Summary

Expands and funds federal efforts to raise awareness of vaccines for pregnant and postpartum people and their children, with an emphasis on equity for racial and ethnic minority groups. It updates program language to include obstetric care, requires vaccination outreach activities targeting pregnant and postpartum individuals and their children, and increases authorized annual funding for the awareness and equity campaign from $5 million to $7 million for fiscal years 2027–2031. Changes affect existing Public Health Service Act programs that support vaccination education and outreach; the bill authorizes higher funding levels but does not itself appropriate funds. Implementation and actual spending will depend on future appropriations and program actions by HHS and its grantees.

Key Points

• Expands federal vaccination outreach to explicitly include pregnant and postpartum individuals and their children.
• Adds the term "obstetric" to program language to clarify clinical scope and provider involvement.
• Requires targeted activities to raise vaccination rates among pregnant/postpartum people, including racial and ethnic minority groups.
• Increases authorized funding for the maternal vaccination awareness and equity campaign from $5M/year to $7M/year for FY2027–2031.
• Amends authorities under the Public Health Service Act that govern immunization outreach and equity programs.
• Authorizes — but does not appropriate — additional funds; actual spending requires future appropriations.
• Implementation will be carried out by HHS and its grantees (e.g., state and local health departments, community organizations).
• The bill is narrowly focused on maternal vaccination outreach and equity rather than creating new clinical mandates or broad program changes.

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