FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2021
Barragán has introduced a bill to fund transportation services to help people in low-income communities gain access to COVID vaccines and future booster shots
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán applauded President Biden’s newly announced efforts to boost access to COVID vaccines, including a new collaboration with ride-sharing companies to provide free rides to anyone going to a vaccination site.
Recognizing the same need to increase access to vaccination sites in order to increase the vaccination rate, Congresswoman Barragán has introduced the COVID Vaccine Transportation Access Act (H.R. 3013). The bill would create a grant program in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to remove transportation barriers in underserved communities so people can not only get to COVID vaccine appointments, but also appointments for any future COVID booster shots. The grants would be focused on low-income communities, minority communities, or other communities in which transportation poses a barrier to health care access.
“Today’s actions by President Biden and my COVID Vaccine Transportation Act will help people get access to the vaccines,” Congresswoman Barragán said. “Vaccinations are how we will finally defeat this pandemic, but I’ve heard from many people in Los Angeles and other communities in my district who want to get their COVID shots but don’t have an easy way to get to the vaccine sites. One man told me about having to take three busses and travel for hours to get his vaccination. It’s common sense: removing barriers that prevent people getting to and from vaccine sites will increase the number of people who can get vaccinated.”
The COVID Vaccine Transportation Act is co-sponsored by Congressmembers Tony Cárdenas (Calif.), Yvette Clarke (N.Y.), Raul Ruiz. (Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.), Earl Blumenauer (Ore.), Darren Soto (Fla.) and Ruben Gallego (Ariz.).
The United Way, Lyft and the National Hispanic Council on Aging are among the groups to publicly support the legislation.
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Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington. She serves as chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Border Security.