A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "End the Vaccine Carveout Act" aims to amend the Public Health Service Act. The bill seeks to end the current liability shield held by vaccine manufacturers. It would allow individuals to bring civil actions for damages in state or federal courts regarding vaccine-related injuries or deaths. Additionally, the bill excludes COVID-19 vaccines from the definition of a "covered countermeasure." It also repeals several existing sections of the Public Health Service Act related to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill allows individuals to sue vaccine manufacturers directly for damages, providing greater recourse for injuries.
- Scored +3
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill shifts vaccine-related injury disputes from a specialized federal program to the public court system.
- Scored +2
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The ability to sue in court may provide a path to higher damages than the existing compensation program for some individuals.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
By removing the liability shield, the bill may discourage manufacturers from producing certain vaccines, potentially impacting access.
- Scored -1
Does this change how police departments operate?
The removal of liability shields shifts the legal burden and potentially increases litigation against private entities.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Ability to Sue for Damages: Under Section 2, paragraph (a)(1)(A)(ii), a person may bring a civil action against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer in a State or Federal court for damages resulting from a vaccine-related injury or death.
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Exclusion of COVID-19 Vaccines from Certain Protections: Under Section 2, paragraph (b), the definition of "covered countermeasure" is amended so that it does not include any vaccine used to mitigate, prevent, or treat COVID-19.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Restrictions on Filing Dual Claims: According to Section 2, paragraph (a)(1)(A)(iv), if a person is awarded damages through a court judgment or settlement in a civil action, they may not file a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
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Restrictions on Filing Civil Actions after Compensation: Also under Section 2, paragraph (a)(1)(A)(iv), if compensation is awarded through a petition filed under the Program, the person who filed that petition may not bring a civil action against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill allows individuals to sue vaccine manufacturers directly for damages, providing greater recourse for injuries.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The ability to sue in court may provide a path to higher damages than the existing compensation program for some individuals. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill provides a legal avenue for individuals seeking compensation for vaccine-related injuries through civil litigation.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill shifts vaccine-related injury disputes from a specialized federal program to the public court system.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — By removing the liability shield, the bill may discourage manufacturers from producing certain vaccines, potentially impacting access.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this change how police departments operate? — The removal of liability shields shifts the legal burden and potentially increases litigation against private entities.
- 2/11/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Mike LeeRepublican · Utah