Prescription Drug Amendments of 1992
Public Law 102-353 · S. 3163 · 102nd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Aug 26, 1992 · Health
Sponsor: Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Orrin Hatch
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateVoice vote
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.
Prescription Drug Amendments of 1992 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require interstate wholesale drug distributors, as an alternative to the current requirement of State licensing, to register with the Secretry of Health and Human Services. Ends the requirement on September 14, 1994.
Modifies requirements regarding penalties for certain prescription drug marketing violations. Removes provisions prohibiting such penalties unless the violation is committed with intent to defraud or mislead.
Changes drug sample distribution requirements.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
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. 9 actions.
- Aug 26, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-353.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 14, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Aug 12, 1992FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Waxman asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- Aug 11, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Aug 10, 1992IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.