Congress · Laws

A bill to make nonmailable any plant, fruit, vegetable, or other matter, the movement of which in interstate commerce has been prohibited or restricted by the Secretary of Agriculture in order to prevent the dissemination of dangerous plant diseases or pests, and for other purposes.

Public Law 100-574 · H.R. 5199 · 100th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 31, 1988 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Anthony Coelho (D-CA-15)

Cosponsors (10): Rep. Charles Pashayan, Rep. Francis McCloskey,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 415 yea, 2 nay415–2
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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

(Measure passed House, amended, roll call #398 (415-2))

Declares as nonmailable matter any plant, fruit, vegetable, root, bulb, seed, or other plant product subject to interstate quarantine under the Plant Quarantine Act. Directs the Postal Service to prescribe rules and regulations permitting the mailing of such plants consistent with procedures relating to the inspection, disinfection, and certification of, and other conditions for, the delivery and shipment of plants otherwise subject to quarantine.

Imposes criminal penalties upon: (1) whoever knowingly mails or causes to be mailed a nonmailable plant; or (2) whoever forges or counterfeits agricultural certifications.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Postal Service and the Department of Agriculture should engage in a joint effort to educate the public to the types of harm which can result from the transmission to different parts of the country of plants, fruits, vegetables, and other matter which may be carrying dangerous plant diseases or pests.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 100th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 417 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

417 yea2 nay12 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(247)

Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Mervyn DymallyD-CA-31
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Charles HayesD-IL-1
Rep. George CrockettD-MI-13
Rep. Gus SavageD-IL-2
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. Major OwensD-NY-12
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-17
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-11
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-16
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Mickey LelandD-TX-18
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-5
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-7
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Kenneth GrayD-IL-22
Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-18
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-17
Rep. Chester AtkinsD-MA-5
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Floyd FlakeD-NY-6
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. Thomas FogliettaD-PA-1
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-9
Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
Rep. Barbara BoxerD-CA-6
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Joseph KennedyD-MA-8
Rep. Meldon LevineD-CA-27
Rep. Bruce MorrisonD-CT-3
Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-30
Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Albert EspyD-MS-2
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
Rep. Kweisi MfumeD-MD-7
Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-8
Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
Rep. Albert BustamanteD-TX-23
Rep. Robert MrazekD-NY-3
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-10
Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-18
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-28
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-18
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Jim MoodyD-WI-5
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. James TraficantD-OH-17
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Bernard DwyerD-NJ-6
Rep. Dennis HertelD-MI-14
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. James JontzD-IN-5
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. David NagleD-IA-3
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-3
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. George HochbruecknerD-NY-1
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
Rep. Edward FeighanD-OH-19
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Joseph BrennanD-ME-1
Rep. Terry BruceD-IL-19
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Charles DowdyD-MS-4
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Charles McMillenD-MD-4
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-8
Rep. Jim BatesD-CA-44
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6
Rep. Joseph KolterD-PA-4
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-14
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-21
Rep. Gerald SikorskiD-MN-6
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
Rep. Douglas BoscoD-CA-1
Rep. Douglas OwensD-UT-2
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-30
Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. Byron DorganD-ND
Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-11
Rep. Robert ClementD-TN-5
Rep. James GrantD-FL-2
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. James ClarkeD-NC-11
Rep. Charles HatcherD-GA-2
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. James BilbrayD-NV-1
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4
Rep. Ben CampbellD-CO-3
Rep. Robert ThomasD-GA-1
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-1
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Tim JohnsonD-SD-1
Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
Rep. James HayesD-LA-7
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
Rep. Martin LancasterD-NC-3
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
Rep. James OlinD-VA-6
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-5
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-11
Rep. Royden DysonD-MD-1
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
Rep. Richard StallingsD-ID-2
Rep. Elizabeth PattersonD-SC-4
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-23
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Robin TallonD-SC-6
Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
Rep. Ben ErdreichD-AL-6
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Claude HarrisD-AL-7
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Tommy RobinsonD-AR-2
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Richard RayD-GA-3
Rep. James LeathD-TX-11
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17

Republicans who voted yea(170)

Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
Rep. Claudine SchneiderR-RI-2
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-29
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-22
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-7
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. John MillerR-WA-1
Rep. Patricia SaikiR-HI-1
Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Arthur RavenelR-SC-1
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Thomas RidgeR-PA-21
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. John RowlandR-CT-5
Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-34
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. David MartinR-NY-26
Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. George WortleyR-NY-27
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-13
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Bill SchuetteR-MI-10
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Charles PashayanR-CA-17
Rep. Dean GalloR-NJ-11
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Frederick GrandyR-IA-6
Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
Rep. James CourterR-NJ-12
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Joseph DioGuardiR-NY-20
Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-18
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Helen BentleyR-MD-2
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
Rep. Guy MolinariR-NY-14
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Paul HenryR-MI-5
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Alex McMillanR-NC-9
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Daniel CoatsR-IN-4
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-15
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-8
Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
Rep. Mike DeWineR-OH-7
Rep. Jack BuechnerR-MO-2
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Daniel SlaughterR-VA-7
Rep. John WeberR-MN-2
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-4
Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1
Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
Rep. John HilerR-IN-3
Rep. James LightfootR-IA-5
Rep. Lynn MartinR-IL-16
Rep. Jack DavisR-IL-4
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-20
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-12
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
Rep. Hal DaubR-NE-2
Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
Rep. Andy IrelandR-FL-10
Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. Clyde HollowayR-LA-8
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-21
Rep. Steve BartlettR-TX-3
Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-43
Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. Judd GreggR-NH-2
Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Jim BunningR-KY-4
Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Hank BrownR-CO-4
Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Jim InhofeR-OK-1
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-38
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-24
Rep. Larry CraigR-ID-1
Rep. Patrick SwindallR-GA-4
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. Donald LukensR-OH-8
Rep. Howard NielsonR-UT-3
Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. Alfred McCandlessR-CA-37
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-42
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-45
Rep. Bob SmithR-NH-1
Rep. Richard CheneyR-WY
Rep. Jon KylR-AZ-4
Rep. Denny SmithR-OR-5
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. David DreierR-CA-33
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Rep. Norman ShumwayR-CA-14
Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. William DannemeyerR-CA-39
Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 873 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Agriculture Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Department Operations, Research, and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee
Judiciary Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Postal Personnel and Modernization Subcommittee
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee · Senate · discharged from, referred to

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.

Oct 31, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-574.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Oct 21, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Oct 12, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Oct 5, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Oct 4, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 415 - 2 (Record Vote No: 398).House roll call 398
Sep 22, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Sep 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Sep 8, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Postal Personnel and Modernization Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Postal Personnel and Modernization Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Aug 25, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Department Operations, Research, and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee
Aug 23, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Postal Personnel and Modernization Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Aug 10, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House

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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.