During a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing on May 4, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) accused Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra of a lack of urgency in compensating Americans harmed by COVID-19 vaccines.
In March, Hyde-Smith joined Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and other Republicans in introducing legislation to offer financial compensation to those who suffered adverse health reactions to the vaccines.
That measure sought to amend the existing Countermeasure Injury Compensation Program (CICP).
The CICP provides compensation for injuries that result from products delivered during certain public health emergencies, specifically for injuries and deaths as a result of “covered countermeasures” under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act).