Guillain-Barre Syndrome Compensation Commission Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome Compensation Commission Act - Establishes the Guillain-Barre Syndrome Compensation Commission to fairly and expeditiously hear, determine, and pay claims against the United States for injuries to individuals who contracted such syndrome after immunization pursuant to the swine flu program. Sets forth the composition and operating procedures of such Commission. Authorizes the Commission to appoint a director and staff and procure other necessary personnel. Directs the Commission to hold hearings at times and places necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. Authorizes the Commission to issue subpenas relative to procuring evidence of the liability of the United States for damages to a claimant. Provides judicial procedures for refusal to obey such subpenas. Authorizes the Chairperson of the Commission to secure any information from Federal agencies not exempted from disclosure by rule of law. Directs that any claim for relief under this Act shall be submitted to the Commission within 12 months after the date of enactment of such Act. Requires the Commission, within 120 days of receipt of such claim, to hold a hearing to determine the eligibility and amount of damages due any such claimant. Declares a claimant eligible for damages if: (1) a timely claim has been filed; (2) the Guillain-Barre Syndrome was contracted within 20 weeks after immunization; and (3) the claimant has not received a full settlement of such claim against the United States. Specifies time periods under which the Commission shall make a final determination pursuant to any claim and to make payment of damages due any claimant. Declares that any payment to a claimant shall be in full settlement of all claims of such claimant against the United States arising out of the swine flu program. Directs the Commission to submit a final report to the President and each House of Congress pursuant to its operations under this Act, within three years after the date of enactment of such Act. Declares that the Commission shall terminate on a date determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on April 22, 1980. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on April 22, 1980: Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
ROMANO MAZZOLI (D-KY) introduced it on April 22, 1980, and 20 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 15 Democrats, 4 Republicans, 1 independent.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 22, 1980, 16942 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 16942 days ago, on April 22, 1980.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers