March 18, 2026
Mr. Kaine introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase vaccination rates of pregnant and postpartum individuals, 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. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Maternal Vaccinations Act
.
Sec. 2. Maternal vaccination awareness and equity campaign
(a) Campaign
Section 313 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 245) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by inserting and among pregnant and postpartum individuals,
after low rates of vaccination,
;
(2)
in subsection (c)(3), by striking prenatal and pediatric
and inserting prenatal, obstetric, and pediatric
;
(3)
in subsection (d)(4)(B), by inserting pregnant and postpartum individuals and
after including
; and
(4)
in subsection (g), by striking $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025
and inserting $17,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031
.
(b) Additional activities
Section 317(k)(1)(E) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b(k)(1)(E)) is amended—
(1)
in clause (v), by striking and
at the end; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:
(vii)
increase vaccination rates of pregnant and postpartum individuals, including individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups, and their children; and