Congress · Laws

A bill to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize special Caribbean hurricane relief assistance.

Public Law 96-109 · H.R. 5218 · 96th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 9, 1979 · Emergency Management

Sponsor: Rep. Dante Fascell (D-FL-15)

Cosponsors (23): Rep. Clement Zablocki, Rep. Jonathan Bingham,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 370 yea, 27 nay370–27
SenateMethod not stated

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 Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize disaster relief and reconstruction assistance to alleviate human suffering caused by hurricanes in the Caribbean. Stipulates that priority shall be given to furnishing agricultural commodities under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 96th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 372 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

372 yea27 nay35 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(242)

Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-21
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Mickey LelandD-TX-18
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Bennett StewartD-IL-1
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
Rep. James ShannonD-MA-5
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Edward StackD-FL-12
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Ozzie MyersD-PA-1
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Raymond LedererD-PA-3
Rep. Peter PeyserD-NY-23
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
Rep. William RatchfordD-CT-5
Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. Donald BaileyD-PA-21
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Raymond KogovsekD-CO-3
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. John CavanaughD-NE-2
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Donald AlbostaD-MI-10
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
Rep. William BonerD-TN-5
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. James MattoxD-TX-5
Rep. Tom DaschleD-SD-1
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-11
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-9
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. Joseph WyattD-TX-14
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Billy EvansD-GA-8
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Anthony LeachD-LA-4
Rep. Kent HanceD-TX-19
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Eugene AtkinsonD-PA-25
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Phil GrammD-TX-6
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. James LeathD-TX-11
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2

Republicans who voted yea(130)

Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-18
Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
Rep. Charles DoughertyR-PA-4
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Lyle WilliamsR-OH-19
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. William RoyerR-CA-11
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
Rep. Arlen ErdahlR-MN-1
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Carroll CampbellR-SC-4
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. James CourterR-NJ-13
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Edwin BethuneR-AR-2
Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-37
Rep. Jon HinsonR-MS-4
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. Chuck GrassleyR-IA-3
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
Rep. Gary LeeR-NY-33
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-27
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Wayne GrishamR-CA-33
Rep. Richard CheneyR-WY
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-18
Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
Rep. Thomas LoefflerR-TX-21
Rep. David StockmanR-MI-4
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-29
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Kenneth KramerR-CO-5
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. Norman ShumwayR-CA-14
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-34
Rep. James JeffriesR-KS-2
Rep. William DannemeyerR-CA-39

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 458 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 · referred to
Foreign Relations Committee · Senate · 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. 12 actions.

Nov 9, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-109.
Oct 31, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Oct 30, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
Oct 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Sep 26, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Sep 25, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, roll call #501 (370-27).House roll call 501
Sep 24, 1979FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
Sep 7, 1979CommitteeCommittee · 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.