S. 4542: America First Vaccine Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-09-09 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-09-09 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

America First Vaccine Act

Plain summary

America First Vaccine Act This bill prohibits a U.S.-headquartered manufacturer of a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccine that was developed with federal pandemic relief funding from distributing it outside of the United States, unless the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) certifies that domestic need for the vaccine already has been met. However, HHS may waive the certification requirement and permit distribution outside of the United States if HHS makes a determination that such distribution would be in the interest of U.S. public health. A manufacturer that violates the requirement must reimburse the federal government for all amounts received by the manufacturer in support of development of the vaccine, plus interest.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

America First Vaccine Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] reported raising $4.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s4542.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s4542 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116