Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act

Summary

Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act - Creates, upon the appropriate findings by the Administrator of Veterans Affairs, a presumption of service-connected disability for compensation purposes for any veteran who was exposed to radiation or toxic chemicals while actively serving in the armed forces under specified conditions and who is now suffering from a disability or disorder symptomatic of such exposure. Maintains such presumption even in the absence of records. Directs the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to establish guidelines and criteria for resolving claims for benefits resulting from a service-connected death or disability based on a veteran's exposure during service on active duty to: (1) herbicides containing dioxin in Vietnam during the Vietnam era; or (2) ionizing radiation from the detonation of a nuclear device, either in connection with testing or the American occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan, prior to July 1, 1946. Sets forth procedures for the development of such regulations, including: (1) opportunities for public hearings and comment; and (2) amendment of such regulations upon the annual reporting of the results of the epidemiological study on the effects of exposure to agent orange required by the Veterans' Health Programs Extension and Improvement Act of 1979.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 20 July 1983

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 20 July 1983

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 25 July 1983

   Committee

   Committee on Veterans requested executive comment from VA, OMB.

   Source: Committee

4. 18 November 1983

   Calendars

   Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 636.

   Source: Calendars

5. 18 November 1983

   Discharge

   Senate Committee on Veterans discharged by Unanimous Consent.

   Source: Discharge

6. 18 November 1983

   Committee

   Senate Committee on Veterans discharged by Unanimous Consent.

   Source: Committee

7. 10 April 1984

   Committee

   Committee on Veterans received executive comment from VA.

   Source: Committee

8. 22 May 1984

   Floor

   Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

   Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 20 July 1983

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Cranston, Alan [D-CA] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Mitchell, George J. [D-ME] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Tsongas, Paul E. [D-MA] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Pressler, Larry [R-SD] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Byrd, Robert C. [D-WV] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Bradley, Bill [D-NJ] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Melcher, John [D-MT] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Huddleston, Walter (Dee) [D-KY] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Burdick, Quentin N. [D-ND] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Hawkins, Paula [R-FL] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Sasser, Jim [D-TN] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Randolph, Jennings [D-WV] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Riegle, Donald W., Jr. [D-MI] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Matsunaga, Spark M. [D-HI] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Ford, Wendell H. [D-KY] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] · D · Cosponsor
• · ssva00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act
• amends ← To blend the provisions of S.Res. 372 with those of S. 1651, as introduced.
• amends ← To prohibit a claimant from being required to submit evidence of the veterans' exposure to Agent Orange or radiation if the service records are not inconsistent with the claim that the veteran was present where and when the claimed exposure occurred.
• amends ← To require the Administrator to give certain consideration to the connection between malignancy and exposure to radiation.
• amends ← To specify the membership qualifications, structure, and functions of the Advisory council on Environmental Hazards and of the Scientific Council thereof.