The '94 Crime Bill, Then and Now

The 1994 crime bill has been a thorn in Hillary Clinton's side throughout this year's presidential campaign, as a new generation of black activists blames her and her husband's administration for accelerating the era of mass incarceration.

A look back at the history of the legislation reveals that these concerns played little role in the debate over the bill, even for black and Latino legislators.

"You have to remember the times: Violent crime peaked in the U.S. in the early 1990s," said WNYC congressional correspondent John O'Connor. "We now know that crime rates had already begun a two-decade decline, but we didn't know that then."

O'Connor discussed the bill's legislative record with WNYC's Jami Floyd.

Here is the roll call for local members of Congress from the final vote:

House of Representatives:

NO:

Nadler (D)

Rangel (D)

YES:

Levy ( R)

Hochbrueckner (D)

Lazio ( R)

King ( R)

Ackerman (D)

Flake (D)

Manton (D)

Schumer (D)

Towns (D)

Owens (D)

Velazquez (D)

Molinari ( R)

Maloney (D)

Serrano (D)

Engel (D)

Lowey (D)

Senate:

YES:

D’Amato ( R)

Moynihan (D)