Congress · Laws

An Act to amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to require food stamp State agencies to take certain actions to ensure that food stamp coupons are not issued for deceased individuals, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study of options for the design, development, implementation, and operation of a national database to track participation in Federal means-tested public assistance programs, and for other purposes.

Public Law 105-379 · S. 1733 · 105th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 12, 1998 · Agriculture and Food

Sponsor: Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN)

Cosponsors (1): Sen. Pat Roberts

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 386 yea, 1 nay386–1
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.

Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to require each State agency to: (1) enter into a cooperative arrangement with the Commissioner of Social Security to obtain information on deceased individuals; and (2) use the information to verify and otherwise ensure that benefits are not issued to them.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) report to specified congressional committees and the Secretary of the Treasury on the progress and effectiveness of such cooperative arrangements; and (2) study and report to the Congress on options for the design, development, implementation, and operation of a national database to track participation in Federal means-tested public assistance programs. Provides funding for such study.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 105th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 386 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

386 yea1 nay47 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(186)

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. 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. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2
Rep. Robert BradyD-PA-1
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Earl HilliardD-AL-7
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. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. John TierneyD-MA-6
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
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. 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. 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. 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. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Zoe LofgrenD-CA-16
Rep. Earl BlumenauerD-OR-3
Rep. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-32
Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-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. 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. Chuck SchumerD-NY-9
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. Debbie StabenowD-MI-8
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
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. Gary ConditD-CA-18
Rep. Pat DannerD-MO-6
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7
Rep. Chris JohnD-LA-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(200)

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. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
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. 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. 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. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
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. 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. 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. Rick WhiteR-WA-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. 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. Chip PickeringR-MS-3
Rep. Mary Bono MackR-CA-44
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7
Rep. Rick HillR-MT
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. 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. 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. Kevin BradyR-TX-8
Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
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. Jim RyunR-KS-2
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-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. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. Pete SessionsR-TX-5
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
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. 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. 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. Ed RoyceR-CA-39

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1152 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.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee · Senate · discharged from, referred to

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.

Nov 12, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-379.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Nov 4, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Oct 15, 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): 386 - 1 (Roll No. 533).House roll call 533
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. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Oct 14, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
Mar 10, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 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.

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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.