Plcy100 final

Affordable care act

enacted in 2010, which significantly altered health care policy in the United States and also deeply divided the nation over its expansion of the federal role in health care.

Aid to families with dependent children

provide financial aid to low-income mothers and children

American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009

purpose of the act was to save or create jobs, spur economic activity, and foster accountability in government spending through tax cuts, federal spending for education and other entitlement programs, and making available money for contracts and loans

Central intelligence agency

federal agency established in 1947 to collect, evaluate, and distribute information and analysis related to national security, and to coordinate the nation’s intelligence activities.

GI bill (servicemen's readjustment act of 1944)

originally the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, was instrumental in the decision of tens of thousands of veterans to attend college after World War II. Congress continues to update the law to help fund higher education programs for eligible veterans.

Health security act

The plan would have guaranteed health insurance to every American, including the thirty-four million who were uninsured at the time.

USA Freedom Act of 2015

A US law that amended and extended some provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act while also imposing new limits on government surveillance.

antiquities act of 1906

authorized the President to declare federal lands containing historic landmarks, structures, or other objects of historic or scientific interest as national monuments. This law allowed for the protection of these significant areas through designation as national monuments, preventing potential harm from development, looting, and habitat destruction.

balance of trade

An economic goal related to the role of the United States in an international economy; examines the value of a nation’s exports compared to its imports.

balanced budget act of 1997

a package of spending cuts designed to reduce federal deficits. The act included provisions for Medicare, Medicaid, and other areas

balanced budget and emergency deficit control act of 1985(Gramm-Rudman-Hollings)

a piece of legislation aimed at reducing the federal budget deficit. It established a framework for achieving a balanced budget by fiscal year 1991, with progressively lower deficit targets for the subsequent six fiscal years

budget enforcement act of 1990

Budget plan that attempted to reduce the federal deficit.

cap-and-trade policy

A policy action that relies on market-based mechanisms in which an overall cap or ceiling is set and trading of permits or allowances is allowed within that cap. The cap may be lowered over time.

carbon tax

tax on gasoline or on all fossil fuels, often proposed as a revenue-neutral tax in which other taxes are lowered by the same amount as the new tax on carbon.

charter school

A school reform idea in which a school is government supported but independent. A state board of education gives an independent entity the responsibility for establishing a school and delivering education services with limited control by the school board.

children's health insurance program

program that helps to ensure that children living in poverty have medical coverage. The federal government provides the states with funds, which the

states match. States are free to set eligibility levels.

children's health insurance program reauthorization act of 2009

development of quality measurement and improvement in publicly financed health care for children (CHIP).

clean air act amendments of 1970

created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and set national air quality standards. The amendments also mandated that states develop implementation plans to achieve these standards

clean air act amendments of 1990

strengthened the Clean Air Act by addressing acid rain, ozone depletion, toxic air pollution, and stratospheric ozone depletion. They also established a national permit program for stationary sources, tightened emission standards for mobile sources, and implemented provisions for reformulated and alternative fuels in polluted areas.

clean power plan

Issued by the EPA in August 2015, a plan that seeks to reduce carbon pollution from electric power generation by 32 percent below 2005 levels when fully in place by 2030, and thereby to facilitate a transition to cleaner sources of energy. The plan also will significantly lower emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, major contributors to air pollution and thus a risk to public health.

clean water act of 1972

federal program regulating surface water quality. established a national policy for water pollution control. It set 1985 as the deadline for stopping the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters and sought to make all surface water “fishable and swimmable” by 1983. The act encouraged technological innovation and comprehensive regional planning for attaining water quality.

climate change

A change in global climate patterns, characterized by rising temperatures, increased severity of storms, and persistent droughts, caused largely by greenhouse gas emissions from burning of fossil fuels

cold war

period of persistent hostility, but not overt “hot” war, between the former Soviet Union and the United States that lasted from 1945 until the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991.

collaborative decision making

An approach to environmental or resource decision making in which industry and other stakeholders work cooperatively with government officials. Thought to be more effective and less conflict ridden than more conventional regulation.

command and control

traditional approach to environmental regulation (also called direct regulation) in which government sets and enforces standards for air quality, water quality, and other resources.

comprehensive environmental response, compensation, and liability act of 1980

established prohibitions and requirements concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites; provided for liability of persons responsible for releases of hazardous waste at these sites

congressional budget and impoundment control act of 1974

established a formal congressional budget process and reasserted Congress's constitutional control over the budget. It created the House and Senate Budget Committees, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and the Impoundment Control Act, which limits presidential ability to impound funds.

consolidated omnibus budget reconciliation act (COBRA) of 1985

allows employees and their families to temporarily continue their group health insurance after losing their jobs or other qualifying events

consumer price index

An economic statistic used to measure the inflation rate. The index is calculated by examining percent price changes for a typical market basket of goods.

