H.R. 5461 — Introduced in House

I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5461 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 30, 2021Mr. Pocan (for himself, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Auchincloss, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Cohen, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. García of Illinois, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Omar, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Sarbanes, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Torres of New York, Ms. Velázquez, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Gomez, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Vargas, and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations, 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 rescind 1.3 percent of total defense spending and authorize the same amount for international COVID vaccine production and distribution. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the COVID Defense Act. 2. Defense spending recission Of the unobligated balances available from amounts made available pursuant to authorizations of appropriations contained in Public Law 116–283, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, $9,626,500,000 is hereby rescinded. This recission shall apply on a pro rata basis among the accounts for which amounts were authorized other than those for the Defense Health Program, military personnel, and persons appointed into the civil service as defined in section 2101 of title 5, United States Code. 3. Authorization of appropriations for international COVID vaccine production and distribution There is hereby authorized to be appropriated $9,626,500,000 to any Federal agency or agencies designated by the President of the United States to manufacture and deliver coronavirus vaccines internationally. Such funds may also be awarded to international organizations as appropriate.