Congress · Laws

To provide for the distribution within the United States of the United States Information Agency film entitled "Fragile Ring of Life".

Public Law 104-161 · H.R. 2070 · 104th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Jul 18, 1996 · International Affairs

Sponsor: Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA-8)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 403 yea, 2 nay403–2
SenateUnanimous consent

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.

Requires the Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) to make available to the Archivist of the United States a master copy of the film entitled "Fragile Ring of Life." Requires the Archivist, upon certain conditions being met, to reimburse the USIA Director for any expenses in making the master copy, deposit such film in the National Archives, and make copies available for purchase and public viewing.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 104th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 403 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

403 yea2 nay27 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(178)

Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35
Rep. Barbara-Rose CollinsD-MI-15
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-9
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Xavier BecerraD-CA-30
Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-50
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Earl HilliardD-AL-7
Rep. Cynthia McKinneyD-GA-11
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-10
Rep. Carrie MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6
Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-8
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-11
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-33
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Bernie SandersD-VT
Rep. Kweisi MfumeD-MD-7
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. George BrownD-CA-42
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-29
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17
Rep. Eva ClaytonD-NC-1
Rep. Corrine BrownD-FL-3
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. Floyd FlakeD-NY-6
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3
Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-32
Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Harry JohnstonD-FL-19
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-11
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-29
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-24
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-3
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
Rep. Zoe LofgrenD-CA-16
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Elizabeth FurseD-OR-1
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-9
Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-31
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Lynn RiversD-MI-13
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-2
Rep. Jack ReedD-RI-2
Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-7
Rep. Michael WardD-KY-3
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-10
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Thomas BarrettD-WI-5
Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-9
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. John BaldacciD-ME-2
Rep. Ron KlinkD-PA-4
Rep. Ken BentsenD-TX-25
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND
Rep. Frank MascaraD-PA-20
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-2
Rep. Karen McCarthyD-MO-5
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Karen ThurmanD-FL-5
Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. William LutherD-MN-6
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Tim JohnsonD-SD
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8
Rep. Pete PetersonD-FL-2
Rep. Paul McHaleD-PA-15
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-18
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-6
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11
Rep. Glenn PoshardD-IL-19
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Robert ClementD-TN-5
Rep. David MingeD-MN-2
Rep. Pat DannerD-MO-6
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-3
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. William OrtonD-UT-3
Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Blanche LincolnD-AR-1
Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. John BrowderD-AL-3
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5
Rep. Scotty BaeslerD-KY-6
Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7
Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
Rep. James TraficantD-OH-17
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Gary ConditD-CA-18
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-5
Rep. William BrewsterD-OK-3
Rep. Pete GerenD-TX-12
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4

Republicans who voted yea(225)

Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-23
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-20
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. Peter TorkildsenR-MA-6
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. Michael ForbesR-NY-1
Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-30
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11
Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-31
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Jim BunnR-OR-5
Rep. Steven SchiffR-NM-1
Rep. Peter BluteR-MA-3
Rep. Stephen HornR-CA-38
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. William MartiniR-NJ-8
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
Rep. Jon FoxR-PA-13
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. John McHughR-NY-24
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-21
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-19
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
Rep. Richard ZimmerR-NJ-12
Rep. Rick LazioR-NY-2
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
Rep. Jim GreenwoodR-PA-8
Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-5
Rep. Gary FranksR-CT-5
Rep. Bob FranksR-NJ-7
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Bob NeyR-OH-18
Rep. Michael FlanaganR-IL-5
Rep. Dan FrisaR-NY-4
Rep. James LongleyR-ME-1
Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
Rep. Vernon EhlersR-MI-3
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-40
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18
Rep. Frank RiggsR-CA-1
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7
Rep. Fred HeinemanR-NC-4
Rep. Brian BilbrayR-CA-49
Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Susan MolinariR-NY-13
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-21
Rep. Tillie FowlerR-FL-4
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Robert EhrlichR-MD-2
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. James LightfootR-IA-3
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Greg GanskeR-IA-4
Rep. James HayesD-LA-7
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-11
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3
Rep. Scott KlugR-WI-2
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-5
Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Bill BarrettR-NE-3
Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. Charles CanadyR-FL-12
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-43
Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-8
Rep. Nathan DealD-GA-9
Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. J.C. WattsR-OK-4
Rep. George NethercuttR-WA-5
Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-5
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Rob PortmanR-OH-2
Rep. Sonny BonoR-CA-44
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-48
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-23
Rep. Jack MetcalfR-WA-2
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-7
Rep. Jennifer DunnR-WA-8
Rep. Martin HokeR-OH-10
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
Rep. Mike ParkerD-MS-4
Rep. Frank CremeansR-OH-6
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-6
Rep. Thomas EwingR-IL-15
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1
Rep. Tim HutchinsonR-AR-3
Rep. Rick WhiteR-WA-1
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2
Rep. Lindsey GrahamR-SC-3
Rep. Jay DickeyR-AR-4
Rep. Dave WeldonR-FL-15
Rep. Richard BurrR-NC-5
Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-51
Rep. Linda SmithR-WA-3
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
Rep. William ZeliffR-NH-1
Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-2
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-27
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52
Rep. John LinderR-GA-4
Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6
Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. Jay KimR-CA-41
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7
Rep. Gregory LaughlinD-TX-14
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. Ed BryantR-TN-7
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-22
Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Randy TateR-WA-9
Rep. David DreierR-CA-28
Rep. Dick ChryslerR-MI-8
Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-10
Rep. Jim TalentR-MO-2
Rep. Sam BrownbackR-KS-2
Rep. William PaxonR-NY-27
Rep. George RadanovichR-CA-19
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Nick SmithR-MI-7
Rep. Mike CrapoR-ID-2
Rep. Donald ManzulloR-IL-16
Rep. Mac CollinsR-GA-3
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-46
Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Jim BunningR-KY-4
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Andrea SeastrandR-CA-22
Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
Rep. J.D. HayworthR-AZ-6
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
Rep. Bob BarrR-GA-7
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Rep. David McIntoshR-IN-2
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-9
Rep. Wayne AllardR-CO-4
Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
Rep. Jon ChristensenR-NE-2
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Bob InglisR-SC-4
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1
Rep. Pete HoekstraR-MI-2
Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-47
Rep. William BakerR-CA-10
Rep. Mark SanfordR-SC-1
Rep. Matt SalmonR-AZ-1
Rep. Gil GutknechtR-MN-1
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
Rep. Steve LargentR-OK-1
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-8
Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-45
Rep. Mark NeumannR-WI-1
Rep. Mark SouderR-IN-4
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. John ShadeggR-AZ-4
Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Rep. Helen Chenoweth-HageR-ID-1
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-39
Rep. Mel HancockR-MO-7
Rep. Joe ScarboroughR-FL-1
Rep. Thomas CoburnR-OK-2
Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Steve StockmanR-TX-9

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 699 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.

Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred toSubcommittee: International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee
Foreign Relations 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. 16 actions.

Jul 18, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-161.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Jul 8, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Jun 28, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Jun 26, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Oct 18, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Oct 17, 1995FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 403 - 2 (Roll no. 715).House roll call 715
FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule I, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (NJ) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Sep 19, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
Aug 4, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
Jul 19, 1995CommitteeCommittee · 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.