# Plain Language Summary of H.R. 5691

This bill would cut off federal funding to school districts that require students to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to attend school. If a local school district has a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students, that district would lose all federal money it receives. The bill applies to public elementary and secondary schools, meaning any school district with such a requirement would be affected.

The practical impact would be significant for school districts. Federal funding supports many essential programs including special education services, Title I programs for low-income students, school lunch subsidies, transportation, and various educational initiatives. A school district that enforces a COVID-19 vaccine requirement would lose access to all these federal dollars, which could force difficult choices about which programs to cut or reduce. This could affect everything from classroom resources to special services for students with disabilities.

The bill essentially uses federal funding as leverage to prevent schools from implementing COVID-19 vaccine mandates. School districts would face a choice: either drop any COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students or lose substantial federal funding. For most districts, losing federal money would be financially devastating, so the practical effect would likely be to eliminate COVID-19 vaccine mandates where they exist. It's worth noting that this bill only addresses vaccine requirements for students—it doesn't affect other school health requirements like vaccines for measles or chickenpox, nor does it prevent schools from encouraging vaccination.

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.