Voting Rights Language Assistance Act of 1992
Public Law 102-344 · H.R. 4312 · 102nd Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Aug 26, 1992 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. José Serrano (D-NY-18)
Cosponsors (68): Rep. Solomon Ortiz, Rep. Matthew Martínez,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 237 yea, 125 nay237–125
- SenateRecorded vote: 75 yea, 20 nay75–20
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.
Voting Rights Language Assistance Act of 1992 - Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to extend the termination date on the prohibition of covered States and political subdivisions providing voting materials only in English. Modifies criteria for determining whether a State or subdivision is covered.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 102nd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 237 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
237 yea125 nay72 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(192)
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
- Rep. Craig WashingtonD-TX-18
- Rep. Gus SavageD-IL-2
- Rep. Charles HayesD-IL-1
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. Major OwensD-NY-12
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-29- Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-17
- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-16
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-11- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1- Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-18- Rep. Lucien BlackwellD-PA-2
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
- Rep. Thomas FogliettaD-PA-1
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-5- Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-8
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
- Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7- Rep. Michael KopetskiD-OR-5
- Rep. William FordD-MI-15
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-17
- Rep. Floyd FlakeD-NY-6
- Rep. Jolene UnsoeldD-WA-3
- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
- Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
- Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
- Rep. Dennis HertelD-MI-14
- Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Bernie SandersD-VT
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9- Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7- Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-7
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
Rep. Kweisi MfumeD-MD-7- Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4- Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
- Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-20- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
- Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-9
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2- Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
- Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
- Rep. Albert BustamanteD-TX-23
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. Joseph KennedyD-MA-8
- Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
- Rep. David NagleD-IA-3
- Rep. Albert EspyD-MS-2
- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
- Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-28
- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
- Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-19
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17- Rep. Thomas AndrewsD-ME-1
- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-33
- Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-3
- Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
- Rep. George HochbruecknerD-NY-1
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-10
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-30- Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
- Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
- Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-2
- Rep. James JontzD-IN-5
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3- Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1- Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Jack ReedD-RI-2- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
- Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1- Rep. John CoxD-IL-16
- Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-11
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4- Rep. Harry JohnstonD-FL-14
- Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
- Rep. Gerald SikorskiD-MN-6
- Rep. Jim MoodyD-WI-5
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4- Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
- Rep. Joan HornD-MO-2
- Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
- Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6- Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8- Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
- Rep. Peter HoaglandD-NE-2
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. Ben JonesD-GA-4
- Rep. Terry BruceD-IL-19
- Rep. Jill Long ThompsonD-IN-4
- Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
- Rep. George SangmeisterD-IL-4
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Larry LaRoccoD-ID-1
- Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7- Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
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. Richard LehmanD-CA-18
- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
- Rep. Charles McMillenD-MD-4
- Rep. James OlinD-VA-6
- Rep. Glenn PoshardD-IL-22
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-3- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Byron DorganD-ND- Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4- Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
- Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
- Rep. Richard SwettD-NH-2
- Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE- Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8- Rep. Richard StallingsD-ID-2
- Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
- Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
- Rep. Charles LukenD-OH-1
- Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
- Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
- Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
- Rep. William SarpaliusD-TX-13
- Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
- Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
- Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
- Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
- Rep. Gary ConditD-CA-15
- Rep. Pete GerenD-TX-12
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Republicans who voted yea(45)
- Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
- Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-22
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
- Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-29
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
- Rep. Ronald MachtleyR-RI-1
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-7
- Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-34
- Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
- Rep. Steven SchiffR-NM-1
- Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
- Rep. Susan MolinariR-NY-14
- Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18- Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
- Rep. John MillerR-WA-1
- Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-8- Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-4- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
- Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
- Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10- Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
- Rep. Frederick GrandyR-IA-6
- Rep. Tom CampbellR-CA-12
- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-10- Rep. John WeberR-MN-2
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-21- Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
- Rep. Bob McEwenR-OH-6
Rep. Jon KylR-AZ-4- Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 735 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.
Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Civil and Constitutional Rights 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. 23 actions.
- Aug 26, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-344.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 17, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Aug 7, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 2236 without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 75-20. Record Vote No: 180.Senate roll call 180
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 2915 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 35-60. Record Vote No: 179.Senate roll call 179
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 2911 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 32-63. Record Vote No: 178.Senate roll call 178
- Aug 6, 1992FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Aug 5, 1992FloorFloor · Cloture motion on the motion to proceed withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jul 24, 1992FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 237 - 125 (Roll No. 319).House roll call 319
- FloorFloor · On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 172 - 195 (Roll no. 318).House roll call 318
- FloorFloor · The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
- FloorFloor · The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
- Jul 23, 1992FloorFloor · Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4312 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Points of order against consideration of the bill for failure to compl…
- FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 522 passed House.
- Jul 22, 1992FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 522 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4312 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Points of or…
- Jul 8, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Jun 4, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- May 7, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Civil and Constitutional Rights Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Civil and Constitutional Rights Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 2, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Civil and Constitutional Rights Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Feb 25, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary 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.