Veterans' Radiation Exposure Amendments of 1992
Public Law 102-578 · S. 775 · 102nd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 30, 1992 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Sen. Alan Cranston (D-CA)
Cosponsors (20): Sen. Dennis DeConcini, Sen. Jay Rockefeller,
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.
Veterans' Radiation Exposure Amendments of 1992 - Expands the list of diseases presumed to be service-connected in the case of exposure to ionizing radiation to include cancer of the salivary tract and cancer of the urinary tract. Terminates the current presumptive period (the maximum period allowed before manifestation of the illness or disease occurs in order to be presumed to be service-connected and, therefore, covered as a veterans' benefit) of 40 years after participation in the radiation-related activity (30 years in the case of leukemia).
Amends the Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act to direct the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards (Committee) to: (1) review all available studies and information relating to the exposure of veterans to ionizing radiation during service occurring before January 1, 1970; (2) identify any activity during which significant numbers of veterans received exposure; and (3) based on such review, submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a report containing Committee recommendations on the feasibility and appropriateness of any additional investigation with respect to exposure of veterans to ionizing radiation during such period. Directs the Secretary to assist the Committee's work by supplying all relevant information with respect to such service.
Directs the Secretary, after receipt of the Committee report, to: (1) identify any activities that the Secretary intends to investigate more fully; (2) prepare a plan to carry out such investigation; and (3) provide to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees (veterans' committees) the Committee's originial report, the list of activities scheduled for further investigation, and the Secretary's plan of action.
Directs the Secretary to require the Committee to review pertinent scientific data relating to bronchio-alveolar carcinoma to determine whether such disease should be considered radiogenic. Requires: (1) the Committee to report its findings to the Secretary; and (2) the Secretary, based on such findings, to submit to the veterans' committees a decision on whether to presume such disease to be service-connected if suffered by a radiation-exposed veteran.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Veterans' Affairs Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
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. 16 actions.
- Oct 30, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-578.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 20, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 7, 1992Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed in the House amendments by Voice Vote.
- Sep 30, 1992FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Montgomery asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- Nov 20, 1991FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Aug 3, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jun 26, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jun 12, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Mar 22, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · 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.