A joint resolution to support a ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq war and a negotiated solution to the conflict.
Public Law 100-96 · H.J.Res. 216 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 18, 1987 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Stephen Solarz (D-NY-13)
Cosponsors (8): Rep. Robert Torricelli, Rep. Benjamin Gilman,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateRecorded vote: 96 yea, 0 nay96–0
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.
Declares that the Congress finds the continuation of the Iran-Iraq war: (1) would produce unacceptable levels of death and destruction; and (2) could result in an Iranian breakthrough which could threaten the stability of the entire region and would not be in the U.S. interest.
Declares U.S. policy to support: (1) a cease fire and a negotiated solution to the Iran-Iraq conflict, including a withdrawal to the internationally recognized border; and (2) the establishment of an international tribunal to investigate the origins of the conflict.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that if Iran or Iraq rejects peace negotiations and an internationally sanctioned cease fire, including withdrawal to the internationally recognized border, the United States should support internationally approved measures against that country, and maintain existing trade limitations.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 100th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 96 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
96 yea0 nay4 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(52)
- Sen. William ProxmireD-WI
Sen. Kent ConradD-ND
Sen. Tom HarkinD-IA
Sen. Barbara MikulskiD-MD
Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA- Sen. Alan CranstonD-CA
- Sen. Paul SimonD-IL
- Sen. Howard MetzenbaumD-OH
- Sen. Spark MatsunagaD-HI
Sen. Carl LevinD-MI- Sen. Brock AdamsD-WA
- Sen. Paul SarbanesD-MD
- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT- Sen. James SasserD-TN
Sen. John KerryD-MA- Sen. Donald RiegleD-MI
- Sen. George MitchellD-ME
- Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
- Sen. James SanfordD-NC
Sen. Frank LautenbergD-NJ
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI- Sen. John MelcherD-MT
Sen. Jay RockefellerD-WV- Sen. Tom DaschleD-SD
Sen. Max BaucusD-MT- Sen. David PryorD-AR
Sen. Christopher DoddD-CT- Sen. Daniel MoynihanD-NY
Sen. Robert ByrdD-WV- Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
- Sen. John GlennD-OH
- Sen. Timothy WirthD-CO
- Sen. Wyche FowlerD-GA
- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
Sen. Harry ReidD-NV- Sen. Bill BradleyD-NJ
- Sen. John BreauxD-LA
- Sen. James ExonD-NE
- Sen. Lawton ChilesD-FL
Sen. Jeff BingamanD-NM- Sen. Bob GrahamD-FL
- Sen. John StennisD-MS
- Sen. Alan DixonD-IL
- Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
- Sen. Dennis DeConciniD-AZ
- Sen. David BorenD-OK
Sen. Richard ShelbyD-AL- Sen. Howell HeflinD-AL
Republicans who voted yea(44)
- Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
- Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
- Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
- Sen. Henry HeinzR-PA
- Sen. William CohenR-ME
Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. John DanforthR-MO
- Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
- Sen. William RothR-DE
- Sen. Alfonse D’AmatoR-NY
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Daniel EvansR-WA
Sen. John WarnerR-VA
Sen. Thad CochranR-MS- Sen. Rudy BoschwitzR-MN
Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA- Sen. Warren RudmanR-NH
- Sen. Larry PresslerR-SD
Sen. Richard LugarR-IN- Sen. Paul TribleR-VA
- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
- Sen. Robert KastenR-WI
Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY
Sen. Kit BondR-MO- Sen. David KarnesR-NE
- Sen. Pete WilsonR-CA
- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
- Sen. Frank MurkowskiR-AK
Sen. John McCainR-AZ
Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT- Sen. Dan QuayleR-IN
- Sen. Jacob HechtR-NV
- Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
- Sen. Don NicklesR-OK
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. William ArmstrongR-CO
- Sen. Gordon HumphreyR-NH
- Sen. Phil GrammR-TX
- Sen. Malcolm WallopR-WY
- Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
- Sen. Steven SymmsR-ID
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 231 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.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred toSubcommittee: Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee
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. 12 actions.
- Aug 18, 1987Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-96.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 10, 1987PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Aug 7, 1987FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Yea-Nay Vote. 96-0. Record Vote No: 231.Senate roll call 231
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Jul 13, 1987FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Jun 9, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Apr 21, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Apr 6, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Mar 30, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.