,i #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eadb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,august #d1 #bjbc,mr4 ,doggett 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,smucker1 and ,mr4 ,blumenauer7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,public ,health ,service ,act to make updates to the ,vaccine ,injury ,compensation ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,vaccine ,injury ,compensation ,modernization ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,changes to ,vaccine ,injury ,compensation ,program 7a7 ,special masters 7#a7 ,establish minimum number of special masters ,section #baab7;c77#a7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#ab7;c77#a77 is amended by striking not more than #h and inserting not less than #aj4 7#b7 ,terms ,section #baab7;c77#d7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#ab7;c77#d77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking a term of #d years and inserting an initial term of #d years2 7,b7 by striking the second and third sentences2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 ,an individual appointed as special master may be reappointed to serve one or more additional terms of up to #h years each1 pursuant to paragraph 7#a71 and subject to termination under paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c744 7#c7 ,additional reporting requirements ,section #baab7;c77#f77;,e7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#ab7;c77#f77;,e77 is amended-- 7,a7 by inserting after disposition of petitions1 the following3 the number of petitions filed that are pending disposition1 the number of hearings scheduled with respect to a pending disposition12 and 7,b7 by inserting 1 including recommendations on whether additional special masters are needed to ensure an expeditious and fair resolution of petitions or otherwise improve the ,program after in the ,program4 7b7 ,recommendations from ,,cdc ,section #baad7;e77#b7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#ad7;e77#b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking within #b years of and inserting within #f months of2 and 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting adults1 or pregnant women after to children14 7c7 ,increase in compensation 7#a7 ,compensation for death ,section #baae7;a77#b7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#ae7;a77#b77 is amended to read as follows3 7#b7 ,in the event of a vaccine-related death1 an award of-- 7,a7 if judgment on an award of compensation is entered in calendar year #bjba1 #fjj1jjj2 or 7,b7 if judgment on an award of compensation is entered in a subsequent calendar year1 the amount equal to the dollar amount applicable under this paragraph for the preceding calendar year1 adjusted by the total percentage change that occurred during such preceding calendar year in the ,consumer ,price ,index for all urban consumers 7all items2 ,united ,states city average74 4 7#b7 ,compensation for pain and suffering ,section #baae7;a77#d7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#ae7;a77#d77 is amended to read as follows3 7#d7 ,for actual and projected pain and suffering and emotional distress from the vaccine-related injury1 an award not to exceed-- 7,a7 if judgment on an award of compensation is entered in calendar year #bjba1 #fjj1jjj2 or 7,b7 if judgment on an award of compensation is entered in a subsequent calendar year1 the amount equal to the dollar amount applicable under this paragraph for the preceding calendar year1 adjusted by the total percentage change that occurred during such preceding calendar year in the ,consumer ,price ,index for all urban consumers 7all items2 ,united ,states city average74 4 7d7 ,increase statute of limitations ,section #baaf7;a77#b7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#af7;a77#b77 is amended by striking #cf months and inserting #e years4 #c4 ,treatment of ,,covid-#ai vaccines 7a7 ,vaccine injury table ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall promulgate regulations to add1 in accordance with section #baad7;c77#c7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#ad7;c77#c77 ,,covid-#ai vaccines to the ,vaccine ,injury ,table4 ,in promulgating such regulations1 the ,secretary shall provide for notice and opportunity for a public hearing and at least #cj days of public comment4 7b7 ,transfer to ,,vicp ,not later than #cj days after the date on which the rule promulgated under subsection 7a7 is finalized1 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall transfer all claims pending1 as of such date1 under section #cai;,f-#d of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d-#f;e7 with respect to a ,,covid-#ai vaccine to the ,vaccine ,injury ,compensation ,program under title ,,xxi of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#a et seq47 finalized4 ,before such transfer1 all claimants with pending claims under such section #cai;,f-#d shall be notified of such transfer via mail1 email 7if available71 and through any legal representative of such claimant for the cause of action involved4 #d4 ,professional judgment budget 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services-- 7#a7 in consultation with the ,attorney ,general1 shall submit a budget outlining the resource needs for each agency for purposes of carrying out the ,national ,vaccine ,injury ,compensation ,program under subtitle #b of title ,,xxi of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;aa-#aj et seq47 for fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbh2 and 7#b7 shall submit a budget outlining resource needs for purposes of carrying out the ,countermeasures ,injury ,compensation ,program under section #cai;,f-#d of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d-#f;e7 for fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbh4 7b7 ,inclusions ,the budgets described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#a7 of subsection 7a7 shall include estimates of both the resources necessary to process current backlogs and each program's ability to reduce processing times with respect to such professional judgments4