State and Federal Authority to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccination (CRS Report R46745)

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines licensed or authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are a critical tool to reduce the spread and severity of COVID-19. FDA initially authorized the vaccines, between December 2020 and February 2021, under Section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), a regulatory … Read more

State and Federal Authority to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccination (CRS R46745)

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines recently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are a critical tool to address the pandemic. After determining that these vaccines meet the applicable statutory standards and the Agency’s specific safety and efficacy standards, FDA issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) under Section 564 of the Federal Food, … Read more

Overview of Health Insurance Exchanges (CRS R44065)

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended) required health insurance exchanges to be established in every state. Exchanges are virtual marketplaces in which consumers and small business owners and employees can shop for and purchase private health insurance coverage and, where applicable, be connected to public health insurance programs (e.g., … Read more