,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #dfe ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #be1 #bjba,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,ms4 ,rosen1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,peters1 ,mr4 ,warner1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,mr4 ,lujn1 ,ms4 ,cortez ,masto1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 and ,ms4 ,smith7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to establish and support public awareness campaigns to address ,,covid-#ai-related health disparities and promote vaccination4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,covid-#ai ,health ,disparities ,action ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,federal public awareness campaigns to address ,,covid-#ai-related health disparities and promote vaccination 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and in coordination with the ,white ,house ,,covid-#ai ,health ,equity ,task ,force1 the ,office of ,minority ,health of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,surgeon ,general1 the ,national ,vaccine ,program ,office1 and1 as appropriate1 in coordination with the relevant ,offices of ,minority ,health in the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,national ,institute on ,minority ,health and ,health ,disparities1 the ,indian ,health ,service1 and other relevant ,federal offices and agencies1 shall1 subject to the availability of funding1 develop and implement public awareness campaigns about ,,covid-#ai vaccination and other relevant information about ,,covid-#ai directed at racial and ethnic minority1 rural1 and other vulnerable populations that have experienced health disparities during the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency related to rates of vaccination1 testing1 infection1 hospitalization1 and death4 7b7 ,requirements ,the public awareness campaigns under this section shall-- 7#a7 prioritize communities where the greatest health disparities have been identified with respect to rates of vaccination1 testing1 infection1 hospitalization1 and death related to ,,covid-#ai1 with a focus on disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority1 rural1 and other vulnerable populations2 7#b7 be accessible1 culturally competent1 and1 as appropriate1 multilingual2 7#c7 use print1 radio1 or internet media1 including partnerships with social media influencers and thought leaders1 or other forms of public communication1 including local1 independent1 or community-based written news and electronic publications2 and 7#d7 provide information based on scientific evidence1 dispel misinformation1 and promote transparency regarding-- 7,a7 ,,covid-#ai vaccination1 which may include information regarding-- 7i7 the effects of ,,covid-#ai vaccination on disease transmission and severity1 and the associated health impacts for individuals1 communities1 or the ,nation2 7ii7 the effects of ,,covid-#ai vaccination on the economic health of communities or the ,nation2 7iii7 the current or upcoming availability of ,,covid-#ai vaccination with no cost-sharing for most ,united ,states residents2 7iv7 locations where ,,covid-#ai vaccinations are or will be available2 7v7 any relevant information regarding vaccination allocation or populations that are prioritized for vaccination in the region2 and 7vi7 any other information regarding ,,covid-#ai vaccination1 as the ,secretary determines appropriate2 7,b7 ,,covid-#ai testing1 which may include information regarding-- 7i7 the effects of ,,covid-#ai testing on disease transmission2 7ii7 the availability of ,,covid-#ai testing with no cost-sharing for most ,united ,states residents2 and 7iii7 locations where ,,covid-#ai testing is available in the region2 7,c7 the actions that individuals may take to protect themselves from ,,covid-#ai1 which may include masking and social distancing2 or 7,d7 any other topics related to ,,covid-#ai1 as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7c7 ,coordination ,the public awareness campaigns under this section shall be complementary to1 and coordinated with1 any other ,federal1 ,state1 ,tribal1 and local efforts1 including the grant program described in section #c1 as appropriate4 7d7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #de days after the date on which amounts are made available to the ,secretary under this section1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report on how such funds have been used during such #de-;day period and a plan for using any remaining funds within the next #de days4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba4 #c4 ,grant program for public awareness campaigns to address ,,covid-#ai-related health disparities and promote vaccination 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and in coordination with the ,white ,house ,,covid-#ai ,health ,equity ,task ,force1 the ,office of ,minority ,health of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,surgeon ,general1 the ,national ,vaccine ,program ,office1 and1 as appropriate1 in coordination with the relevant ,offices of ,minority ,health in the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,national ,institute on ,minority ,health and ,health ,disparities1 the ,indian ,health ,service1 and other relevant ,federal offices and agencies1 shall award competitive grants to ,state1 ,tribal1 and territorial health departments to support public awareness campaigns about ,,covid-#ai directed at racial and ethnic minority1 rural1 and other vulnerable populations that have experienced health disparities during the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency related to rates of vaccination1 testing1 infection1 hospitalization1 and death4 7b7 ,eligible local entities ,recipients of grants under this section may disseminate the grant funding to eligible local entities1 which may include local health departments1 nonprofit community-based organizations1 ,tribal organizations1 urban ,indian organizations1 health care providers1 institutions of higher education1 and nonprofit faith-based organizations1 to develop and implement the public awareness campaigns described in subsection 7a74 7c7 ,prototypes ,the ,secretary shall develop prototype campaign materials and make such materials available on the internet website of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services for grant recipients and eligible local entities to adapt as needed to meet the needs of local communities4 7d7 ,requirements ,the public awareness campaigns under this section shall-- 7#a7 prioritize communities where the greatest health disparities have been identified with respect to rates of vaccination1 testing1 infection1 hospitalization1 and death related to ,,covid-#ai1 with a focus on disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority1 rural1 and other vulnerable populations2 7#b7 be accessible1 culturally competent1 and1 as appropriate1 multilingual2 7#c7 use print1 radio1 or internet media1 including partnerships with social media influencers and thought leaders1 or other forms of public communication1 including local1 independent1 or community-based written news and electronic publications2 and 7#d7 provide information based on scientific evidence1 dispel misinformation1 and promote transparency regarding-- 7,a7 ,,covid-#ai vaccination1 which may include information regarding-- 7i7 the effects of ,,covid-#ai vaccination on disease transmission and severity1 and the associated health impacts for individuals1 communities1 or the ,nation2 7ii7 the effects of ,,covid-#ai vaccination on the economic health of communities or the ,nation2 7iii7 the current or upcoming availability of ,,covid-#ai vaccination with no cost-sharing for most ,united ,states residents2 7iv7 locations where ,,covid-#ai vaccinations are or will be available2 7v7 any relevant information regarding vaccination allocation or populations that are prioritized for vaccination in the region2 and 7vi7 any other information regarding ,,covid-#ai vaccination1 as the ,secretary determines appropriate2 7,b7 ,,covid-#ai testing1 which may include information regarding-- 7i7 the effects of ,,covid-#ai testing on disease transmission2 7ii7 the availability of ,,covid-#ai testing with no cost-sharing for most ,united ,states residents2 and 7iii7 locations where ,,covid-#ai testing is available in the region2 7,c7 the actions that individuals may take to protect themselves from ,,covid-#ai1 which may include masking and social distancing2 or 7,d7 any other topics related to ,,covid-#ai1 as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7e7 ,coordination ,the public health campaigns supported by grants awarded under this section shall be complementary to1 and coordinated with1 any other ,federal1 ,state1 or local efforts1 including the public awareness campaigns described in section #b1 as appropriate4 7f7 ,timing ,the ,secretary shall award the grants under this section not later than #fj days after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba and #be1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbb4 #d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7#a7 the term ,,covid-#ai public health emergency means the public health emergency first declared by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services under section #cai of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7 on ,january #ca1 #bjbj1 with respect to ,,covid-#ai2 7#b7 the term racial and ethnic minority has the meaning given the term racial and ethnic minority group in section #agjg7;g7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjju-#f7;g772 7#c7 the term relevant ,offices of ,minority ,health in the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services may include-- 7,a7 the ,office of ,extramural ,research1 ,education1 and ,priority ,populations of the ,agency for ,healthcare ,research and ,quality2 7,b7 the ,office of ,minority ,health and ,health ,equity of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention2 7,c7 the ,office of ,minority ,health of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services2 7,d7 the ,office of ,minority ,health and ,health ,equity of the ,food and ,drug ,administration2 7,e7 the ,office of ,health ,equity of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration2 and 7,f7 the ,office of ,behavioral ,health ,equity of the ,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health ,services ,administration2 7#d7 the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services2 7#e7 the term ,tribal organization has the meanings given the term tribal organization in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd72 and 7#f7 the term urban ,indian organization has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,health ,care ,improvement ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #afjc74