HR 119 · 119th CongressIn Committee

To prohibit any entity that receives Federal funds from the COVID relief packages from mandating employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and for other purposes.

Latest updateJan 3, 2025

Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.

Health

Sponsor

Andy Biggs

Introduced

January 3, 2025

Latest action

January 3, 2025

Legislative Progress

How far this bill has traveled through Congress

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Latest Action

Plain-Language Summary

AI Generated

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress enacted six major relief packages between 2020 and 2021—including the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, and the American Rescue Plan—that distributed hundreds of billions of dollars to businesses, hospitals, schools, and other entities. Some of these recipients subsequently implemented vaccine mandates for their employees, requiring workers to receive COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. This bill addresses the tension between federal funding conditions and employer vaccine policies by establishing a new restriction on how recipients of pandemic relief money may manage their workforce health requirements.

The bill prohibits any entity that received federal funds from any of the six specified COVID relief packages from mandating that employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The restriction applies broadly to all recipients regardless of sector—hospitals, schools, businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. If an entity violates this prohibition by implementing or maintaining a vaccine mandate, it must return all funds it received from the relevant COVID relief package to the federal government. The bill does not specify which federal agency enforces this requirement or investigates violations, nor does it establish a process for entities to demonstrate compliance or appeal determinations.

The bill takes effect upon enactment and applies retroactively to any vaccine mandates already in place at entities receiving COVID relief funds. No new funding is appropriated to implement or enforce the restriction. The practical effect would be to force entities that imposed vaccine mandates to choose between rescinding those policies or repaying federal funds—potentially millions or billions of dollars depending on the recipient. This could affect hospitals that used CARES Act funding, schools that received American Rescue Plan money, and businesses that obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans. The bill does not address how repayment would be calculated, collected, or prioritized if multiple violations occur.

Key Provisions

1Prohibits any entity receiving federal funds from the six specified COVID relief packages from mandating that employees receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
2Requires entities that violate the vaccine mandate prohibition to return all funds received from the applicable COVID relief package to the federal government.
3Defines COVID relief packages to include the CARES Act, Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, and American Rescue Plan Act.

★ Why this matters

If enacted, this bill would invalidate vaccine mandates at any organization that received pandemic relief funding, forcing those entities to either rescind their policies or repay federal money. This could affect hospital staffing protocols, school health requirements, and workplace policies at thousands of institutions nationwide. The retroactive application means organizations that already complied with mandates would face the choice of reversing course or financial penalties.

● Who this affects

Hospitals and health systems that received CARES Act or American Rescue Plan funding; public and private schools that obtained federal pandemic relief; businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program loans; nursing homes and long-term care facilities funded through relief packages; nonprofit organizations and local governments that distributed relief money to employees; and workers at these institutions whose employers had implemented vaccine requirements.

Bill Text

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<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 119

   To prohibit any entity that receives Federal funds from the COVID 
 relief packages from mandating employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine, 
                        and for other purposes.

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2025

Mr. Biggs of Arizona introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to 
 the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 prohibit any entity that receives Federal funds from the COVID 
 relief packages from mandating employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. COVID RELIEF PACKAGE FUNDING RESTRICTION.

    (a) Funding Restriction.--Any entity that receives Federal funds 
from a COVID relief package may not mandate that any employee of such 
entity receives a COVID-19 vaccine.
    (b) Return of Funds.--Any entity that is in violation of subsection 
(a) shall return any funds received from the COVID relief package to 
the Federal Government.
    (c) COVID Relief Package Defined.--In this section, the term 
``COVID relief package'' means any of the following:
            (1) CARES Act (Public Law 116-136).
            (2) Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental 
        Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-123).
            (3) Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 
        116-127).
            (4) Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement 
        Act (Public Law 116-139).
            (5) Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-
        260).
            (6) American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).
                                 <all>

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Where House representatives currently stand

Built from official statements, public releases, and voting records where they exist. Members without enough evidence are marked as no position.

448 tracked

Support

445

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Members whose public record points toward backing the bill.

No members in this group yet.

Opposition

Members whose public record points toward opposition.

Kristen McDonald Rivet

D-Michigan · District 8

Likely oppose

Rep. McDonald Rivet is a member of the New Democrat Coalition and has focused on affordability, worker protections, and social programs based on her website. The bill prohibits vaccine mandates for entities receiving COVID relief funds. While her website contains no explicit statements about this specific bill or vaccine mandates, her policy positions suggest a moderate-to-progressive Democratic alignment. Democrats have generally opposed restrictions on vaccine mandates, viewing them as limiting public health measures. However, the confidence is moderate (0.45) because: (1) there is no direct evidence of her stance on this bill, (2) vaccine mandate positions can vary among Democrats, and (3) her focus on affordability and worker support doesn't directly address this issue. A 'possible_reject' stance reflects the typical Democratic party position against such restrictions, but the lack of explicit information prevents a higher confidence assessment.

To prohibit any entity that receives Federal funds from the COVID relief packages from mandating employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and for other purposes.

Legislative Progress

Plain-Language Summary

Key Provisions

★ Why this matters

● Who this affects

Bill Text

Where House representatives currently stand

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Opposition

No Position

Party Positions

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Republican Party

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To prohibit any entity that receives Federal funds from the COVID relief packages from mandating employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and for other purposes.

Legislative Progress

Plain-Language Summary

Key Provisions

★ Why this matters

● Who this affects

Bill Text

Where House representatives currently stand

Support

Opposition

No Position

Party Positions

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Take Action

Active Organizations