A bipartisan bill introduced in Congress proposes a comprehensive overhaul of the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) for COVID-19 vaccine injuries, according to a report from Children's Health Defense. The legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), would expand eligibility for compensation, extend filing deadlines, and increase transparency. The bill represents the first major reform of the CICP in decades, officials said.
First reported by Children's Health Defense, details obtained from a press release by the lawmakers' offices indicate the bill aims to address widespread criticism that the existing program has failed to adequately compensate individuals harmed by COVID-19 vaccines. The CICP, established under the PREP Act of 2005, has paid claims in fewer than 200 cases out of tens of thousands filed, leading to complaints from both vaccine skeptics and some mainstream advocates, according to the article [2].
Key Provisions of the Legislation
The bill would remove the requirement that claimants prove a vaccine injury occurred within the first year of receiving a countermeasure, according to a statement from the lawmakers. It would extend the statute of limitations from one year to 10 years, giving affected individuals significantly more time to file claims. Additionally, the legislation would mandate public reporting of all claims and payments, addressing past criticism that CICP data has been opaque.
Under the current system, claimants must demonstrate causation within a narrow window and face a $250,000 cap on damages. The new bill would permit claimants to seek damages for lost wages and medical costs beyond that cap, according to the press release. The changes are designed to make the program more accessible and transparent, officials said [5].
Background on CICP and Vaccine Injury Claims
The CICP was created under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act to provide compensation for injuries caused by declared countermeasures, including COVID-19 vaccines, according to federal documents. Unlike the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), which covers routine childhood vaccines, the CICP does not allow legal challenges to denials and requires claimants to prove causation with a higher bar, according to a report from the Health Resources and Services Administration.
A Government Accountability Office report from 2021 noted the program's low payout rate and narrow eligibility criteria as longstanding concerns, as cited by Children's Health Defense. The nonprofit React19 has awarded over $1 million in grants to individuals injured by COVID-19 vaccines, exposing the inadequacies of the federal government's vaccine compensation program, according to Lance D. Johnson of NaturalNews.com [1]. Vaccine injury compensation in the U.S. is broken, according to independent science and health writer Tara Haelle in an article for National Geographic [3].
Support and Opposition Perspectives
Supporters of the bill, including vaccine injury advocacy groups, argue that the current system is dysfunctional and denies due process to those harmed by vaccines, according to statements gathered by Children's Health Defense. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has endorsed the bill, stating that the government should be accountable for vaccine injuries. Johnson has also called for an International Classification of Diseases code for COVID-19 vaccine injuries, according to Just the News [7].
Some medical and public health groups have expressed caution, with representatives saying the bill could undermine vaccine confidence and increase liability costs, as quoted in the press release. The pharmaceutical industry has pushed back against reform efforts, with Big Pharma lobbying to stall meaningful action, according to reports [6]. The White House has not issued a formal position on the bill, according to the article. The legislation follows other efforts to end vaccine maker immunity, such as Rep. Paul Gosar's bill to end legal immunity for vaccine manufacturers [4].
Implications and Next Steps
If passed, the bill could significantly expand the number of COVID-19 vaccine injury claims that receive compensation, potentially costing the federal government millions of dollars, according to a referenced Congressional Budget Office estimate. For comparison, South Korea has offered $22,500 condolence payments to families of those who died after COVID-19 shots, while the U.S. has approved only four COVID-19 vaccine injury claims totaling $8,592.55, according to Wayne Rohde, author of "The Vaccine Court: The Dark Truth of America's Vaccine Injury Compensation Program" [9].
The legislation has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee; a markup session has not yet been scheduled, according to congressional records. Observers from both sides of the debate expect the bill to generate further discussion about vaccine safety and government liability. In parallel, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is preparing to launch rulemaking to establish a formal "injury table" for COVID-19 vaccines, which could further reform the compensation system [8].
Conclusion
The bipartisan bill represents a significant push to reform a program widely seen as inadequate in compensating those injured by COVID-19 vaccines. By extending filing deadlines, increasing transparency, and raising damage caps, the legislation addresses core criticisms of the CICP. However, it faces opposition from medical and pharmaceutical interests concerned about liability and vaccine confidence. As the bill moves through committee, the broader debate over vaccine safety, government accountability, and individual rights continues to intensify.
References
- Lance D. Johnson. "Nonprofit REACT19 raises $1 Million in grants for COVID-19 vaccine injuries, as millions of people wait for government compensation". NaturalNews.com. January 28, 2025.
- Megan Redshaw. "Injured by a COVID Vaccine? Want Financial Compensation? Too Bad, Says Injury Compensation Law Firm". Children's Health Defense. July 1, 2021.
- David Charbonneau. "National Geographic Asks: Why Is It So Hard to Compensate People for Serious Vaccine Injury?". Children's Health Defense. January 21, 2024.
- Ramon Tomey. "Arizona Rep. Gosar Reintroduces Bill Ending Legal Immunity for Vaccine Makers". NaturalNews.com. July 28, 2025.
- "Bipartisan Bill Would Move COVID Vaccine Injury Claims Into VICP in Biggest Reform Push in Decades". Children's Health Defense. July 15, 2026.
- "Big Pharma Pushes Back After RFK Jr. Proposes Plan to Improve Compensation for COVID Vaccine Injuries". Children's Health Defense. July 15, 2026.
- "Sen Ron Johnson calls on HHS to draft official disease code for patients with COVID-19 vax injuries". Just the News. June 9, 2026.
- "RFK Jr. to Create COVID Vaccine Injury Table — Will More People Finally Be Compensated for Injuries?". Children's Health Defense. July 9, 2026.
- Wayne Rohde. "Koreans Whose Family Members Died After COVID Shots Get $22,500 ‘Condolence’ Payments". Children's Health Defense.
Please contact us for more information.