corporate average fuel economy standards

federal program that mandates achievement of an average level of fuel efficiency for a given automaker’s line of vehicles. That is, it sets minimum fuel economy standards, but only for the average of all vehicles produced.

culture of poverty

term used by some to describe how those living in poverty learn to work the welfare system to their benefit and pass this information on to their children, who remain poor.

defense policy

A major component of foreign policy that encompasses the conduct of military affairs, such as choice of weapons systems and deployment of troops. Intended to achieve policy goals set by civilian policymakers in the White House and Congress.

deficit reduction act of 2005

aimed to reduce healthcare costs and fraud in federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

department of homeland security

The federal executive department created in 2002 and charged with diverse responsibilities related to protection of the nation from security threats.

Deterrence

policy strategy used most often in national defense in which the object is to deter or prevent a potential enemy from taking actions harmful to the nation

direct regulation

Also called command and control, or simply regulation. Government regulates or controls environmental, health, and safety performance of industry or other facilities through the setting and enforcement of standards and sometimes through requirements for certain technologies to be used.

earned income tax credit

A tax credit for people who work but have low wages; it reduces the amount of taxes they owe or provides a tax refund.

economic cooperation act of 1948 (the marshall plan)

aimed to rebuild Western Europe's economies after World War II and prevent the spread of communism. The plan involved providing significant financial aid to 17 Western and Southern European countries over four years.

economic recovery tax act of 1981

a federal law enacted in the United States that aimed to stimulate economic growth through tax cuts. significantly reduced individual income tax rates, primarily by decreasing marginal tax rates across the board.

ecosystem-based management

A comprehensive approach to natural resource management that emphasizes the integrated treatment of entire ecosystems and their functions.

elementary and secondary education act of 1965

aimed to improve education for all students, especially those from low-income backgrounds. It provided federal funding for schools, particularly for low-income students.

endangered species act of 1973

a U.S. law designed to protect imperiled species from extinction.

energy independence and security act of 2007

enacted to increase U.S. energy independence and security, boost renewable fuel production, enhance vehicle fuel economy, and promote energy efficiency in buildings and products.

energy policy act of 1992

aims to reduce the nation's reliance on foreign oil and improve air quality by addressing various aspects of energy supply and demand.

energy policy act of 2005

aimed to address energy challenges by promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, and cleaner energy sources.

entitlement program

program in which payment obligations are determined by the law that created it, not by the budget associated with that program. Under entitlement programs, any person who meets the eligibility requirements is entitled to receive benefits from

the program.

environmental impact statement

A form of impact assessment in which government agencies must provide details on the environmental consequences of major actions, such as highway construction, and make them public prior to a final decision on the project.

environmental policy

Government actions that affect or attempt to affect environmental quality and the use of natural resources. The policy actions may take place at the local, state, regional, national, or international level.

environmental protection agency

independent federal regulatory agency charged with enforcement of most environmental protection (such as pollution control) laws.

environmental stewardship

philosophy of governance based on the belief that the natural environment should be protected for future generations.

every student succeeds act

A new version of the federal education law (ESEA), signed by President Obama in 2015, that reversed much of the federal government’s control of public education and returned control to the states and local districts.

federal environmental pesticide control act of 1972

strengthened pesticide regulation in the United States.

federal land policy and management act of 1976

primary law governing the management of public lands in the United States, particularly those managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Fee-for-service

traditional way to pay for medical services, whereby the patient or health insurer pays for the services rendered with no restraint on overall costs. Managed care programs are offered as an alternative.

fiscal policy

describes the taxing and spending tools at the government’s disposal to influence the economy.

food quality protection act of 1996

fundamentally changed how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pesticides used in food. Required the EPA to set allowable levels ensuring "a reasonable certainty that no harm will result to infants and children from aggregate exposure" to pesticide chemical residue.

food stamp program

plan administered by the Department of Agriculture that provides low-income households with coupons that they can use to purchase food.

foreign intelligence surveillance act of 1978

sets procedures for the government to collect foreign intelligence within the U.S.

foreign policy

collection of government actions that affect U.S. national security and the economic and political goals associated with it. Encompasses issues as diverse as international trade, immigration to the United States, and

action on human rights abuses around the world.

full employment

goal of economic policy generally defined as the lowest level of unemployment that can be sustained in light of the structure of the overall economy.

general mining law of 1872

governs the exploration and extraction of hard-rock minerals like gold and silver on federal lands. granting them the right to exploit the minerals beneath the surface without paying royalties or fees.

gini coefficient

graphical way to demonstrate a nation’s income equality/inequality by charting the percentage of income made by quintiles of families.

