{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-497","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 497","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To eliminate the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on health care providers furnishing items and services under certain Federal health care programs.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To eliminate the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on health care providers furnishing items and services under certain Federal health care programs."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act"},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2023-01-25","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2023-01-31","vote":{"id":"118-2023-h98","question":"On Passage","title":"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act","result":"Passed","yea":227,"nay":203,"present":0,"not_voting":4,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll098.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.","date":"2024-12-17"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-01-31","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act","result":"Failed","yea":210,"nay":219,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll097.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2023-01-31","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill nullifies the rule titled Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination, which was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on November 5, 2021, and prohibits the issuance of any substantially similar rule. The rule requires health care providers, as a condition of Medicare and Medicaid participation, to ensure that staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19."}],"words":69},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Bars the Secretary of Health and Human Services from implementing or enforcing the November 5, 2021 rule on COVID-19 vaccination of staff at Medicare- and Medicaid-participating health care providers, and from issuing any substantially similar rule.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/497/text/eh#H04814D675D924D8D9522389D2D8B1233"}]},"core_areas":["COVID-19 vaccination requirements for staff of Medicare and Medicaid health care providers"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from implementing, enforcing, or otherwise giving effect to the rule titled \"Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID–19 Health Care Staff Vaccination.\"","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/497/text/eh#H04814D675D924D8D9522389D2D8B1233"}},{"text":"Identifies that rule as the one published by the Department of Health and Human Services on November 5, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 61555).","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/497/text/eh#H04814D675D924D8D9522389D2D8B1233"}},{"text":"Prohibits the Secretary from promulgating any substantially similar rule.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/497/text/eh#H04814D675D924D8D9522389D2D8B1233"}},{"text":"Provides that the Act may be cited as the \"Freedom for Health Care Workers Act.\"","cite":{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/497/text/eh#H6B67E881E44945B2816680234879B66C"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2023-01-31","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/497/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-02","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/497","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/497/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-497.png","v":"d64dd18d2bed","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 497, 118th Congress: Freedom for Health Care Workers Act. House: 227 Yea, 203 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 31 Jan 2023."}}