Product Liability Reform

On Feb 29, 1996, the House voted 256–142 on “Motion to Instruct Conferees” (HR 956). Result: Passed. By party: Republicans 82–141, Democrats 173–1, Independents 1–0. It was a split vote: the parties took opposite sides, with some members crossing over. 83 members voted against their own party.

During the 104th Congress (1995–1996), Bill Clinton was president, and Republicans held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Result: Passed
Yes: 256
No: 142
Did not vote: 47
Date: Feb 29, 1996

By party

Republicans82 yes · 141 no · 13 didn’t vote
Democrats173 yes · 1 no · 34 didn’t vote
Independents1 yes · 0 no

Who broke with their party

Jay W. Dickey Jr. R-AR voted yes
John D. Hayworth Jr. R-AZ voted yes
Frank D. Riggs R-CA voted yes
Walter William (Wally) Herger R-CA voted yes
Richard William Pombo R-CA voted yes
John Stephen (Steve) Horn R-CA voted yes
Edward Randall Royce R-CA voted yes
Dana Rohrabacher R-CA voted yes
Randall (Duke) Cunningham R-CA voted yes
Duncan Lee Hunter R-CA voted yes
Scott Mcinnis R-CO voted yes
A. Wayne Allard R-CO voted yes
Joel M. Hefley R-CO voted yes
Charles Joseph Scarborough R-FL voted yes
Tillie Kidd Fowler R-FL voted yes
Clifford Bundy Stearns R-FL voted yes
Mark A. Foley R-FL voted yes
Lincoln Diaz-Balart R-FL voted yes
Jack Kingston R-GA voted yes
Bob Barr R-GA voted yes
John Nathan Deal R-GA voted yes
Helen P. Chenoweth-Hage R-ID voted yes
Michael Dean Crapo R-ID voted yes
Gerald C. (Jerry) Weller R-IL voted yes
David Martin Mcintosh R-IN voted yes
Mark Edward Souder R-IN voted yes
Danny Lee Burton R-IN voted yes
Charles Patrick (Pat) Roberts R-KS voted yes
Sam Dale Brownback R-KS voted yes
Jan Meyers R-KS voted yes
Todd Tiahrt R-KS voted yes
Wayne Edward (Ed) Whitfield R-KY voted yes
Harold Dallas (Hal) Rogers R-KY voted yes
Wilbert Joseph (Billy) Tauzin R-LA voted yes
James Allison Hayes R-LA voted yes
Peter I. Blute R-MA voted yes
James Longley R-ME voted yes
Nick H. Smith R-MI voted yes
James (Jim) Ramstad R-MN voted yes
James Matthes Talent R-MO voted yes
Norvell William (Bill) Emerson R-MO voted yes
Walter Beaman Jones Jr. R-NC voted yes
Howard Coble R-NC voted yes
Charles Hart Taylor R-NC voted yes
Frank A. Lobiondo R-NJ voted yes
Margaret Scafati Roukema R-NJ voted yes
Robert Douglas Franks R-NJ voted yes
William J. Martini R-NJ voted yes
Steven Harvey Schiff R-NM voted yes
John Eric Ensign R-NV voted yes
Michael Patrick Forbes R-NY voted yes
Sherwood Louis Boehlert R-NY voted yes
James T. Walsh R-NY voted yes
Amory Houghton Jr. R-NY voted yes
Paul Eugene Gillmor R-OH voted yes
David Lee Hobson R-OH voted yes
John Richard Kasich R-OH voted yes
Deborah D. Pryce R-OH voted yes
Ralph Straus Regula R-OH voted yes
Robert William Ney R-OH voted yes
Jim Bunn R-OR voted yes
William Floyd Clinger Jr. R-PA voted yes
Wayne Curtis (Curt) Weldon R-PA voted yes
E. G. (Bud) Shuster R-PA voted yes
Joseph Michael Mcdade R-PA voted yes
John Patrick Murtha Jr. D-PA voted no
Jon D. Fox R-PA voted yes
William Franklin Goodling R-PA voted yes
Philip Sheridan English R-PA voted yes
Floyd Davidson Spence R-SC voted yes
Lindsey O. Graham R-SC voted yes
John J. Duncan Jr. R-TN voted yes
Zachary Paul Wamp R-TN voted yes
Van Hilleary R-TN voted yes
Steve Stockman R-TX voted yes
Herbert Harvell Bateman R-VA voted yes
Frank Rudolph Wolf R-VA voted yes
Jack Metcalf R-WA voted yes
Linda Smith R-WA voted yes
Randy J. Tate R-WA voted yes

And 3 more.

How each representative voted: Yes

How each representative voted: No

Did not vote

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “Product Liability Reform: House Vote, Feb 29, 1996,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/104-H-909/product-liability-reform (accessed 2026-10-14).