Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998
Public Law 105-168 · S. 419 · 105th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Apr 21, 1998 · Health
Sponsor: Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO)
Cosponsors (34): Sen. Trent Lott, Sen. Fritz Hollings,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 405 yea, 2 nay405–2
- SenateVoice vote
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.
Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1997 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to carry out programs to: (1) collect and analyze, and make available data on birth defects in a manner that facilitates compliance with this Act, including data on the causes of such defects and on the incidence and prevalence of such defects; (2) operate regional centers for the conduct of applied epidemiological research on the prevention of such defects; and (3) provide information and education to the public on the prevention of such defects. Requires the Secretary, in collecting, analyzing, and making available data on birth defects, to: (1) collect and analyze data by gender and by racial and ethnic group; (2) collect such data from birth and death certificates, hospital records, and such other sources as the Secretary determines to be appropriate; and (3) encourage States to establish or improve programs for the collection and analysis of epidemiological data on birth defects and to make the data available.
Directs the Secretary to establish a National Information Clearinghouse on Birth Defects to collect and disseminate to health professionals and the public information on birth defects, including the prevention of such defects.
Authorizes the Secretary, in carrying out programs regarding birth defects, to make grants to and enter into contracts with public and nonprofit private entities. Authorizes the Secretary, upon the request of a recipient of an award of a grant or contract, to provide supplies, equipment, and services for the purpose of aiding the recipient in carrying out the purposes for which the award is made and, for such purposes, to detail to the recipient any HHS officer or employee.
Authorizes the Secretary to make an award of a grant or contract only if an application for the award is submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out the purposes for which the award is to be made.
Requires the Secretary to report biennially to the House Committee on Commerce and the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources regarding birth defects.
Subjects the provisions of this Act to requirements of the Privacy Act. Applies all Federal laws relating to the privacy of information to data and information collected under this Act.
Authorizes appropriations.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 105th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 405 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
405 yea2 nay23 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(192)
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-50
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. Xavier BecerraD-CA-30- Rep. David BoniorD-MI-10
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1- Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. Gregory MeeksD-NY-6
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-26
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
- Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
- Rep. Earl HilliardD-AL-7
- Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4- Rep. George BrownD-CA-42
Rep. Bill DelahuntD-MA-10
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-29- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Carolyn KilpatrickD-MI-15
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Danny DavisD-IL-7
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-8- Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-33
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. John TierneyD-MA-6- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3- Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonaldD-CA-37
- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-11
Rep. Bernie SandersD-VT- Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-3
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Cynthia McKinneyD-GA-4
Rep. Jim McGovernD-MA-3- Rep. Julia CarsonD-IN-10
- Rep. Carrie MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3
Rep. Diana DeGetteD-CO-1
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2- Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17- Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
- Rep. Eva ClaytonD-NC-1
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18- Rep. Thomas BarrettD-WI-5
Rep. Dennis KucinichD-OH-10- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-29
Rep. Corrine BrownD-FL-3
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5- Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. Elijah CummingsD-MD-7
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
- Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-31
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. Tom AllenD-ME-1- Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Zoe LofgrenD-CA-16- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
Rep. Earl BlumenauerD-OR-3
Rep. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13- Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-32
- Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1- Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
- Rep. Peter DeutschD-FL-20
- Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Robert WexlerD-FL-19
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9- Rep. Karen ThurmanD-FL-5
- Rep. Lynn RiversD-MI-13
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5- Rep. John BaldacciD-ME-2
Rep. Rubén HinojosaD-TX-15- Rep. Karen McCarthyD-MO-5
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Loretta SanchezD-CA-46- Rep. Robert WeygandD-RI-2
- Rep. Ted StricklandD-OH-6
- Rep. Jay JohnsonD-WI-8
Rep. Silvestre ReyesD-TX-16
Rep. Darlene HooleyD-OR-5- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Debbie StabenowD-MI-8
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29- Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-2
- Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-7
Rep. Nick LampsonD-TX-9
Rep. Ron KindD-WI-3
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3- Rep. Jim DavisD-FL-11
Rep. Steven RothmanD-NJ-9
Rep. Marion BerryD-AR-1
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12- Rep. William LutherD-MN-6
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3- Rep. Ken BentsenD-TX-25
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11- Rep. Ron KlinkD-PA-4
Rep. Adam SmithD-WA-9
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-9
Rep. Bob EtheridgeD-NC-2
Rep. Ellen TauscherD-CA-10
Rep. Vic SnyderD-AR-2- Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8- Rep. James MaloneyD-CT-5
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2- Rep. David MingeD-MN-2
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Brad ShermanD-CA-24- Rep. Frank MascaraD-PA-20
- Rep. Paul McHaleD-PA-15
- Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
- Rep. Max SandlinD-TX-1
- Rep. Robert ClementD-TN-5
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-18- Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-6- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6- Rep. James BarciaD-MI-5
Rep. Leonard BoswellD-IA-3
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8- Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Allen BoydD-FL-2- Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
- Rep. Jim TurnerD-TX-2
- Rep. Scotty BaeslerD-KY-6
- Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
- Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-3
- Rep. Gary ConditD-CA-18
- Rep. Pat DannerD-MO-6
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7- Rep. Chris JohnD-LA-7
Rep. Mike McIntyreD-NC-7
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5- Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-5- Rep. James TraficantD-OH-17
Rep. Virgil GoodeD-VA-5
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Republicans who voted yea(213)
- Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
- Rep. Michael ForbesR-NY-1
- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-23
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-20
- Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-31
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE- Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-30
- Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
- Rep. Stephen HornR-CA-38
Rep. John McHughR-NY-24
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3- Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
- Rep. Rick LazioR-NY-2
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-19- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4- Rep. Jon FoxR-PA-13
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
- Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
- Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
- Rep. Jim GreenwoodR-PA-8
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18- Rep. Bob FranksR-NJ-7
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. Bob NeyR-OH-18
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-40
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-21- Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
- Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3- Rep. Greg GanskeR-IA-4
- Rep. Bill BarrettR-NE-3
- Rep. Jay KimR-CA-41
- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
- Rep. Linda SmithR-WA-3
Rep. Brian BilbrayR-CA-49- Rep. William RedmondR-NM-3
- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5- Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-23- Rep. Thomas EwingR-IL-15
- Rep. Anne NorthupR-KY-3
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. Tom CampbellR-CA-15
Rep. John ShimkusR-IL-20
Rep. Vernon EhlersR-MI-3- Rep. Billy TauzinR-LA-3
- Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
- Rep. Jack MetcalfR-WA-2
- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6- Rep. Mike ParkerR-MS-4
- Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-11
Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-5- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-21
- Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
- Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
Rep. Jim BunningR-KY-4- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Kay GrangerR-TX-12
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-43- Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-48
- Rep. Merrill CookR-UT-2
Rep. Jo Ann EmersonI-MO-8- Rep. Bill JenkinsR-TN-1
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2- Rep. Asa HutchinsonR-AR-3
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15- Rep. Rick WhiteR-WA-1
- Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21- Rep. Michael PappasR-NJ-12
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6- Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
- Rep. Wes WatkinsR-OK-3
- Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
- Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7- Rep. Scott KlugR-WI-2
Rep. John ThuneR-SD
Rep. John PetersonR-PA-5
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1- Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-7
- Rep. Charles CanadyR-FL-12
- Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-2
Rep. Saxby ChamblissR-GA-8- Rep. Edward PeaseR-IN-7
- Rep. Jay DickeyR-AR-4
Rep. Rob PortmanR-OH-2- Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4- Rep. Tillie FowlerR-FL-4
Rep. Chip PickeringR-MS-3- Rep. John CookseyR-LA-5
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7- Rep. Rick HillR-MT
- Rep. Scott McInnisR-CO-3
- Rep. George NethercuttR-WA-5
Rep. Kenny HulshofR-MO-9- Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Robert AderholtR-AL-4- Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
- Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-51
- Rep. Robert EhrlichR-MD-2
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-6
Rep. Mike CrapoR-ID-2
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2- Rep. Jennifer DunnR-WA-8
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8- Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
Rep. David DreierR-CA-28- Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. Lindsey GrahamR-SC-3
Rep. Jerry MoranR-KS-1- Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
- Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-8
- Rep. Gil GutknechtR-MN-1
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. Richard BurrR-NC-5
Rep. Joseph PittsR-PA-16- Rep. Bob RileyR-AL-3
Rep. John LinderR-GA-11- Rep. J.C. WattsR-OK-4
Rep. Roy BluntR-MO-7- Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Vito FossellaR-NY-13- Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
- Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
- Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
- Rep. Nick SmithR-MI-7
- Rep. Ed BryantR-TN-7
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4- Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
Rep. Dave WeldonR-FL-15- Rep. Jim TalentR-MO-2
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52
Rep. John SununuR-NH-1- Rep. Jon ChristensenR-NE-2
- Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
- Rep. James RoganR-CA-27
Rep. Mark SouderR-IN-4- Rep. William PaxonR-NY-27
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3- Rep. Jim GibbonsR-NV-2
- Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-10
- Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-22
- Rep. J.D. HayworthR-AZ-6
- Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13- Rep. Vincent SnowbargerR-KS-3
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Mac CollinsR-GA-3- Rep. Jim RyunR-KS-2
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-9
Rep. Nathan DealR-GA-9
Rep. George RadanovichR-CA-19
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2- Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
- Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
Rep. Donald ManzulloR-IL-16
Rep. Pete HoekstraR-MI-2
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1
Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3- Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-47
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. Pete SessionsR-TX-5
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3- Rep. Steve LargentR-OK-1
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6- Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6- Rep. Mark NeumannR-WI-1
- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
- Rep. David McIntoshR-IN-2
- Rep. Van HillearyR-TN-4
- Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
- Rep. Helen Chenoweth-HageR-ID-1
- Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Rep. John EnsignR-NV-1- Rep. Bob BarrR-GA-7
- Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-8
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. Matt SalmonR-AZ-1
Rep. John ShadeggR-AZ-4- Rep. Bob SchafferR-CO-4
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-45
Rep. Thomas CoburnR-OK-2
Rep. Mark SanfordR-SC-1- Rep. Joe ScarboroughR-FL-1
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-39
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 672 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.
Energy and Commerce Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Health and Environment 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. 13 actions.
- Apr 21, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-168.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Apr 17, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Mar 10, 1998FloorFloor · 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 the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 405 - 2 (Roll no. 42).House roll call 42
- 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. Bilirakis moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jul 14, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Health and Environment Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jun 17, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jun 12, 1997FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Mar 11, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- 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.