The bill aims to modernize the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) by enhancing its capacity, expanding its scope, and increasing compensation for vaccine-related injuries and deaths. It proposes significant changes to the program's administration, including the number and terms of special masters, and updates the process for adding vaccines to the Vaccine Injury Table. These reforms are designed to ensure a more expeditious and fair resolution of petitions for compensation. Specifically, the legislation mandates an increase in the minimum number of special masters from 8 to 10, with initial terms of 4 years and reappointments up to 8 years, alongside enhanced reporting requirements on petition backlogs. It expands the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's role in recommending vaccines for the Injury Table to include those administered to adults and pregnant women, shortening the recommendation timeframe to six months. Compensation for vaccine-related death and for pain and suffering would both increase to a maximum of $600,000, and the statute of limitations for filing a petition would be extended from 36 months to 5 years. Furthermore, the bill strengthens program integrity by requiring medical records to be included with initial petitions and clarifying decision timing. A significant provision requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to add COVID-19 vaccines to the Vaccine Injury Table within 60 days, making individuals who received them eligible for VICP compensation. This eligibility applies despite existing Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) provisions, clarifying that CICP is a concurrent remedy without affecting VICP availability. However, the bill explicitly states that it does not alter the liability protections for covered countermeasures under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, meaning civil actions related to COVID-19 vaccines (outside of VICP) remain subject to PREP Act procedures. It also prevents the reopening of time-barred or previously adjudicated civil actions. To support these expansions and increased compensation, the bill proposes several funding adjustments. It adds dengue, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and herpes zoster (shingles) vaccines to the list of taxable vaccines that contribute to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund. A general category for other routinely administered licensed or emergency-use authorized vaccines is also included. Crucially, the excise tax on vaccines would increase from 75 cents to $2.20 per dose , effective six months after enactment, ensuring adequate resources for the modernized program. The Secretary of HHS is also required to submit detailed budgets for both VICP and CICP, addressing backlogs and aiming to reduce processing times.