To provide for a settlement of the railroad labor-management disputes between certain railroads and certain of their employees.
Public Law 102-306 · H.J.Res. 517 · 102nd Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Jun 26, 1992 · Labor and Employment
Sponsor: Rep. Dennis Eckart (D-OH-11)
Cosponsors (7): Rep. John Dingell, Rep. Norman Lent,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 248 yea, 140 nay248–140
- SenateRecorded vote: 87 yea, 6 nay87–6
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.
Provides for settlement of certain unresolved railroad labor-management disputes.
Sets forth conditions which shall apply during the resolution of such disputes. Requires all carriers and all employees affected by such unresolved disputes (referred to in three specified Executive Orders of March 31, 1992) to take all necessary steps to restore or preserve the conditions that existed before June 24, 1992 (when a strike and lockouts caused a railroad stoppage).
Provides for appointment of arbitrators. Requires, within three days after enactment of this joint resolution (enactment date), the carrier parties and the labor union party, respectively, in each such dispute to each appoint one individual from the National Mediation Board's roster of arbitrators. Requires each of these pairs of individuals to select an arbitrator for that dispute, within working six days of the enactment date. Allows one individual arbitrator to be so selected for more than one of these disputes. Prohibits from being selected as an arbitrator any specified interested individual or anyone who has served as a member of any of four specifed Presidential Emergency Boards.
Provides for conduct of negotiations. Requires the parties to such unresolved disputes, during the 20-day period beginning on the enactment date, to conduct negotiations for the purpose of reaching agreement on the disputes. Provides that the selected arbitrators shall be available for consultation with the parties during this initial negotiating period. Requires both the labor union and the carrier (or carriers), if they have not reached agreement within such initial period, to each submit its final offer to the arbitrator and the other party (or parties), within five days after such initial period. Requires the parties, with the assistance of the arbitrator, to engage in final negotiations to attempt to reach agreement, upon submission of such final offers and during the seven days thereafter. Requires the arbitrator, if the parties fail to reach agreement during such final negotiating period, to render a decision, within the three days following the end of such period, by selecting one of the proposed written contracts submitted under the final offers, without modification. Requires such decision and selected contract to be immediately submitted to the President. Requires the President to approve or disapprove such decision and selected contract within three days of receipt (thus providing a 38-day period after the enactment date for the entire process).
Makes the selected contract, if the President approves it, binding on parties with the same effect as though arrived at by agreement of the parties under the Railway Labor Act. Provides, if the President disapproves such decision and selected contract, that the parties shall have those rights under the Railway Labor Act that they had at 12:01 A.M. on June 24, 1992 (including rights to self-help such as strikes by labor and lockouts by management).
Sets forth special rules with respect to tentative agreements. Allows, upon agreement of the parties, final offers to be submitted at any time after enactment of this joint resolution.
Precludes judicial review of any decision of an arbitrator under this joint resolution.
Declares that nothing in this joint resolution shall prevent a mutual written agreement to any different terms and conditions.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 102nd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 248 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
248 yea140 nay46 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(112)
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-11- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-17
- Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
- Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7- Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5- Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-9
- Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-28
- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-33
- Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
- Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3- Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
- Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
- Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-11
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4- Rep. Harry JohnstonD-FL-14
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27- Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6- Rep. Joan HornD-MO-2
- Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8- Rep. Peter HoaglandD-NE-2
- Rep. Terry BruceD-IL-19
- Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
- Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
- Rep. Pete PetersonD-FL-2
- Rep. George SangmeisterD-IL-4
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5- Rep. James BacchusD-FL-11
- Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11- Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-21- Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
- Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-17
- Rep. James BilbrayD-NV-1
- Rep. Robert ClementD-TN-5
- Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-18
- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
- Rep. Charles McMillenD-MD-4
- Rep. Glenn PoshardD-IL-22
- Rep. John BrowderD-AL-3
- Rep. William BrewsterD-OK-3
- Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-5
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
- Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5- Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4- Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
- Rep. Richard SwettD-NH-2
- Rep. Martin LancasterD-NC-3
- Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE- Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
- Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8- Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
- Rep. Claude HarrisD-AL-7
- Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
- Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
- Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. William SarpaliusD-TX-13
- Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
- Rep. Elizabeth PattersonD-SC-4
- Rep. Ben ErdreichD-AL-6
- Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
- Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
- Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
- Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
- Rep. James HayesD-LA-7
- Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
- Rep. Pete GerenD-TX-12
- Rep. William OrtonD-UT-3
- Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
- Rep. Mike ParkerD-MS-4
- Rep. Richard RayD-GA-3
- Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
- Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-5- Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Republicans who voted yea(136)
- Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
- Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
- Rep. Ronald MachtleyR-RI-1
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-7
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4- Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
- Rep. Arthur RavenelR-SC-1
- Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-34
- Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. Dean GalloR-NJ-11
- Rep. Scott KlugR-WI-2
- Rep. Thomas RidgeR-PA-21
- Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
- Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
- Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
- Rep. Susan MolinariR-NY-14
- Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
- Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1- Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
- Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18- Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
- Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
- Rep. Helen BentleyR-MD-2
- Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-13- Rep. John MillerR-WA-1
- Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
- Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-8- Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-4- Rep. Paul HenryR-MI-5
- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3- Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
- Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
- Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7- Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10- Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
- Rep. Frank RiggsR-CA-1
- Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
- Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-35- Rep. Frederick GrandyR-IA-6
- Rep. Alex McMillanR-NC-9
- Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
- Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
- Rep. Gary FranksR-CT-5
- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-10- Rep. Richard ZimmerR-NJ-12
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
- Rep. Thomas EwingR-IL-15
- Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
- Rep. Craig JamesR-FL-4
- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
- Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
- Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21- Rep. William PaxonR-NY-31
- Rep. James LightfootR-IA-5
- Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
- Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
- Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
- Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
- Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
- Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
- Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
- Rep. Richard NicholsR-KS-5
- Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-12
- Rep. Alfred McCandlessR-CA-37
- Rep. Bill BarrettR-NE-3
- Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-21- Rep. Porter GossR-FL-13
- Rep. Andy IrelandR-FL-10
- Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
- Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-44
- Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
- Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
- Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-2
- Rep. William ZeliffR-NH-1
- Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
- Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
- Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
- Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
- Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
- Rep. George AllenR-VA-7
- Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
- Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1- Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-40
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6- Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-43
Rep. Jim InhofeR-OK-1- Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8- Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Jon KylR-AZ-4
Rep. David DreierR-CA-33
Rep. Jim BunningR-KY-4
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-45
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3- Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-38
- Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
- Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-14
Rep. Wayne AllardR-CO-4- Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9- Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6- Rep. William DannemeyerR-CA-39
- Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
- Rep. Mel HancockR-MO-7
- 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 654 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.
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. 11 actions.
- Jun 26, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-306.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jun 25, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Yea-Nay Vote. 87-6. Record Vote No: 131.Senate roll call 131
- FloorFloor · Motion to table SP 2452 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 76-18. Record Vote No: 130.Senate roll call 130
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 248 - 140 (Roll no. 236).House roll call 236
- FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 503 passed House.
- 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.






























