A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Apr. 21, 2026 would use billions of dollars in Medicaid funding to pressure states into adopting federally approved vaccine messaging and expand the U.S. government’s surveillance of children’s vaccination records. Introduced by Representative Kim Schrier, MD of Washington, H.R. 8425, the Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2026, would amend Title XIX of the Social Security Act, which governs Medicaid.1 2
The legislation creates a financial incentive for states to align with federal vaccine messaging. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, states that comply with federally approved vaccine communications would receive a one percent increase in their Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP).3
H.R. 8425 also directs the federal government to pay providers a counseling fee for vaccine discussions with parents. The text states that this fee applies regardless of whether the vaccine is ultimately administered.4
[A] fee for the administration of and counseling for such vaccine (which, in the case of a counseling fee, may be so imposed regardless of whether such vaccine is actually administered).5
The outcome of that conversation does not affect the payment. A parent who declines vaccination would still be the subject of a federally funded counseling session and the provider would still receive reimbursement.6
Designed to Combat “Vaccine Hesitancy”
The bill further directs the federal government to expand vaccine counseling reimbursement specifically to “combat vaccine hesitancy.” Another provision seeks to “find pockets of under-vaccination” through expanded demographic tracking of children who have not received recommended vaccines.7
The bill sets forth that a state will only receive an increase in federal medical assistance if the state disseminates information highlighting how vaccine recipients of all ages benefit from vaccination including those who benefit from herd immunity because they cannot receive vaccinations themselves, how vaccines saved millions of lives and the dangers of not being vaccinated.8
Increased Vaccine Surveillance
The legislation would allow the federal government to identify communities where parents are declining or delaying vaccines and fund outreach campaigns directed at those communities. States that cooperate with the program would receive additional federal funds through the FMAP increase.9
The bill also expands the federal vaccine tracking infrastructure. State vaccine information systems already record individual children’s vaccination histories. H.R. 8425 would increase demographic monitoring of children who are not vaccinated according to the federal schedule.10
There is no provision in the bill requiring parental consent before a child’s information is entered into the expanded tracking system. The legislation also does not contain a specific opt-out mechanism for parents whose children’s vaccination records are shared through state immunization registries.11
Funded by Big Pharma
According to OpenSecrets campaign finance records for the 2026 election cycle, Representative Schrier received contributions from entities tied to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, including Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics, Kaiser Permanente, and the American Medical Association (AMA).12 13 These companies and organizations have financial or institutional interests connected to expanded vaccine distribution and pediatric healthcare policy.
Expanding the VFC Program
The Vaccines for Children program (VFC), was created in 1993 after an alleged measles outbreak and became part of state Medicaid plans under federal law.14 CDC materials state that the program distributes federally purchased vaccines through tens of thousands of providers nationwide.15
H.R. 8425 would expand the VFC program through federally funded vaccine counseling campaigns, financial incentives for state compliance with federal messaging standards, and increased tracking of under-vaccinated populations.16
Future of H.R. 8425
While H.R. 8425 does not mandate vaccination, the bill would expand federal involvement in vaccine counseling and demographic tracking tied to childhood vaccination decisions. Providers would be reimbursed for counseling sessions even if parents decline vaccination.17
The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce after introduction and has not yet been scheduled for a committee vote.
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Click here to view References:1 H.R. 8425. Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2026. 119th Congress Apr. 21, 2026.
2 Schrier K. Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Children’s Health. U.S. House of Representatives Apr. 21, 2026.
3 H.R. 8425. Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2026. 119th Congress Apr. 21, 2026.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid.
12 OpenSecrets. Rep. Kim Schrier — Campaign Finance Summary. 2026.
13 Federal Election Commission. DR KIM SCHRIER FOR CONGRESS — Committee Receipts, 2026 Cycle. 2026.
14 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program.
15 Ibid.
16 H.R. 8425. Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2026. 119th Congress Apr. 21, 2026.
17 Ibid.
27 Responses
Aren’t BRIBES illegal? Isn’t coercion against the Nuremberg Code? Pharma already pollutes the ‘airwaves’, cyberspace and medical schools. Enough already!
Kim Schrier MD is the first PEDIATRICIAN in congress. So the AAP has found their voice and crowbar to get their insane vaccine agenda into congress. And of course, another payday for pediatricians even if they don’t administer the poison. They get to collect the gov’t cheese for just sitting down and telling the parent they think the child should take the jabs. I would expect no less from the representitives of WA state who think that gov’t should be a nanny state and there’s no end to the pot of gold that is YOUR tax dollars.
This using tax dollars to advertise for pharmaceutical companies
This Pro vaccine Bill was introduced by a democratic congresswoman who received funding from the pharmaceutical industry in support of the COVID-19 genetic altering shots. The main purpose is to eliminate “vaccine hesitancy, it will provide billions $ to states for pro vaccine programs and track who is having their children vaccinated and who is not. Who will pay for this? Of course, Tax payers. The personal finances of all pro vaccine politicians should be audited due to the obvious conflict of interest that favors the pharmaceutical industry.
