S. 3516: Increase Access to COVID Testing Act

117th Congress · introduced 2022-01-18 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2022-01-18 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Sasse, Ben [R-NE] · 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 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 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

Increase Access to COVID Testing Act

Plain summary

Increase Access to COVID Testing Act This bill directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide upon request emergency use authorization for COVID-19 rapid antigen tests approved for use in the European Union. During the declared COVID-19 public health emergency, the FDA shall grant emergency use authorization to a COVID-19 rapid antigen test upon a proper request by the test's manufacturer if (1) the test is on the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety's common list for approved COVID-19 tests, and (2) the request is for the non-laboratory use of the test without a prescription. The bill waives certain requirements for a request for emergency use authorization under this bill, such as a finding from the FDA that the test may be effective in diagnosing COVID-19. If a test authorized under this bill is removed from the EU common list, the FDA must determine within 30 days of such removal whether the emergency use authorization for the test should continue.

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

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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

Increase Access to COVID Testing Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Sasse, Ben [R-NE] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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 (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
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-117s3516.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s3516 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117