Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993
Public Law 103-94 · H.R. 20 · 103rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 6, 1993 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Bill Clay (D-MO-1)
Cosponsors (260): Rep. John Myers, Rep. Thomas Ridge,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 339 yea, 85 nay339–85
- SenateRecorded vote: 68 yea, 31 nay68–31
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.
Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993 - (Sec. 2) Amends Federal civil service law to declare that a Federal or District of Columbia government employee may take an active part in political management or in political campaigns, except that he or she may not: (1) use official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election; (2) knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political contribution from any person, unless such person is a member of the same Federal labor organization or a Federal employee organization with a multicandidate political committee (PAC), such person is not a subordinate employee, and the solicitation is for a contribution to the organization's PAC; (3) run for nomination or election to a partisan political office; or (4) knowingly solicit or discourage the participation in any political activity of any person who has an application for any compensation, grant, contract, ruling, license, permit, or certificate pending before his or her employing office, or who is the subject of, or a participant in, an ongoing audit, investigation, or enforcement action carried out by such employing office.
Sets forth special prohibitions for employees of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and other specified Federal entities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Merit Systems Protection Board, who are not presidential appointees.
States that Federal and District of Columbia government employees retain the right to vote as they choose and to express their political opinions.
Prohibits any employee (except certain political appointees in specified circumstances) from engaging in political activity: (1) while on duty; (2) in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by a Federal employee or official; (3) while wearing a uniform or official insignia identifying his or her office or position; or (4) while using any vehicle owned or leased by the Government.
Authorizes the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to prescribe regulations permitting employees residing in the immediate vicinity of the District of Columbia in Maryland or Virginia, or in a municipality where the majority of voters are Federal employees, to participate in political management and political campaigns involving their area of residence, if OPM determines that such political participation is in their domestic interest.
Sets forth penalties for violations of political activity prohibitions.
(Sec. 4) Amends the Federal criminal code to make it unlawful for any person to coerce or attempt to coerce any Federal employee to engage or not engage in any political activity.
(Sec. 5) Subjects certain provisions under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 concerning Federal voting examiners to the amendments made by this Act.
(Sec. 6) Repeals provisions under the Community Services Block Grant Act relating to the coverage of employees of nonprofit private organizations under such provisions governing political activity of certain State and local employees.
(Sec. 7) Includes U.S. Postal Service, Postal Rate Commission, and District of Columbia employees within the coverage of the amendments made above by this Act.
(Sec. 8) Establishes procedures for consideration of any recommendations of Senators and Representatives for positions in the competitive service that do not violate specified prohibitions.
(Sec. 9) Amends Federal civil service law to provide for garnishment of the pay of Federal employees and members of the uniformed services in specified circumstances.
(Sec. 10) Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) Federal employees should not be authorized to solicit political contributions from the general public or run for the nomination or as a candidate for a local partisan political office, except as provided under current law; (2) no further U.S. foreign assistance to Nicaragua should be obligated pending an appropriate investigation by an international body; and (3) such investigation should focus on the relationship of the Sandinista National Liberation Front to terrorist acts that threaten U.S. security and political stability and economic prosperity in the Western Hemisphere.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 103rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 339 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
339 yea85 nay9 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(249)
- Rep. Craig WashingtonD-TX-18
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-9
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35- Rep. Barbara-Rose CollinsD-MI-15
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-8
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-11
- Rep. Michael KopetskiD-OR-5
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-16
- Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12- Rep. Earl HilliardD-AL-7
- Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1- Rep. Cynthia McKinneyD-GA-11
Rep. Xavier BecerraD-CA-30- Rep. Carrie MeekD-FL-17
- Rep. Jolene UnsoeldD-WA-3
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7- Rep. Daniel HamburgD-CA-1
- Rep. David BoniorD-MI-10
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-33- Rep. Thomas FogliettaD-PA-1
- Rep. Lucien BlackwellD-PA-2
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1- Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
- Rep. William FordD-MI-13
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3- Rep. Floyd FlakeD-NY-6
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. Bernie SandersD-VT
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-29- Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-50- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-15
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. Cleo FieldsD-LA-4- Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-32
- Rep. Eva ClaytonD-NC-1
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-42
- Rep. Mel ReynoldsD-IL-2
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26- Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-26
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17- Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Corrine BrownD-FL-3- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Kweisi MfumeD-MD-7
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4- Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
- Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-3
- Rep. Walter TuckerD-CA-37
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
- Rep. Elizabeth FurseD-OR-1
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14- Rep. Joseph KennedyD-MA-8
- Rep. Thomas AndrewsD-ME-1
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5- Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-5
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18- Rep. Harry JohnstonD-FL-19
- Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1- Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Jack ReedD-RI-2
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-9- Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
- Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-7
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14- Rep. George HochbruecknerD-NY-1
- Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-11
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-9- Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-31
- Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
- Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
- Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29- Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-2
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6- Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-2
- Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4- Rep. Ted StricklandD-OH-6
- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-29
- Rep. Thomas BarlowD-KY-1
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4- Rep. Karan EnglishD-AZ-6
- Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
- Rep. Mike KreidlerD-WA-9
- Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
- Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
- Rep. Thomas BarrettD-WI-5
- Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
- Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
- Rep. Herbert KleinD-NJ-8
- Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
- Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-8
- Rep. Peter DeutschD-FL-20
- Rep. Frank TejedaD-TX-28
- Rep. Pete PetersonD-FL-2
- Rep. Ron KlinkD-PA-4
- Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3- Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1- Rep. Leslie ByrneD-VA-11
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Lynn SchenkD-CA-49
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
- Rep. James BacchusD-FL-15
- Rep. Larry LaRoccoD-ID-1
- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Maria CantwellD-WA-1
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6- Rep. George SangmeisterD-IL-11
- Rep. Karen ShepherdD-UT-2
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Jane HarmanD-CA-36- Rep. Samuel CoppersmithD-AZ-1
- Rep. Jill Long ThompsonD-IN-4
- Rep. Karen ThurmanD-FL-5
- Rep. Marjorie Margolies-MezvinskyD-PA-13
- Rep. Pat DannerD-MO-6
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND- Rep. David MannD-OH-1
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6
Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-4- Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Tim JohnsonD-SD- Rep. Paul McHaleD-PA-15
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Peter HoaglandD-NE-2
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5- Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
- Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
- Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
- Rep. Eric FingerhutD-OH-19
- Rep. James BilbrayD-NV-1
- Rep. Robert ClementD-TN-5
- Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
- Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
- Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-19
- Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
Rep. Blanche LincolnD-AR-1- Rep. John BrowderD-AL-3
- Rep. Peter BarcaD-WI-1
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-6- Rep. Don JohnsonD-GA-10
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12- Rep. Gregory LaughlinD-TX-14
- Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
- Rep. Richard SwettD-NH-2
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11- Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
- Rep. Martin LancasterD-NC-3
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1- Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
- Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-3
- Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
- Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
- Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
- Rep. James BarciaD-MI-5
- Rep. William BrewsterD-OK-3
- Rep. David MingeD-MN-2
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
- Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
- Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
- Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
- Rep. William SarpaliusD-TX-13
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8- Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
- Rep. Glenn PoshardD-IL-19
- Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
- Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-20
- Rep. James HayesD-LA-7
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-4
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7- Rep. Pete GerenD-TX-12
Rep. Nathan DealD-GA-9- Rep. Mike ParkerD-MS-4
- Rep. Gary ConditD-CA-18
- Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
- Rep. William OrtonD-UT-3
- Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
- Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
- Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-5
Republicans who voted yea(90)
- Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-20
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-23
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-19
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4- Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-31
- Rep. Ronald MachtleyR-RI-1
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4- Rep. Stephen HornR-CA-38
- Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
- Rep. Dean GalloR-NJ-11
- Rep. Arthur RavenelR-SC-1
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21- Rep. Peter TorkildsenR-MA-6
- Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
- Rep. William ClingerR-PA-5
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Peter BluteR-MA-3
- Rep. Thomas RidgeR-PA-21
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18- Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. Rick LazioR-NY-2
- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
- Rep. Steven SchiffR-NM-1
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3- Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
- Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-30
- Rep. Bob FranksR-NJ-7
- Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
- Rep. Rick SantorumR-PA-18
- Rep. Helen BentleyR-MD-2
- Rep. Frederick GrandyR-IA-5
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. Susan MolinariR-NY-13
- Rep. Alex McMillanR-NC-9
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6- Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
- Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
- Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
- Rep. Scott KlugR-WI-2
- Rep. Scott McInnisR-CO-3
- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-21
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10- Rep. Richard ZimmerR-NJ-12
- Rep. Martin HokeR-OH-10
- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
- Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-43- Rep. David LevyR-NY-4
- Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
- Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3- Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. James LightfootR-IA-3
- Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. John McHughR-NY-24- Rep. Jay DickeyR-AR-4
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-23
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3- Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-7
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2- Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
- Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
- Rep. Craig ThomasR-WY
- Rep. Jay KimR-CA-41
- Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6- Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-5- Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
- Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
- Rep. William ZeliffR-NH-1
- Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
- Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. Mac CollinsR-GA-3- Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
- Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-22
- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6
Rep. David DreierR-CA-28
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 422 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.
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · 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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.
- Oct 6, 1993Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 103-94.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 24, 1993PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 21, 1993Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 339 - 85 (Roll No. 437).House roll call 437
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 251, the House moved to agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 251 passed House.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 339 - 85 (Roll No. 437).House roll call 437
- Sep 14, 1993FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 251 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 20. Upon the adoption of this resolution, it shall be in order to take from the Speaker's table the bill H.R. 20, with the Senate amendment thereto, and to concur in the Senate amen…
- Jul 20, 1993FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 185 with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 68-31. Record Vote No: 201.Senate roll call 201
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Mar 4, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Mar 3, 1993FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 333 - 86 (Roll no. 52).House roll call 52
- FloorFloor · The House adopted the amendments en gross as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
- FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 106 passed House.
- Feb 24, 1993FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 275 - 142 (Roll No. 42).House roll call 42
- FloorFloor · Failed of passage/not agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 275 - 142 (Roll No. 42).House roll call 42
- Feb 23, 1993FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Clay objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed until Feb. 24. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Clay moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Feb 22, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jan 27, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jan 5, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service 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.





























