A bill to provide for the imposition of the death penalty for the terrorist murder of United States nationals abroad.

On Oct 26, 1989, the Senate voted 79–20 on “On Passage of the Bill” (S 1798). Result: Bill Passed. By party: Democrats 39–15, Republicans 40–5. It was a bipartisan vote: majorities of both parties voted yes. 20 members voted against their own party.

During the 101st Congress (1989–1990), George H. W. Bush was president, and Democrats held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Result: Bill Passed
Yes: 79
No: 20
Did not vote: 2
Date: Oct 26, 1989

By party

Republicans40 yes · 5 no
Democrats39 yes · 15 no · 2 didn’t vote

Who broke with their party

Alan Cranston D-CA voted no
Timothy E. Wirth D-CO voted no
Daniel Ken Inouye D-HI voted no
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga D-HI voted no
Thomas Richard (Tom) Harkin D-IA voted no
Paul Martin Simon D-IL voted no
Edward Moore (Ted) Kennedy D-MA voted no
John Forbes Kerry D-MA voted no
George John Mitchell D-ME voted no
William Sebastian Cohen R-ME voted no
Carl Levin D-MI voted no
David Ferdinand Durenberger R-MN voted no
John Claggett Danforth R-MO voted no
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg D-NJ voted no
Howard Morton Metzenbaum D-OH voted no
Mark Odom Hatfield R-OR voted no
Claiborne de Borda Pell D-RI voted no
John Hubbard Chafee R-RI voted no
Patrick Joseph Leahy D-VT voted no
Herbert H. Kohl D-WI voted no

How each senator voted: Yes

How each senator voted: No

Did not vote

Daniel Kahikina Akaka D-HI
Daniel Patrick Moynihan D-NY

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

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Capitol Receipts, “A bill to provide for the imposition of the…: Senate Vote, Oct 26…,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/101-S-275/a-bill-to-provide-for-the-imposition-of-the (accessed 2026-10-17).