Radiation-Exposed Veterans Compensation Act of 1988
Public Law 100-321 · H.R. 1811 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on May 20, 1988 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. James Rowland (D-GA-8)
Cosponsors (84): Rep. John Hammerschmidt, Rep. Sonny Montgomery,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 326 yea, 2 nay326–2
- SenateRecorded vote: 48 yea, 30 nay48–30
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #109 (48-30))
Radiation-Exposed Veterans Compensation Act of 1988 - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to establish (for purposes of eligibility for such benefits) a presumption of service-connection for the following diseases suffered by any radiation-exposed veteran: (1) leukemia (other than chronic lymphocytic leukemia); (2) thyroid cancer; (3) breast cancer; (4) cancer of the pharynx; (5) cancer of the esophagus; (6) cancer of the stomach; (7) cancer of the small intestine; (8) cancer of the pancreas; (9) multiple myeloma; (10) lymphomas (except Hodgkin's disease); (11) cancer of the bile ducts; (12) cancer of the gall bladder; and (13) primary liver cancer (except if cirrhosis or hepatitis B is indicated). Requires all of such diseases, in order to be considered service-connected, to have become manifest to a degree of ten percent or more within 40 years after the last date on which the veteran participated in a radiation-risk activity, except that such period shall be the 30-year period beginning on such date in the case of leukemia. Defines "radiation-exposed veteran" as a veteran who participated in a radiation-risk activity while serving on active duty. Defines "radiation-risk activity" as: (1) onsite participation in the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear device; (2) the U.S. occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan, between August 6, 1945, and July 1, 1946; or (3) internment as a prisoner of war in Japan during World War II which resulted in the opportunity for radiation exposure.
Amends the Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act to require the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards to submit to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees periodic reports regarding results of scientific studies relating to possible adverse health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 100th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 336 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
336 yea2 nay93 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(194)
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
- Rep. Charles HayesD-IL-1
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-17
- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
- Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5- Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-5- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-7
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
- Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-18
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7- Rep. William FordD-MI-15
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-17
- Rep. Chester AtkinsD-MA-5
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5- Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
- Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
- Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-9
Rep. Barbara BoxerD-CA-6
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7- Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
- Rep. Joseph KennedyD-MA-8
- Rep. Meldon LevineD-CA-27
- Rep. Bruce MorrisonD-CT-3
- Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
- Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
- Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
- Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
- Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-30
- Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
- Rep. Albert EspyD-MS-2
- Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
Rep. Kweisi MfumeD-MD-7- Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
- Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
- Rep. Albert BustamanteD-TX-23
- Rep. Robert MrazekD-NY-3
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-10- Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
- Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-18
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17- Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
- Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
- Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
- Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-18
- Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Jim MoodyD-WI-5
- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-33
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
- Rep. James TraficantD-OH-17
- Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27- Rep. Bernard DwyerD-NJ-6
- Rep. Dennis HertelD-MI-14
- Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
- Rep. James JontzD-IN-5
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20- Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
- Rep. David NagleD-IA-3
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-3
- Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. George HochbruecknerD-NY-1
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
- Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
- Rep. Edward FeighanD-OH-19
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6- Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
- Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
- Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
- Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
- Rep. Joseph BrennanD-ME-1
- Rep. Terry BruceD-IL-19
- Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
- Rep. Charles DowdyD-MS-4
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11- Rep. Charles McMillenD-MD-4
- Rep. Jim BatesD-CA-44
- Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6- Rep. Joseph KolterD-PA-4
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
- Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
- Rep. Gerald SikorskiD-MN-6
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
- Rep. Douglas BoscoD-CA-1
- Rep. Douglas OwensD-UT-2
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-30- Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4- Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. Byron DorganD-ND- Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-11
- Rep. Robert ClementD-TN-5
- Rep. James GrantD-FL-2
- Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
- Rep. James ClarkeD-NC-11
- Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. James BilbrayD-NV-1
- Rep. Buddy MacKayD-FL-6
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4- Rep. Ben CampbellD-CO-3
- Rep. Robert ThomasD-GA-1
- Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
- Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-1
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5- Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
- Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Tim JohnsonD-SD-1- Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
- Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
- Rep. James HayesD-LA-7
- Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE- Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
- Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
- Rep. Martin LancasterD-NC-3
- Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
- Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
- Rep. James OlinD-VA-6
