[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 17, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS VETERANS' AND CAREGIVERS' COVID-19 
                 IMMUNIZATIONS NOW EXPANDED ACT OF 2021

  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1276, which was received 
from the House and is at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1276) to authorize the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs to furnish COVID-19 vaccines to certain individuals, 
     and for other purposes.

  There being no objection the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. PADILLA. I ask unanimous consent that the Tester-Moran substitute 
amendment be considered and agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1400), in the nature of a substitute, was agreed 
to as follows

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening and Amplifying 
     Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize All Veterans and 
     Every Spouse Act'' or the ``SAVE LIVES Act''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO FURNISH 
                   COVID-19 VACCINE TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS NOT 
                   ENROLLED IN PATIENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM OF 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     furnish a vaccine for COVID-19 to a covered individual during 
     the COVID-19 public health emergency.
       (b) Prioritization.--In furnishing vaccines for COVID-19 
     under the laws administered by the Secretary, the Secretary 
     shall--
       (1) prioritize the vaccination of veterans who are enrolled 
     in the patient enrollment system, veterans who receive 
     hospital care and medical services pursuant to subsection 
     (c)(2) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, and 
     accompanying caregivers of such veterans before the 
     vaccination of covered individuals not otherwise described in 
     this paragraph; and
       (2) only furnish vaccines for COVID-19 to covered 
     individuals under this section to the extent that such 
     vaccines are available.
       (c) Timing of Vaccines Provided to Spouses of Veterans.--
     The Secretary may determine the timing for offering a vaccine 
     for COVID-19 to the spouse of a veteran from the Department 
     of Veterans Affairs.
       (d) Vaccine Allocation.--It is the sense of Congress that, 
     to the extent practicable based on the current national 
     supply chain, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     should adjust the allocation for the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs for the vaccine for COVID-19 based on the additional 
     eligibility of covered individuals under this section.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Accompanying caregiver.--The term ``accompanying 
     caregiver'' means a caregiver described in subparagraph (D), 
     (E), or (F) of paragraph (2) who is accompanying a veteran 
     who is receiving a vaccine for COVID-19 furnished by the 
     Department.
       (2) Covered individual.--The term ``covered individual'' 
     means any of the following individuals:
       (A) A veteran who is not eligible to enroll in the patient 
     enrollment system.
       (B) A veteran who is eligible for care under section 1724 
     of title 38, United States Code.
       (C) A beneficiary under section 1781 of such title.
       (D) A family caregiver of a veteran participating in the 
     program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers 
     under section 1720G(a) of such title.
       (E) A caregiver of a veteran participating in the program 
     of general caregiver support services under section 1720G(b) 
     of such title.
       (F) A caregiver of a veteran participating in the Medical 
     Foster Home Program, Bowel and Bladder Program, Home Based 
     Primary Care Program, or Veteran Directed Care Program of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs.
       (G) A spouse of a veteran.
       (3) Covered public health emergency.--The term ``covered 
     public health emergency'' means an emergency with respect to 
     COVID-19 declared by a Federal, State, or local authority.
       (4) COVID-19.--The term ``COVID-19'' means the coronavirus 
     disease 2019.
       (5) Patient enrollment system.--The term ``patient 
     enrollment system'' means the system of annual patient 
     enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs established 
     and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States 
     Code.
       (6) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given 
     that term in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code.

  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  Mr. PADILLA. I know of no further debate on the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate on the bill?
  Hearing none, the bill having been read the third time, the question 
is, Shall the bill pass?
  The bill (H.R. 1276), as amended, was passed.
  Mr. PADILLA. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________