National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998
Public Law 105-203 · H.R. 1635 · 105th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Jul 21, 1998 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Louis Stokes (D-OH-11)
Cosponsors (150): Rep. Rob Portman, Rep. Thomas Barrett,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 415 yea, 2 nay415–2
- 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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish in the National Park Service (NPS) a program to be known as the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom under which the Secretary shall: (1) produce and disseminate educational materials about the Railroad; (2) provide technical assistance to other government agencies, private entities, or the Governments of Canada, Mexico, or any appropriate Caribbean country to ensure coordination of Federal and non-Federal elements of the Network; and (3) regulate use of an official symbol for the Network.
Includes within the Network: (1) NPS units or programs pertaining to the Railroad; (2) Federal, State, local, or privately-owned properties pertaining to the Railroad that have a verifiable connection to it and that are included or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places; and (3) governmental or nongovernmental facilities or programs of educational, research, or interpretive natures that are directly related to such Railroad. Authorizes appropriations. Prohibits amounts from being appropriated for the purposes of this Act except to the Secretary for carrying out his or her responsibilities.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 105th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 415 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
415 yea2 nay16 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(198)
Rep. Barbara LeeD-CA-9
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-50
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. Elizabeth FurseD-OR-1
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
- Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2
Rep. Robert BradyD-PA-1- 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. 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. 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. 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. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
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. 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. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-10- 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. Joseph KennedyD-MA-8
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. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
- Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-32
- Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1- Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
- Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. Ciro RodriguezD-TX-28
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. Rod BlagojevichD-IL-5
- Rep. Glenn PoshardD-IL-19
- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Debbie StabenowD-MI-8
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Lois CappsD-CA-22- 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. Jane HarmanD-CA-36
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. Carolyn McCarthyD-NY-4- 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(217)
- 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. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE- Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-30
- 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. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4- Rep. Jon FoxR-PA-13
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11- 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. Jerry WellerR-IL-11- 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. Steve BuyerR-IN-5- Rep. Frank RiggsR-CA-1
Rep. John PetersonR-PA-5- 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. Mary Bono MackR-CA-44- 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. 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. Kevin BradyR-TX-8- Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
- Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
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. Joe BartonR-TX-6
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. 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 842 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.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Federal Lands Subcommittee
Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: National Parks 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. 19 actions.
- Jul 21, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-203.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 14, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jun 26, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 25, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 10, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 9, 1998FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 415 - 2 (Roll No. 214).House roll call 214
- 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. Hansen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Jun 3, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- May 20, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Oct 7, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 22, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- May 21, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- May 15, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources 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.