the adverse event did 
                        you report it to the Vaccine Adverse Event 
                        Reporting System?
                            (x) Did you seek compensation for the 
                        adverse event through the Countermeasures 
                        Injury Compensation Program?
                            (xi) Would you be willing to testify under 
                        oath to a congressional committee?
                    (B) If an individual described in subparagraph (A) 
                is deceased, the Inspector General of the Department of 
                Health and Human Services shall ask one or more of the 
                individual's immediate family members to answer (on the 
                individual's behalf) the questions listed in 
                subparagraph (A).
            (2) Manufacturers.--In conducting the investigation under 
        subsection (a), the Inspector General of the Department of 
        Health and Human Services shall ask each manufacturer of a 
        COVID-19 vaccine that is distributed in the United States, at a 
        minimum, the following questions and requests:
                    (A) What are the ingredients in your COVID-19 
                vaccine or vaccines distributed in the United States?
                    (B) Can you provide all information relating to 
                your manufacturing methods and your data on the 
                stability and safety of the product?
                    (C) What is the address of each of your locations 
                involved in the manufacture of the vaccines?
                    (D) Did you include labeling of the vaccine or 
                vaccines containing a specific statement describing how 
                suspected adverse events can be reported?
                    (E) Can you provide substantive evidence you have 
                followed all Food and Drug Administration guidance 
                regarding product safety?
                    (F) How many adverse events did you report to the 
                Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System pursuant to 
                section 2125 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
                U.S.C. 300aa-25) or other applicable law?
                    (G) Are you conducting your own internal review of 
                any adverse events caused by the vaccine or vaccines?
                    (H) Are you ensuring that all public statements 
                regarding vaccine safety are accurate?
                    (I) Are you limiting reporting data regarding 
                adverse events?
                    (J) Would you be willing to direct representatives 
                to testify under oath to a congressional committee?
            (3) Health care providers.--In conducting the investigation 
        under subsection (a), the Inspector General of the Department 
        of Health and Human Services shall ask a representative sample 
        of health care providers, at a minimum, the following 
        questions:
                    (A) How many adverse events did you report to the 
                Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System pursuant to 
                section 2125 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
                U.S.C. 300aa-25) or other applicable law?
                    (B) What kind of compensation does your facility 
                receive for vaccine administration and from which 
                source or sources?
                    (C) Is your facility keeping a record of any 
                increase in hospitalization rates for individuals with 
                adverse events following vaccination?
                    (D) How many severe adverse events has your 
                facility encountered?
                    (E) How many mild adverse events has your facility 
                encountered?
                    (F) Has your facility determined if adverse events 
                are caused by an immune response to the vaccine?
                    (G) Is your facility keeping a record of any 
                problems with vaccine administration?
                    (H) Is your facility keeping a record of all 
                breakthrough cases of COVID-19 in fully vaccinated 
                patients?
                    (I) Has your facility terminated any health care 
                professionals who are opposed to vaccine mandates or 
                who have raised questions regarding adverse events?
                    (J) Would you be willing to direct representatives 
                of your facility to testify under oath to a 
                congressional committee?
    (c) Reports.--
            (1) Report on vaers.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 3 months after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of 
                the Department of Health and Human Services shall--
                            (i) complete the investigation under 
                        subsection (a); and
                            (ii) publish a report on the results of 
                        such investigation.
                    (B) Contents.--The report under subparagraph 
                (A)(ii) shall include the following:
                            (i) A list of all reported COVID-19 vaccine 
                        related deaths and injuries in chronological 
                        order.
                            (ii) Transcripts of all interviews 
                        conducted by the Inspector General pursuant to 
                        this section with an individual described in 
                        subsection (b)(1), a manufacturer described in 
                        subsection (b)(2), or a health care provider 
                        described in subsection (b)(3).
                            (iii) A list of recommendations on how the 
                        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 
                        the Food and Drug Administration can strengthen 
                        the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System to 
                        be a more reliable method of obtaining 
                        information about adverse events.
                            (iv) A determination on whether the Centers 
                        for Disease Control and Prevention or the Food 
                        and Drug Administration is hiding data 
                        regarding adverse events.
                            (v) A determination on whether the Food and 
                        Drug Administration is suppressing data on the 
                        effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies that are 
                        used to treat COVID-19.
                            (vi) Recommendations on further actions the 
                        Congress can take when conducting oversight 
                        regarding data collection by the Centers for 
                        Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and 
                        Drug Administration.
                            (vii) A determination on whether adverse 
                        events are common or rare following 
                        administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.
                            (viii) A determination of any causal 
                        relationship between any COVID-19 vaccine and 
                        specific adverse events using clinical, 
                        laboratory, or epidemiologic evidence.
                            (ix) A determination on whether adverse 
                        events are intrinsic to the COVID-19 vaccine 
                        (meaning provoked by the immune response caused 
                        by the vaccine) or related to faulty production 
                        or administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.
            (2) Report on investigation.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 6 months after 
                publishing the report required by paragraph (1)(A)(ii), 
                the Inspector General of the Department of Health and 
                Human Services shall submit to the relevant 
                congressional committees a report on the implementation 
                of this section.
                    (B) Contents.--The report under subparagraph (A) 
                shall--
                            (i) specify, of the amount authorized by 
                        subsection (c)(1) to be appropriated to carry 
                        out this section, the total amount obligated 
                        and expended; and
                            (ii) describe how such amount was used.
    (d) Subpoena Power.--The Inspector General of the Department of 
Health and Human Services may, pursuant to authorities vested in the 
Inspector General by other applicable law, issue subpoenas requiring 
the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of any 
evidence relating to any matter under investigation pursuant to this 
section.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--To carry out this section, there is 
        authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for the period 
        beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on 
        the date of submission of the report required by subsection 
        (b)(2).
            (2) Offset.--
                    (A) Repeal of deduction for certain state and 
                local, etc., taxes of individuals.--Section 164(b)(6) 
                of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by--
                            (i) striking ``and before January 1, 2026--
                        '' and all that follows through ``a separate 
                        return).'' and inserting ``paragraphs (1), (2), 
                        and (3) of subsection (a) and paragraph (5) of 
                        this subsection shall not apply.''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``for taxable years 2018 
                        through 2025'' in the heading thereof.
                    (B) Effective date.--The amendments made by this 
                paragraph shall apply to taxable years beginning after 
                the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DECLARATION 
              UNDER PUBLIC READINESS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS (PREP) 
              ACT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall--
            (1) not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, terminate the public health emergency declaration 
        issued in connection with COVID-19 pursuant to section 319F-3 
        of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6d); and
            (2) not reissue any such declaration or any substantially 
        similar declaration.
    (b) Corresponding Termination of Liability Protection.--No immunity 
from suit and liability under section 319F-3 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6d) shall apply with respect to the 
administration to or the use by an individual of a covered 
countermeasure if--
            (1) the immunity relies on a declaration described in 
        subsection (a); and
            (2) the administration or use occurs after such declaration 
        is terminated,
except that the Secretary of Health and Human Services, pursuant to 
section 319F-3(b)(3)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6d(b)(3)(B)), shall 
specify an additional immunity period of 3 months for the manufacturer 
to arrange for disposition of the covered countermeasure and for 
covered persons to take such other actions as may be appropriate to 
limit administration or use of the covered countermeasure, as described 
in clauses (i) and (ii) of such section 319F-3(b)(3)(B).
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