Congress · Laws

Thomas Alva Edison Commemorative Coin Act

Public Law 105-331 · H.R. 678 · 105th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 31, 1998 · Commemorations

Sponsor: Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-OH-5)

Cosponsors (296): Rep. David Bonior, Rep. John Dingell,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 397 yea, 1 nay397–1
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.

Thomas Alva Edison Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint one-dollar silver coins emblematic of the light bulb and the many inventions made by Thomas A. Edison throughout his prolific life. Mandates that: (1) the obverse side of the coins bear the likeness of Thomas A. Edison; and (2) coin design be selected by the Secretary and reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee.

Terminates the authority to mint such coins after December 31, 2004. Requires that certain surcharges received from coin sales be distributed to specified entities.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 105th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 397 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

397 yea1 nay36 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(182)

Rep. Barbara LeeD-CA-9
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-10
Rep. Thomas BarrettD-WI-5
Rep. Dennis KucinichD-OH-10
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-29
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. 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. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. Ciro RodriguezD-TX-28
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
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. Rod BlagojevichD-IL-5
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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(215)

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. 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. 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. Brian BilbrayR-CA-49
Rep. William RedmondR-NM-3
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Heather WilsonR-NM-1
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Kevin BradyR-TX-8
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. Bob InglisR-SC-4
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. 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. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
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 1037 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.

Financial Services Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Domestic and International Monetary Policy 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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.

Oct 31, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-331.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Oct 20, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Oct 7, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 9, 1998FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
FloorFloor · 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): 397 - 1 (Roll No. 417).House roll call 417
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. Castle moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Feb 28, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Domestic and International Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee
Feb 11, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Financial Services 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.