Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) - Requires employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for the disabled and prohibits discrimination against the disabled in employment.

Civil Rights Act (1964) - Makes discrimination based on race, national origin, or religion illegal in places of public accommodation (restaurants/hotels/theaters/etc.) and forbids job discrimination. Amendments also outlawed discrimination by gender.

Voting Rights Act (1965) - Forbade laws and practices that denied the right to vote to anyone who was legally allowed to vote (focused mostly on racist practices such as literacy tests and voter intimidation of African Americans)

Clean Air Act (1970) - Legislation in the interest of combating air pollution. Set minimum national standards for states to meet.

Clean Water Act (1972) - Requires municipalities and industries to use pollution-control technologies and obtain EPA permits to discharge waste into waters

Medicaid (1965) - Health care for low-income individuals

Medicare (1965) - Health care for the elderly. Added to Social Security System.

Social Security Act (1935) - Provides a minimal level of income assistance to the elderly.

Taft-Hartley Act (1947) - Allows the president to halt labor strikes. Workers are not required to join unions.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2001) - Requires states to set high academic standards and support all students in meeting those standards.

Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (1974) - Allowed Congress to meet its own budget goals and be less reliant on the president's budget. Made it so the president’s use of impoundment (refusal to spend appropriated funds) was limited.

Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act (1985) - Law limiting deficits and requiring a balanced budget. Abandoned in 1991. Also known just as Gramm Rudman Act War Powers Resolution (1973) Requires the president to consult with Congress before using force (if possible, and if not to notify within 48 hours of using force) and withdraw forces after 60 days if no Congressional support.

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883) - Creates federal civil service with hiring and promotion based on merit, not patronage.

Patriot Act (2001) - Reduces restrictions on the government gathering intelligence, regulating financial transactions, and detaining and deporting terrorism suspects.

Federal Election Campaign Act (1974) - Limits presidential campaign spending, attempted to limit contributions, required disclosure of campaign finance information, provided public financing for presidential campaigns, and established Federal Election Commission.

Hatch Act (1939) Full title: The Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities) - Prohibits government employees from participation in partisan politics. Amended to now mostly just prevent it while at work, except for sensitive agencies (FBI, for example) who are prohibited from outwardly engaging in partisan politics at all times.

McCain-Feingold Act (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act) (2002) - Regulates the largely banned political party use of "soft money," regulates issue advocacy ads.

National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter Act) (1993) - Permits voter registration while applying for a driver’s license at DMV (Secretary of State in Michigan)

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (1974) - Act which declassified government documents for public use. Allows people to request government documents.

Espionage Act (1917) - Law which punished people for aiding the enemy or refusing military duty during WW1.

Title IX Education Act (1972) - Prohibited gender discrimination in federally funded education programs

New Deal Legislation (1933-39) - Legislation that expanded the role of government in the economy and society. created entities like social security, the securities and exchange commission, and the TVA. these laws also dramatically expanded the role and size of the federal government.

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (better known as the Welfare Reform Act) (1996) - Sought to increase the role of personal responsibility in welfare recipients and shifted many responsibilities for welfare provision to state governments.

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act (2010) - Created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which is responsible for protecting consumers against abuses related to credit cards, mortgages, and other financial products.

Glass-Steagall Act (1933) - Separated investment banking from retail banking, and placed large restrictions on limited risky investments with depositors’ money for retail banks. Established the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). Repealed in 1999, but many banks still follow its principles.

Emergency Banking Act (1933) - Aimed at restoring public confidence in the nation’s financial system after a weeklong bank holiday, took the US off the gold standard, and gave the president wide powers during financial crises.