109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4396
To establish the National Vaccine Authority within the Department
of Health and Human Services.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 18, 2005
Mr. CROWLEY (for himself and Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To establish the National Vaccine Authority within the Department
of Health and Human Services.
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 `National Vaccine Authority Act'.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL VACCINE AUTHORITY.
Title XVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following section:
`NATIONAL VACCINE AUTHORITY
`SEC. 1711. (a) In General- There is established within the Department of
Health and Human Services an administrative unit to be known as the National
Vaccine Authority. There shall be in such Department the position of Assistant
Secretary for Vaccines. The Assistant Secretary shall be the head of the
National Vaccine Authority, and shall be appointed by and shall report to
the Secretary. The Secretary shall carry out this section acting through
the Assistant Secretary.
`(b) Federal and Private Vaccine Contracts; Quantities; Locations-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Assistant Secretary for Vaccines (in this section
referred to as the `Assistant Secretary') shall ensure that the National
Vaccine Authority serves as the central clearinghouse for the Department
of Health and Human Services with respect to Federal and private contracts
for the purchase or distribution of vaccines. The Assistant Secretary
shall monitor the supply and distribution of vaccines under such contracts,
including ongoing monitoring of the location of vaccines under the contracts.
`(2) AUTHORITY FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTS- The Assistant Secretary shall enter
into contracts to increase production of vaccines when necessary.
`(3) CONSULTATION- The Assistant Secretary shall consult with manufacturers
of vaccines in order to determine the availability of vaccines.
`(c) Supervision of Identification of Vaccine Strains-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Assistant Secretary shall oversee the identification
of vaccine strains.
`(2) CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION- The Assistant Secretary
shall establish, and periodically review and as appropriate revise, time
tables by which the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
is required to identify the strains necessary to produce vaccines.
`(d) Monitoring of Vaccine Production- The Assistant Secretary shall identify
any delays in the production of vaccines and shall ensure that such delays
are accounted for as the delays occur.
`(e) Supervision of Vaccine Distribution- The Assistant Secretary shall
oversee and monitor the distribution of vaccines. In carrying out the preceding
sentence, the Assistant Secretary shall identify parties to contracts for
the distribution of vaccines and the entities with responsibilities under
the contracts for the distribution of the vaccines, including pursuant to
third-party contracts. In the event of a delay in the distribution of vaccines,
the Assistant Secretary shall identify the reasons for the delay.
`(f) Emergency Response and Contingency Plan- The Assistant Secretary shall
develop, and periodically review and as appropriate revise, an emergency
response and contingency plan regarding vaccines.
`(g) Commission on Juvenile Vaccines- The Assistant Secretary shall establish
a commission to determine the current state of juvenile vaccines.
`(h) Authorization of Appropriations- For the purpose of carrying out this
section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
for each of the fiscal years 2006 through 2010.'.
END
