Voter Eligibility Verification Act

On Feb 12, 1998, the House voted 210–200 on “On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended” (HR 1428). Result: Failed. By party: Republicans 203–13, Democrats 7–186, Independents 0–1. It was a party-line vote: most Democrats and most Republicans voted on opposite sides. 20 members voted against their own party.

During the 105th Congress (1997–1998), Bill Clinton was president, and Republicans held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Result: Failed
Yes: 210
No: 200
Did not vote: 34
Date: Feb 12, 1998

By party

Republicans203 yes · 13 no · 15 didn’t vote
Democrats7 yes · 186 no · 19 didn’t vote
Independents0 yes · 1 no

Who broke with their party

Asa Hutchinson R-AR voted no
Robert W. Schaffer R-CO voted no
Christopher H. Shays R-CT voted no
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen R-FL voted no
Peter R. Deutsch D-FL voted yes
Lincoln Diaz-Balart R-FL voted no
William Oliver Lipinski D-IL voted yes
Constance A. Morella R-MD voted no
Gary Eugene (Gene) Taylor D-MS voted yes
Michael Patrick Forbes R-NY voted no
Sherwood Louis Boehlert R-NY voted no
James T. Walsh R-NY voted no
Amory Houghton Jr. R-NY voted no
Steve Chabot R-OH voted no
Jim Turner D-TX voted yes
Ralph Moody Hall D-TX voted yes
Ronald Ernest Paul R-TX voted no
Owen Bradford Pickett D-VA voted yes
Virgil H. Goode Jr. D-VA voted yes
Linda Smith R-WA voted no

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, “Voter Eligibility Verification Act: House Vote, Feb 12, 1998,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/105-H-648/voter-eligibility-verification-act (accessed 2026-10-14).