To prohibit the provision of Federal funds to a local educational agency that imposes or enforces a COVID–19 vaccine mandate on students at the schools served by such agency.
Summary
H.R. 5691 aims to prohibit federal funding to local educational agencies (LEAs) that mandate COVID-19 vaccines for students. The bill focuses on public elementary and secondary schools under the jurisdiction of such agencies. It references the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for definitions of key terms.
Expected Effects
If enacted, H.R. 5691 would financially penalize LEAs that require COVID-19 vaccination for student enrollment. This could lead to some LEAs dropping vaccine mandates to retain federal funding. The bill's impact would largely depend on the number of LEAs with existing mandates and their reliance on federal funds.
Potential Benefits
- Could prevent perceived government overreach into personal healthcare decisions.
- May alleviate concerns among parents who oppose mandatory vaccination for their children.
- Could allow for more local control over health policies in schools.
- Might reduce potential legal challenges related to vaccine mandates.
- Could free up resources within LEAs by removing the administrative burden of enforcing vaccine mandates.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Could undermine efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 in schools.
- May lead to lower vaccination rates among students, potentially increasing the risk of outbreaks.
- Could disproportionately affect vulnerable student populations who rely on herd immunity.
- Might create disparities in health and safety standards across different school districts.
- Could strain relationships between federal and local education authorities.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The bill's constitutionality hinges on the balance between Congress's spending power (Article I, Section 8) and individual liberties, potentially implicating the 10th Amendment regarding states' rights. The Supreme Court has generally upheld Congress's power to attach conditions to federal funding, but these conditions must be clear, related to the purpose of the spending, and not unduly coercive. The bill could be challenged on grounds that it infringes upon state and local authority to manage public health within schools.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).