Main Legislation to Know (Altman provided) (copy)

^^Judiciary Act of 1789^^

  • Passed because the legislative branch had to create the courts inferior to SCOTUS

  • Created the federal court system

  • Created attorney general position

^^Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (1995)^^

  • Done to limit unfunded federal mandate imposition
  • Strengthened federalism apparently

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

  • Began with the First Food Stamp Act

^^Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (1996)^^

  • Provides cash assistance to families with children in poverty
  • Block grant as a part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act to end welfare
  • States choose how to use the money in which programs exactly

^^National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter Law^^

  • Made voter registration easier
  • States must offer registration opportunities at the DMV when getting licenses for example
  • Registration locations are broadened and expanded

^^Clean Air Act^^

  • Regulated air emissions
  • Environmental Protection Agency can establish regulations to protect public health and welfare via emission regulation

^^Americans with Disabilities Act^^

  • Civil rights law
  • Prevents discrimination against those with disabilities

^^Title IX^^

  • Created to give women the same educational opportunities as men
  • No discrimination based on gender in education

^^Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act^^

  • Amended the Gun Control Act of 1968
  • Must wait 5 days after transaction to deliver a handgun to those unlicensed
  • Background checks required
  • Expired in 1998

^^Civil Service Reform Act^^

  • Created the Civil Service Commission
  • No discrimination in the workplace
  • No spoils system- merit system installed

^^Pendleton Act^^

  • Established merit based hiring in the government

^^Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act^^

  • McCain-Feingold Act
  • Amendment FECA
  • Banned soft money
  • PACs cannot donate 30-60 days to electioneering communications
  • Restricted hard money
  • Approval message in ads are required

^^Civil Rights Act of 1964^^

  • Prohibited discrimination in the workplace and in public

^^Voting Rights Act of 1965^^

  • Prevents discriminatory voting practices in the South after the civil war
  • Banned literacy tests
  • Added preclearance to ensure that state election methods were preapproved
  • Enforced 15th amendment

^^War Powers Act^^

  • POTUS must consult with Congress about troop deployment

  • Congress must be notified within 48 hours of troop deployment

  • POTUS has to end foreign military actions after 60 days unless war is declared or continuation is authorized by Congress

^^Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)^^

  • Limited individual contributions to 1k
  • Limited candidate own contributions to 50k
  • Defined and regulated PACs
  • Tightened reporting requirements about donations from parties

^^Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act^^

  • Goal was to do away with welfare programs by weaning

  • mandated that welfare recipients work based on personal responsibility and work

  • Shifted welfare to state responsibilities with TANF

^^No Child Left Behind^^

  • Increased federal role in education

  • Focused on standardized testing and higher scores

  • States had to comply to get funds

^^USA PATRIOT Act^^

  • Preventing terrorism was the goal
  • Security was greatly increased in airports, for example
  • In response to 9/11

^^Smoot Hawley Tariff Act^^

  • Intended to help farmers
  • Raised import duties on many agricultural and industrial goods
  • Related to Taft-Hartley Act

^^Taft-Hartley Act^^

  • Defined more unfair labor practiced
  • Protects employee rights from unfair union practices