The Secretary shall review the number of awards of compensation made under the program to petitioners under section 300aa–11 of this title for vaccine-related injuries and deaths associated with the administration of vaccines on or after December 22, 1987, as follows:

(1) The Secretary shall review the number of such awards made in the 12-month period beginning on December 22, 1987.

(2) At the end of each 3-month period beginning after the expiration of the 12-month period referred to in paragraph (1) the Secretary shall review the number of such awards made in the 3-month period.

If in conducting a review under subsection (a) the Secretary determines that at the end of the period reviewed the total number of awards made by the end of that period and accepted under section 300aa–21(a) of this title exceeds the number of awards listed next to the period reviewed in the table in paragraph (2)—

If in conducting a review under subsection (a) the Secretary determines that at the end of the period reviewed the total number of awards made by the end of that period and accepted under section 300aa–21(a) of this title exceeds the number of awards listed next to the period reviewed in the table in paragraph (2)—

(A) the Secretary shall notify the Congress of such determination, and

(B) beginning 180 days after the receipt by Congress of a notification under paragraph (1), no petition for a vaccine-related injury or death associated with the administration of a vaccine on or after December 22, 1987, may be filed under section 300aa–11 of this title.

(2) The table referred to in paragraph (1) is as follows:  Period reviewed: Total number of awards by the end of the reviewed 12 months after December 22, 1987 150   13th through the 15th month after December 22, 1987 188   16th through the 18th month after December 22, 1987 225   19th through the 21st month after December 22, 1987 263   22nd through the 24th month after December 22, 1987 300   25th through the 27th month after December 22, 1987 338   28th through the 30th month after December 22, 1987 375   31st through the 33rd month after December 22, 1987 413   34th through the 36th month after December 22, 1987 450   37th through the 39th month after December 22, 1987 488   40th through the 42nd month after December 22, 1987 525   43rd through the 45th month after December 22, 1987 563   46th through the 48th month after December 22, 1987 600.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XXI, § 2134, as added Pub. L. 100–203, title IV, § 4303(f), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–222.)