Congress · Laws

To provide assistance for free and fair elections in Nicaragua.

Public Law 101-119 · H.R. 3385 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 21, 1989 · International Affairs

Sponsor: Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI-7)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 263 yea, 156 nay263–156
SenateRecorded vote: 64 yea, 35 nay64–35

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.

Authorizes the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID) to use specified amounts of unexpended funds for assistance for the promotion of democracy and national reconciliation in Nicaragua. Restricts the use of such funds to assistance to internal groups, including political organizations, independent elements of the media, labor unions, business groups, support for the election process and monitoring, and support intended to ensure the conduct of free, fair, and open elections consistent with the charter of the National Endowment for Democracy. Earmarks funds for the Council of Freely-Elected Heads of Government, the Center for Democracy, and the Center for Training and Election Promotion.

Requires AID to report to the appropriate congressional committees prior to the obligation of funds under this Act.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the National Opposition Union's representative on the Supreme Electoral Council will seek to ensure that any funds going to the Council are used solely for technical electoral purposes, such as ballot boxes and ballot printing.

Makes funds under this Act available until February 28, 1990.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 101st Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 264 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

264 yea156 nay12 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(100)

Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Albert EspyD-MS-2
Rep. Albert BustamanteD-TX-23
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Jim MoodyD-WI-5
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
Rep. Bernard DwyerD-NJ-6
Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-1
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-23
Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
Rep. Joseph KolterD-PA-4
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Charles McMillenD-MD-4
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-5
Rep. Charles HatcherD-GA-2
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE
Rep. James BilbrayD-NV-1
Rep. Ben JonesD-GA-4
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-11
Rep. James ClarkeD-NC-11
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-3
Rep. Royden DysonD-MD-1
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Martin LancasterD-NC-3
Rep. Pete GerenD-TX-12
Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
Rep. John BrowderD-AL-3
Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
Rep. Claude HarrisD-AL-7
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4
Rep. James HayesD-LA-7
Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
Rep. Robert ThomasD-GA-1
Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
Rep. Ben CampbellD-CO-3
Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Ben ErdreichD-AL-6
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. Gregory LaughlinD-TX-14
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Robin TallonD-SC-6
Rep. Elizabeth PattersonD-SC-4
Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
Rep. William SarpaliusD-TX-13
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. Richard RayD-GA-3
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Mike ParkerD-MS-4
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA
Sen. Daniel MoynihanD-NY
Sen. Frank LautenbergD-NJ
Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
Sen. George MitchellD-ME
Sen. Albert GoreD-TN
Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI
Sen. James SanfordD-NC
Sen. Joseph LiebermanD-CT
Sen. Wyche FowlerD-GA
Sen. Richard BryanD-NV
Sen. Harry ReidD-NV
Sen. Dennis DeConciniD-AZ
Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
Sen. John BreauxD-LA
Sen. James ExonD-NE
Sen. Bob GrahamD-FL
Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
Sen. Charles RobbD-VA
Sen. David BorenD-OK
Sen. Richard ShelbyD-AL
Sen. Howell HeflinD-AL

Republicans who voted yea(164)

Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-29
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-22
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Patricia SaikiR-HI-1
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-7
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
Rep. Peter SmithR-VT
Rep. John RowlandR-CT-5
Rep. Ronald MachtleyR-RI-1
Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-27
Rep. Arthur RavenelR-SC-1
Rep. Dean GalloR-NJ-11
Rep. John MillerR-WA-1
Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-34
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-13
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. Steven SchiffR-NM-1
Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Thomas RidgeR-PA-21
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. James GrantD-FL-2
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
Rep. Charles PashayanR-CA-17
Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
Rep. David MartinR-NY-26
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Tommy RobinsonD-AR-2
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-18
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Paul HenryR-MI-5
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Bill SchuetteR-MI-10
Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Alex McMillanR-NC-9
Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
Rep. Guy MolinariR-NY-14
Rep. Jack BuechnerR-MO-2
Rep. Lynn MartinR-IL-16
Rep. Craig JamesR-FL-4
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-15
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Frederick GrandyR-IA-6
Rep. Helen BentleyR-MD-2
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-8
Rep. Mike DeWineR-OH-7
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. John WeberR-MN-2
Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-35
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-20
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-4
Rep. John HilerR-IN-3
Rep. Porter GossR-FL-13
Rep. Craig ThomasR-WY
Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Andy IrelandR-FL-10
Rep. Daniel SlaughterR-VA-7
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. William PaxonR-NY-31
Rep. Steve BartlettR-TX-3
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-21
Rep. Hank BrownR-CO-4
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-24
Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-12
Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. David DreierR-CA-33
Rep. Donald LukensR-OH-8
Rep. Jim InhofeR-OK-1
Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-43
Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. James LightfootR-IA-5
Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Alfred McCandlessR-CA-37
Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-40
Rep. Howard NielsonR-UT-3
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-42
Rep. Larry CraigR-ID-1
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Clyde HollowayR-LA-8
Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-45
Rep. Denny SmithR-OR-5
Rep. Charles DouglasR-NH-2
Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Jim BunningR-KY-4
Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-38
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
Rep. Bob SmithR-NH-1
Rep. Jon KylR-AZ-4
Rep. Norman ShumwayR-CA-14
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
Rep. William DannemeyerR-CA-39
Rep. Mel HancockR-MO-7
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Sen. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Sen. William CohenR-ME
Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
Sen. Henry HeinzR-PA
Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA
Sen. David DurenbergerR-MN
Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
Sen. Alfonse D’AmatoR-NY
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM
Sen. John WarnerR-VA
Sen. John DanforthR-MO
Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
Sen. Robert KastenR-WI
Sen. Slade GortonR-WA
Sen. Thad CochranR-MS
Sen. John McCainR-AZ
Sen. Rudy BoschwitzR-MN
Sen. Frank MurkowskiR-AK
Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT
Sen. William RothR-DE
Sen. Richard LugarR-IN
Sen. Kit BondR-MO
Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY
Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA
Sen. Conrad BurnsR-MT
Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
Sen. Daniel CoatsR-IN
Sen. Trent LottR-MS
Sen. Phil GrammR-TX
Sen. Connie MackR-FL
Sen. Don NicklesR-OK
Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
Sen. James McClureR-ID
Sen. Gordon HumphreyR-NH
Sen. William ArmstrongR-CO
Sen. Steven SymmsR-ID
Sen. Malcolm WallopR-WY

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 260 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.

Appropriations Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Foreign Affairs Committee · House · referred to
Appropriations Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported by

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. 22 actions.

Oct 21, 1989Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-119.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Oct 20, 1989PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Oct 17, 1989FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 64-35. Record Vote No: 250.Senate roll call 250
FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1001 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 32-66. Record Vote No: 249.Senate roll call 249
FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1010 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 33-64. Record Vote No: 248.Senate roll call 248
FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1005 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 25-74. Record Vote No: 247.Senate roll call 247
FloorFloor · Motion to table SP 1027 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 59-40. Record Vote No: 246.Senate roll call 246
FloorFloor · Second cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 74-25. Record Vote No: 245.Senate roll call 245
Oct 13, 1989FloorFloor · Cloture not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52-42. Record Vote No: 244.Senate roll call 244
Oct 12, 1989FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Appropriations Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Appropriations Committee
Oct 6, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
Oct 4, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
FloorFloor · On passage Passed by recorded vote: 263 - 156 (Roll No. 270).House roll call 270
FloorFloor · The previous question was ordered without objection.
FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 256 passed House.
Oct 3, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Appropriations Committee
Oct 2, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Appropriations Committee
CommitteeCommittee · 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.

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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.