Veterans Radiation Exposure Compensation Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Veterans Radiation Exposure Compensation Act - Provides a presumption of service-connected disability to any veteran who, while serving in the armed forces during a period of war, was exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of nuclear testing by the United States, and who has or has had leukemia, thyroid or bone cancer, or any other disease listed by the advisory panel established by this Act. Entitles any such veteran to wartime disability compensation and wartime death compensation (for death which occurred prior to January 1, 1957). Entitles any veteran who was so exposed during active military, naval, or air service, and who later developed such a disease, to hospital care for psychosis and burial benefits. Establishes within the National Cancer Institute an Advisory Panel on the Health Effects of Exposure to Radiation to conduct a study to identify those types of diseases likely to develop in human beings after exposure to low-level radiation. Sets forth the method of procedure for such panel and directs the panel to report to the Congress on the results of its study not later than nine months after the date it convenes. Terminates such panel three months after its report to the Congress. Exempts such panel from the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on November 13, 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 November 13, 1980: Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
- 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?
HENRY GONZALEZ (D-TX) introduced it on November 13, 1980. No cosponsors are recorded.
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 November 13, 1980, 16737 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 16737 days ago, on November 13, 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