A joint resolution regarding United States policy toward Haiti.
Public Law 103-423 · S.J.Res. 229 · 103rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 25, 1994 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. George Mitchell (D-ME)
Cosponsors (7): Sen. Robert Dole, Sen. Samuel Nunn,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateRecorded vote: 91 yea, 8 nay91–8
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.
Commends the men and women of the U.S. armed forces in Haiti. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the President should have sought congressional approval before deploying such forces; (2) the departure from power of the de facto authorities in Haiti and Haitian efforts to achieve national reconciliation, democracy, and the rule of law are in the best interests of the Haitian people; and (3) the President's lifting of the unilateral economic sanctions on Haiti and his efforts to bring about the lifting of economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations are appropriate. Supports a prompt and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. armed forces from Haiti as soon as possible.
Requires the President to submit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives: (1) a statement of the national security objectives to be achieved by Operation Uphold Democracy and a detailed description of U.S. policy, the military mission and general rules of engagement under which operations of U.S. armed forces are conducted in and around Haiti, including the role of such forces regarding Haitian on Haitian violence, and efforts to disarm Haitian military or police forces or civilians; and (2) changes or modifications to such objectives, policy, mission, or rules of engagement.
Directs the President to report to the Congress on the situation in Haiti by November 1, 1994, including a listing of units of the U.S. armed forces participating in, and the estimated duration and costs of, Operation Uphold Democracy.
Requires the Secretary of State to report to the Congress on: (1) the participation or involvement of any member of the Haitian Government in violations of internationally recognized human rights from December 15, 1990, to December 15, 1994; and (2) all agreements the United States has entered into with other nations, including any assistance pledged or provided, in connection with U.S. efforts in Haiti.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 103rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 91 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
91 yea8 nay1 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(51)
- Sen. Paul WellstoneD-MN
- Sen. Howard MetzenbaumD-OH
- Sen. Paul SimonD-IL
- Sen. Paul SarbanesD-MD
- Sen. George MitchellD-ME
- Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
- Sen. Donald RiegleD-MI
Sen. Patty MurrayD-WA
Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT- Sen. Daniel MoynihanD-NY
Sen. Tom HarkinD-IA- Sen. David PryorD-AR
- Sen. Carol Moseley BraunD-IL
Sen. Daniel AkakaD-HI- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA
Sen. Carl LevinD-MI
Sen. Jay RockefellerD-WV- Sen. Tom DaschleD-SD
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI- Sen. James SasserD-TN
Sen. Kent ConradD-ND- Sen. Harlan MathewsD-TN
Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE
Sen. Barbara MikulskiD-MD
Sen. John KerryD-MA
Sen. Christopher DoddD-CT- Sen. Harris WoffordD-PA
- Sen. John GlennD-OH
Sen. Dianne FeinsteinD-CA- Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
Sen. Byron DorganD-ND
Sen. Harry ReidD-NV
Sen. Frank LautenbergD-NJ- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. Richard BryanD-NV
- Sen. Bob GrahamD-FL
- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
- Sen. John BreauxD-LA
- Sen. Dennis DeConciniD-AZ
- Sen. Charles RobbD-VA
Sen. Jeff BingamanD-NM
Sen. Herb KohlD-WI- Sen. David BorenD-OK
Sen. Joseph LiebermanD-CT- Sen. Ben CampbellD-CO
- Sen. Robert KerreyD-NE
- Sen. James ExonD-NE
- Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
- Sen. Howell HeflinD-AL
Sen. Richard ShelbyD-AL
Republicans who voted yea(40)
- Sen. Jim JeffordsR-VT
- Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
- Sen. David DurenbergerR-MN
Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA- Sen. William CohenR-ME
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
- Sen. John DanforthR-MO
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM
Sen. John WarnerR-VA
Sen. Kit BondR-MO- Sen. Slade GortonR-WA
- Sen. Alfonse D’AmatoR-NY
Sen. Richard LugarR-IN
Sen. Thad CochranR-MS- Sen. Conrad BurnsR-MT
- Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
- Sen. William RothR-DE
Sen. Kay HutchisonR-TX
Sen. Robert BennettR-UT
Sen. Daniel CoatsR-IN
Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
- Sen. Frank MurkowskiR-AK
Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT- Sen. Connie MackR-FL
- Sen. Paul CoverdellR-GA
Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
Sen. John McCainR-AZ
Sen. Judd GreggR-NH
Sen. Trent LottR-MS- Sen. Phil GrammR-TX
- Sen. Dirk KempthorneR-ID
Sen. Larry CraigR-ID- Sen. Don NicklesR-OK
- Sen. Hank BrownR-CO
- Sen. Bob SmithR-NH
- Sen. Lauch FairclothR-NC
- Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 718 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 record shows no committee referral for this bill.
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. 10 actions.
- Oct 25, 1994Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 103-423.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 17, 1994PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 7, 1994FloorFloor · A similar measure H.J. Res. 416 was laid on the table without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Hamilton asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- Oct 6, 1994FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 91-8. Record Vote No: 323.Senate roll call 323
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.