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H.R. 6391: National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2008

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H.R. 6391: National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-06-26 · Health · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-06-26 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Burton, Dan [R-IN-5] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2008

Plain summary

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise provisions of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Specifies how loss of earning is to be calculated for vaccine-related injuries to individuals under the age of 18. Increases the award for vaccine-related deaths. Allows compensation under the Program for expenses for family counseling and for establishing and maintaining a guardianship, conservatorship, or trust for an individual with a vaccine-related injury. Allows a special master to make an interim award of attorneys' fees and costs under certain circumstances. Allows such award to be payable directly to the petitioner's attorney. Extends the statute of limitation for vaccine-related injury or death to six years after the date of injury or onset of symptoms. Specifies who is to be a member of the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines. Provides that the Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair (currently, the Commission must meet not less than four times a year). Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the amount of expenses for administering the Program that are allowed to be paid from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund. Allows the payment from the Trust Fund of administrative and personnel expenses that the Bureau of Public Debt incurs for financial services for the Trust Fund. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to include a public service announcement in efforts to inform the public about the Program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Burton, Dan [R-IN-5] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr6391 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110