The House-Senate Conference Report for the Fiscal 1996 Interior Appropriations Bill, H.R. 1977, contained numerous anti-environmental provisions that resulted in the House voting to reject it on September 29, 1995. Six weeks later, the conference report was again on the floor. In addition to the previous controversial provisions, conferees added new anti-environmental riders.

Rep. Sidney Yates (D-IL) offered a motion to send the Interior Appropriations Bill back to conference with instructions to restore the House-passed moratorium on new mining patents (see Senate vote #12, Mining Law Giveaway) and to delete a rider attached by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) that would override environmental laws to increase logging in Alaska's Tongass National Forest.

On November 15, 1995, the House passed the Yates motion to recommit 230 - 199. YES is the pro-environment vote.

President Clinton vetoed H.R. 1977 on December 18, 1995.