Flu Vaccine Availability Act of 2001

Flu Vaccine Availability Act of 2001 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for FY 2002 and 2003 to carry out activities relating to influenza vaccine under the immunization program.

States that the purposes for which amounts are available to the Secretary of Health and Human Services include providing for improved State and local infrastructure for influenza immunizations in accordance with: (1) increasing influenza immunization rates in populations considered by the Secretary to be high risk for influenza-related complications and in their contacts; (2) recommending that health care providers actively target influenza vaccine available in September, October, and November to individuals at increased risk for influenza-related complications and to their contacts; (3) providing for the continued availability of influenza immunizations through December of such year, and for additional periods to the extent that influenza vaccine remains available; and (4) encouraging States as appropriate to develop contingency plans (including plans for public and professional educational activities) for maximizing influenza immunizations for high-risk populations in the event of a delay or shortage of influenza vaccine.

[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 943 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 943

To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the availability 
of influenza vaccine through the program under section 317 of such Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2001

  Mr. Condit (for himself, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, and Mrs. Emerson) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the availability 
of influenza vaccine through the program under section 317 of such Act.

    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 ``Flu Vaccine Availability Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT REGARDING AVAILABILITY 
              OF INFLUENZA VACCINE.

    Section 317(j) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b(j)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following paragraph:
    ``(3)(A) For the purpose of carrying out activities relating to 
influenza vaccine under the immunization program under this subsection, 
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
for each of the fiscal years 2001 and 2002. Such authorization is in 
addition to amounts available under paragraphs (1) and (2) for such 
purpose.
    ``(B) The authorization of appropriations established in 
subparagraph (A) is not effective for a fiscal year unless the total 
amount appropriated under paragraphs (1) and (2) for the fiscal year is 
not less than such total for fiscal year 2000.
    ``(C) The purposes for which amounts appropriated under 
subparagraph (A) are available include the payment of program expenses 
for the immunization program under this subsection in order to ensure 
that influenza vaccines purchased under this subsection are received by 
the States, and distributed to qualifying health care providers for the 
immunization of children, adolescents, and adults, in accordance with 
criteria of the Secretary for the operation of the immunization program 
under this subsection.
    ``(D) The Secretary shall submit reports to the Congress describing 
the activities of the Secretary under this subsection regarding 
influenza vaccine. Such reports may include any recommendations of the 
Secretary for administrative or legislative actions to improve 
operations under this subsection regarding such vaccine. The first such 
report shall be submitted not later than February 1, 2002, the second 
report shall be submitted not later than February 1, 2003, and 
subsequent reports shall be submitted biennially thereafter.
    ``(E) For purposes of this paragraph, the term `qualifying health 
care provider' means--
            ``(i) a physician as defined in section 1861(r) of the 
        Social Security Act; and
            ``(ii) a provider of services under section 1861(u) of such 
        Act.''.
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