Today, Representatives Mike Garcia (R-CA) and Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the Vaccinate More Americans Act. The bill would allow vaccine providers to administer leftover COVID-19 vaccines to individuals eligible to receive the vaccine in the following phased allocation group, instead of letting the doses go to waste. This bill was prompted by reports nationwide, including from California, that vaccines are being allowed to expire because of unclear state and local rules and regulations.

“I am concerned by the reports I have seen that COVID-19 vaccines are not being distributed due to state and local government red tape,” said Garcia. “These burdensome rules and regulations are further slowing our ability to swiftly and safely open our country back up. I’m proud to work with Rep. Budd to introduce this sensible policy that would ensure COVID-19 vaccines go to Americans, not sit in freezers.”

“It’s outrageous that states are wasting COVID-19 vaccines at a time when so many people need them,” said Budd. “These overly-strict regulations should not stand in the way of vaccinating as many Americans as possible, as quickly as possible. Rep. Garcia and I have a common sense solution that cuts red tape and makes vaccine waste is a thing of the past.”

Earlier this week, the Representatives sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Robert Redfield calling on the CDC to issue guidance to states like California and New York where burdensome state and local vaccine regulations are resulting in wasted COVID-19 vaccines.

Background on the Vaccinate More Americans Act:

• Under circumstances where it is reasonably necessary to prevent the expiration of any dose of vaccine for COVID-19 purchased from the federal government, this bill would allow vaccine providers to administer leftover vaccines to individuals eligible to receive the vaccine in the following phased allocation group under applicable federal, state and local law.
• The bill would allow vaccine providers to disregard any existing state or local law to the contrary that prohibits them from administering leftover vaccines to individuals not in the current phased allocation group.
• The bill includes a rule of construction that nothing in the bill shall be construed to override federal, state, or local law other than with respect to the phased allocation of dosing.
  The provisions in the bill would sunset at the end of the public health emergency