Oh my gosh, that’s horrifying!!! H.R. 8425 must be vetoed. If I were a parent, I would seek an alternative to Medicaid!!!! Medicaid is a very biased program that runs by government , and I’m not surprised it’s tied to Big Pharma. Increased vaccine surveillance is disgusting and unethical. Fire Dr. Kim Schier.
The problem is, they don’t ask why people are vaccine hesitant. When people who get the flu shot still get sicker than what they’ve ever been- product fail.
When people get major reactions (yes, that could have happened with the illness, too) to vaccines – that puts safety in question.
So – risk analysis – get vaccine, get illness, get a reaction = increased risk
Take a chance on a illness which I can find other ways to reduce risk = less risk
But they don’t ask.
That’s so true they don’t ASK why people are not willing to take vaccines. I’m very adamant not to take vaccines, am not vaccine hesitant. That’s the difference.
More horrifying BS from a congress that is anti-human. To suggest that more children receive toxic vaccines is akin to murder.
Looks like Bill “vaccines offer the greatest return on investment” Gates has a Congressman in his pocket.
This is demonically criminal.
Kim Schrier you idiot. You’re fired. We will not comply. Corrupt for sale politicians again.
We’re not vaccine hesitant. We said no to vaccines and we meant it.
These entitled corporate types think they own our bodies. They’re playing with fire when they think they can force American citizens to comply with their program. We will burn them back, they’ve already gone too far repeatedly.
All their statistics are lies anyways. Talking to every day regular people, most object to vaccines and don’t take them. There are millions of people right now today whom have found a way to ‘comply’ on paper, without actually taking vaccines. They lie in the clinics. People pay for falsified paperwork. Employees falsify documents themselves. The 2-5% you’ve heard of whom are not on the official record of taking vaccines is just the tip of the iceberg, the brave people whom boldly proclaimed NO without fear or hesitation. You can’t make us, come and try we will not comply. The vaccine industrial complex is a house of cards built upon lies and disinformation. Any form of coerced vaccination will be considered a direct assault on our persons and returned in kind.
Do any of the doctors promoting vaccines ever sit down and read the science? Of course they’d have to read all the studies and read them completely in order to sort the wheat from the chaff. Easier to take the money and run.
I do not agree with any vaccine counseling or monitoring of people who are vaccine . hesitant. The H.R. 8425 Bill would be a direct affront to my privacy and freedom of choice regarding my health. The government should not be involved, only my physician and I should make these decisions.
Thank you for sharing this important information. Will these incentivized pediatricians be required to also provide the incidence of mild to severe vaccine adverse reactions to the various ingredients in all these injections now with mRNA technology? Probably not!
Please oppose H.R. 8425 — It would further erode our rights to determine what medical procedures we allow for our own bodies. These are already under risk from financial interests including pharmaceutical companies using their financial pressures on our government agencies and from religious political interests. We must preserve consent to treatment aside from coercive pressures from government.
How about an action alert / advocacy option to send letters to relevant Reps?
A good place to start is standforhealthfreedom.com I have been a member since their inception. they will alert you via email of what bills are up and which are pro or con to health freedom. They watch the political agenda closely and frequently have a prepared email letter that you can send to the politicians in your state with room to add your own story. Please check them out.
Stand for Health Freedom
https://standforhealthfreedom.com
Health Freedom Advocacy Center | Stand For Health Freedom
Same old story. Representatives with close ties to Big Pharma. As usual the taxpayers foot the bill whether they want vaccines or not.
Do you suggest we email our representative about this or is it to early.
what a horrible bill obviously orchestrated & paid for by Pharma. it gives government & pharma invasive overreach into people’s lives. it’s sickening.
Here come the tyrannical vaccine mandates for everyone except our selected officials.
Big pharma at it again. Such a waste of money. All they are trying to do is scare parents into getting their children vaccinated. However we can still decline. I always will. My children are protected by God and that is good enough for me.
It is incompetent and wasteful to decrease Medicaid and Medicare for this type of mind-control propaganda that isn’t helping anybody get healthier.
I love the term, “vaccine hesitant”. It’s part of the scam to convince people to get jabbed, and it has an “understanding” sound to it. Like they care. Just say no. Stay away from the vaccines, and live instead.
This Fascist bill benefits only the pharmaceutical companies. It’s corporate welfare to boost corporate profits at the expense of the people’s health. Its purpose is to increase the number of injections with no regard for how much injury and death they cause, and without regard to whether there is any benefit whatsoever.
If this bill comes to a vote, all Congress members should show that they care about their constituents’ health, human rights, and privacy by voting against it. Those who vote for the bill favor tricking their constituents into taking and allowing their children to take poison. It’s unconscionable.
This would drive even more people away from pediatric care. Imagine a world where we could trust our pediatricians to give good advice. Where we could take our injured children without being pressured into getting unwanted jabby juice. It shouldn’t be a pipe dream. They have such a monopoly on these things already, this bill would only further ostracize our community from mainstream health care.
Our kids’ health quality was destroyed by vaccines. We need all legislators to vote against and put health safety and freedom first. Vote against pharma’s push for financial gain that is ignoring all the data pointing to vaccines hurting more than helping.