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-11- Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
- Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
- Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
- Rep. Richard StallingsD-ID-2
- Rep. Elizabeth PattersonD-SC-4
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-23
- Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
- Rep. Robin TallonD-SC-6
- Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
- Rep. Ben ErdreichD-AL-6
- Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
- Rep. Claude HarrisD-AL-7
- Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
- Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
- Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
- Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
- Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
- Rep. Tommy RobinsonD-AR-2
- Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
- Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
- Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
- Rep. James LeathD-TX-11
- Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4- Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Republicans who voted yea(142)
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
- Rep. Claudine SchneiderR-RI-2
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-22
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4- Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-7
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
- Rep. John MillerR-WA-1
- Rep. Patricia SaikiR-HI-1
- Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
- Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
- Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
- Rep. Arthur RavenelR-SC-1
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
- Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
- Rep. John RowlandR-CT-5
- Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-34
- Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
- Rep. David MartinR-NY-26
- Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
- Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
- Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
- Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
- Rep. George WortleyR-NY-27
- Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-13- Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
- Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
- Rep. Bill SchuetteR-MI-10
- Rep. Dean GalloR-NJ-11
- Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
- Rep. Frederick GrandyR-IA-6
- Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
- Rep. James CourterR-NJ-12
- Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
- Rep. Joseph DioGuardiR-NY-20
- Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
- Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-18
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6- Rep. Helen BentleyR-MD-2
- Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
- Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
- Rep. Guy MolinariR-NY-14
- Rep. Paul HenryR-MI-5
- Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
- Rep. Alex McMillanR-NC-9
- Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
- Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Daniel CoatsR-IN-4- Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
- Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5- Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
- Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-15
- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4- Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
- Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-8- Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
- Rep. Mike DeWineR-OH-7
- Rep. Jack BuechnerR-MO-2
- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
- Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
- Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
- Rep. John WeberR-MN-2
- Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
- Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
- Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-4- Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
- Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
- Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
- Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1- Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
- Rep. Mac SweeneyR-TX-14
- Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
- Rep. James LightfootR-IA-5
- Rep. Lynn MartinR-IL-16
- Rep. Jack DavisR-IL-4
- Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6- Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-20
- Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
- Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
- Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21- Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-12
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5- Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
- Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
- Rep. Andy IrelandR-FL-10
- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
- Rep. Jack KempR-NY-31
- Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
- Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
- Rep. Clyde HollowayR-LA-8
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-21- Rep. Steve BartlettR-TX-3
- Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-43
- Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. Judd GreggR-NH-2- Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Jim BunningR-KY-4- Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
- Rep. Hank BrownR-CO-4
- Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
Rep. Jim InhofeR-OK-1
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2- Rep. Patrick SwindallR-GA-4
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9- Rep. Donald LukensR-OH-8
- Rep. Howard NielsonR-UT-3
- Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
- Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
- Rep. Alfred McCandlessR-CA-37
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-45- Rep. Bob SmithR-NH-1
- Rep. Richard CheneyR-WY
Rep. Jon KylR-AZ-4- Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. David DreierR-CA-33
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6- Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
- Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
- Rep. William DannemeyerR-CA-39
- Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 571 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Veterans' Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- May 20, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-321.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 9, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 2, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Yea-Nay Vote: 326 - 2 (Record Vote No: 86).House roll call 86
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Yea-Nay Vote: 326 - 2 (Record Vote No: 86).House roll call 86
- Apr 25, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Yea-Nay Vote. 48-30. Record Vote No: 109.Senate roll call 109
- Apr 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jul 29, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jul 28, 1987FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Jul 23, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jul 22, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jun 17, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- May 20, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Mar 25, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.