Vaccine Injury Compensation Modernization Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
Introduced
Summary
Modernize the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and expand who can seek compensation, while raising vaccine taxes to help fund faster claims processing and program updates. The bill would raise awards, tighten filing rules, and add COVID-19 vaccines to the compensation table.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Higher vaccine awards and longer filing
If enacted, the top non-economic award for vaccine injuries would rise to $600,000. The statutory death award would also be $600,000. The bill would lengthen the window to file a vaccine claim to five years. Petitioners would have to include the required medical records when filing and must identify any records that are unavailable; the filing date for timing rules would be when both the petition and records are filed.
New injury coverage for COVID-19 vaccines
If enacted, HHS would have to add COVID-19 vaccines to the Vaccine Injury Table within 60 days, after notice, a public hearing, and at least 30 days of comment. People who got COVID-19 vaccines listed on the Table would be able to file under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Long-acting monoclonal antibody products that ACIP recommends and the CDC Director adopts would be treated like vaccines for compensation and tax rules. The bill would say CICP remedies can run alongside NVICP, and it would preserve existing countermeasure liability procedures so some civil suits remain subject to those rules.
More vaccine judges and budget plans
If enacted, the VICP would need at least 10 Special Masters. New Special Masters would have an initial four-year term and could be reappointed for up to eight-year terms. Reports would have to show petitions pending, hearings scheduled, and whether more Special Masters are needed. HHS, with the Attorney General, would send professional-judgment budgets for FY2027–FY2031 estimating resources to reduce backlogs and speed claims.
Higher vaccine tax and wider list
If enacted, the federal excise tax on many vaccine doses would rise from $0.75 to $2.20 per dose. The change would start for sales and uses beginning the first day of the first month that starts more than six months after enactment. The bill would also add vaccines like SARS-CoV-2, RSV, dengue, and shingles to the taxable list when HHS lists them for compensation, with timing rules tied to HHS notice. HHS would have to tell Treasury and specified congressional committees within 30 days after a vaccine is licensed or first commercially sold in the U.S.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
TX • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11]
PA • R
Sponsored 7/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov