Washington, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) to bolster our nation’s vaccine infrastructure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. H.R. 550, the Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act, will improve and expand information-sharing between state and federal governments, as well as public and private health care providers, to ensure vaccines are being administered effectively and efficiently across all states and territories. Congresswoman Kuster introduced this legislation in January of this year alongside Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN).

“Today’s vote takes an important step forward for our country to improve our nation’s vaccine infrastructure and better prepare our health care system for future public health crises,” said Rep. Kuster. “COVID-19 pulled back the curtain on our vaccination systems and highlighted the urgent need for upgrades. I’m proud the House passed my bipartisan Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act to expand the enrollment and training of vaccine providers, update public health information technology to efficiently manage vaccine supply, and allow patients and providers to communicate securely in real-time. I urge the Senate to quickly pass this legislation and invest in our health care future.”

Immunization Information Systems (IIS) are secure, multi-faceted systems that allow for the sharing of crucial information and maintenance of records. These systems can allow providers to keep vaccines and supplies in stock, prevent over – or under – vaccination, remind patients when they are due for a recommended vaccine, and identify areas with low vaccination rates to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines.

The Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act authorizes funding to:

• Conduct an assessment of current capabilities and gaps among immunization providers;
• Expand enrollment and training of immunization providers;
• Support real-time immunization record data exchange and reporting;
• Improve secure data collection, transmission, bidirectional exchange, maintenance, and analysis of immunization information;
• Enhance the security of bidirectional exchange of immunization record data and interoperability of immunization information systems with health information technology platforms; and
• Enhance data exchange interoperability with other jurisdictions. 

###