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H.R. 1770 108th Congress House

Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003

Official title: To provide benefits and other compensation for certain individuals with injuries resulting from administration of smallpox countermeasures, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 11, 2003 See on congress.gov
Health Administrative procedureAdministrative remediesAnnuitiesCivil actions and liability
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ClaimsCollection of accountsCompensation (Law)Crime and Law EnforcementDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDisability insuranceDisability retirementDisabledEconomics and Public FinanceEmergency ManagementEmergency medicineEmployee health benefitsEvidence (Law)FamiliesFederal employeesFinance and Financial SectorFire fightersGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment employees' health insuranceGovernment liabilityHealth educationHealth insuranceHealth surveysInformed consent (Medical law)Labor and EmploymentLawLaw enforcement officersLiability (Law)Life insuranceLimitation of actionsMedical economicsMedical malpracticeMedical personnelMedical screeningMedical testsMinorsParamedical personnelPhysiciansPolicePublic health personnelSelf-employedSmallpoxSurvivors' benefitsTerrorismTortsVaccinationVaccinesWagesWorkers' compensation
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 Everywhere this bill has been 18 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 30, 2003
Signed by President.
Apr 30, 2003
Became Public Law No: 108-20.
Apr 24, 2003
Presented to President.
Apr 12, 2003
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Apr 11, 2003
Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (CR 4/12/2003 S5388-5390)
Apr 11, 2003
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(CR 4/12/2003 S5388-5390)
Apr 11, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
Apr 11, 2003
The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 1770.
Apr 11, 2003
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Apr 11, 2003
On passage Passed without objection. (text: CR H3340-3343)
Apr 11, 2003
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.(text: CR H3340-3343)
Apr 11, 2003
Mr. Burr asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
Apr 11, 2003
Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H3338-3343)
Apr 11, 2003
Committee on Judiciary discharged.
Apr 11, 2003
Committee on Education and the Workforce discharged.
Apr 11, 2003
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
Apr 11, 2003
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 11, 2003
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 30, 2003

Became Public Law No: 108-20.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish procedures for determining whether an individual is an eligible individual under this Act who qualifies for compensation for a covered injury or injuries.

Defines a covered injury as an injury, disability, illness, condition, or death arising in a specified time period from the administration of a smallpox vaccine or arising in specified circumstances from an accidental smallpox inoculation. Defines a covered individual as an individual from one of certain professions who is or will be functioning as part of a Federally approved smallpox emergency response plan and who receives a smallpox vaccine. Defines an eligible individual as a covered individual who sustains a covered injury from a smallpox vaccine or as an individual who is accidentally inoculated and sustains a covered injury.

Permits the Secretary to make structured settlement agreements with individuals based on the reasonable likelihood that certain compensation under this Act will be required for a period in excess of one year from the date an individual is determined to be eligible for such compensation.

Allows the Secretary to review and affirm, vacate, or modify determinations of eligibility for compensation under this Act.

Directs the Secretary to create a smallpox vaccine injury table identifying adverse effects that shall be presumed to result from the administration of (or exposure to) a smallpox vaccine and the time period in which the first symptom of each such adverse effect must occur for such presumption to apply.

Requires the Secretary to make payments for medical items and services as reasonable and necessary to treat a covered injury of an eligible individual. Directs the Secretary to provide compensation according to a specified formula to an eligible individual for the loss of employment income incurred due to a covered injury. Provides separately for death benefits.

Amends Public Health Service Act provisions regarding: (1) tort liability for the administration of smallpox countermeasures; and (2) the administration of smallpox countermeasures by health professionals, including to modify the definitions of covered countermeasure, covered person, and qualified person.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • HR 1413 Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003
  • S 719 Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003
  • HR 1463 Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003
 Bill text 4 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1770: Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-1770/
MLA
"H.R. 1770: Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-1770/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1770, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-1770/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1770: Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-1770/)
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