Globalization

the growing interrelationship of all nations through global trade.

health maintenance organization

A form of managed care in which an individual chooses or is assigned to a health care provider network that contracts with physicians to deliver health care services. Promotes cost-effective health care by negotiating lower fees with health care providers, limiting access to expensive services, and often emphasizing preventative health care.

is assigned to a health care provider network that contracts with physicians to deliver health care services. HMOs promote cost-effective health care by negotiating lower fees with health care providers, limiting access to expensive services, and often emphasizing preventative health care.

intelligence reform and terrorism prevention act of 2004

impacted US federal terrorism laws by addressing various areas, including intelligence community reform, FBI capabilities, security clearance procedures, and transportation security

intergenerational equity

An ethical principle that emphasizes fairness or equity among generations. Important for environmental policies that have substantial effects far into the future, such as actions on climate change.

intergovernmental panel on climate change

The United Nations’ scientific body charged with periodic assessment of global climate change and its effects. Its reports are widely considered to reflect scientific consensus on the subject.

international monetary fund

An international financial institution that promotes international trade by increasing the exchange stability of the major currencies. Similar to the World Bank, it also lends money to developing nations.

trade by increasing the exchange stability of the major currencies. Like world bank, it also lends money to developing countries.

land and water conservation fund act of 1964

provides funding for the preservation of natural areas, water resources, and cultural heritage, as well as for recreation opportunities.

line-item veto

A budgeting tool that allows chief executives to delete specific items from an appropriations bill without rejecting the whole bill.

managed care

A variety of efforts to organize and manage health care services—for example, through health maintenance organizations. Designed as one way to contain rising health care costs that had soared under the old, unrestrained “fee-for-service” system.

marshall plan

The plan adopted in 1947 for the economic rebuilding of Europe after the end of World War II. Named for Secretary of State George Marshall.

means-tested programs

Social programs in which recipients must meet an income test in order to qualify for benefits.

Medicaid

A federal state health insurance program that assists the poor and disabled. The federal government sets standards for services and pays about half the cost. States pay the rest and set standards for eligibility and overall benefit levels.

Medicare

A national health insurance program for senior citizens. Covers basic medical care for those age sixty-five and older, and others with permanent disabilities, diabetes, or end-stage renal disease.

medicare prescription drug, improvement, and modernization act of 2003

created Medicare Part D, a voluntary prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries.

merit good

A good or service to which people are entitled as a right. Some argue that health care should be considered a merit good and as such be provided by either employers or government regardless of ability to pay.

merit pay

The idea that teacher pay increases should be based on performance in the classroom

minimum wage

The lowest wage, typically by the hour, that employers may legally pay to employees or workers; the states may set a level for this wage that is higher than the federal minimum.

monetary policy

A tool used by the Federal Reserve Board to influence economic policy goals; it attempts to control economic fluctuations (through tools such as changes to the reserve requirement) by controlling the amount of money in circulation, also referred to as the money supply.

morrill act of 1862

provided federal land to states to establish colleges and universities that would focus on agriculture and the mechanic arts.

multiple use

principle that any natural resource, such as public forestland, can be used simultaneously for multiple purposes or use. A long-standing element of federal land and forest policies.

national assessment of educational progress

The test that is required by the No Child Left Behind Act to determine whether schools are meeting appropriate standards.

national debt

The accumulation of all of the deficits the nation has run historically.

national environmental policy act of 1969

requiring federal agencies to consider environmental impacts before undertaking major actions.

national forest management act of 1976

protect national forests from excessive and destructive logging and to ensure sustainable forest management practices.

national health insurance

A common health care policy in industrialized nations in which the national government provides health insurance to all citizens. Also called a single-payer system.

national school lunch act of 1946

provide subsidized, nutritionally balanced lunches to children in public and private schools.

national security act of 1947

created the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The act aimed to establish a more coordinated and unified approach to national security, emphasizing civilian control over military operations.

national security agency

A secretive intelligence agency created in 1952 to coordinate, direct, and perform activities to protect U.S. government information systems as well as assess a diversity of foreign communications related to national security.

national security council

A White House advisory body that focuses on issues of national security. Chaired by the president, it includes the vice president, the secretary of state, the secretary of the Treasury, the secretary of defense, and the assistant to the president for national security affairs

no child left behind act of 2001

improving public primary and secondary schools by increasing accountability for schools, districts, and states.

north atlantic treaty organization

A formal alliance of the United States, Canada, and Western European nations created in Washington, D.C., in 1949 to pursue common security interests. During the cold war, NATO stood in opposition to actions by the Warsaw Pact, representing the communist nations of Central and Eastern Europe.

nuclear proliferation

The spread of nuclear weapons knowledge and technology to new nations such as India and Pakistan.

organization of the petroleum exporting countries

An association of oil-producing and -exporting nations that was established to help fuse their mutual interests, particularly the price of oil on the world market and the stability of oil production and consumption.