APUSh Chapter 31

Affordable Care Act

Sweeping 2010 health-care reform bill championed by President Obama that established nearly universal health insurance by providing subsidies and compelling larger businesses to offer coverage to employees.

NAFTA

A 1993 treaty that eliminated all tariffs and trade barriers among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Established to offset European bloc.

PATRIOT Act

A 2001 law that gave the government new powers to monitor suspected terrorists and their associates, including the ability to access personal information.

Defense of Marriage Act

A law enacted by Congress in 1998 that allowed states to refuse to recognize gay marriages or civil unions formed in other jurisdictions. The Supreme Court ruled that DOMA was unconstitutional in 2013.

Al Qaeda

A network of radical Islamic terrorists organized by Osama bin Laden, who issued a call for holy war against Americans and their allies. Members of Al Qaeda were responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Trained in Afghanistan, had gone to flight school in America.

G8

An international organization of the leading capitalist industrial nations: the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, and Russia. The G8 largely controlled the world's major international financial organizations: the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

Barack Obama

Democratic senator from Illinois, 44th president, Affordable care act, first black president, became president during economic recession

Bill Clinton

Governor from Arkansas, brought Reagan Democrats and middle-class back, won the vote despite allegations of him smoking pot, cheating, etc. Running mate was Al Gore, divisiveness was a hallmark. Most well-known for his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Tried to establish universal health care, but failed. Balanced the federal budget.

Contract with America

Initiatives by Representative Newt Gingrich of Georgia for significant tax cuts, reductions in welfare programs, anticrime measures, and cutbacks in federal regulations. Had been a big part of the Reagan Revolution, but believed that Bush 1 didn't do enough.

George W. Bush

Outsider, won electoral vote, but not popular. Florida gave him the presidency, Cheney became his vice president, but was more like a co-president. Pushed for reducing taxes, more than even Reagan.

Newt Gingrich

Lead the Republican charge, and called for tax cuts, reductions in welfare programs, anticrime initiatives, and cutbacks in federal regulations. Created Contract with America.

Hillary Clinton

New York Senator, Secretary of State, set up health-care task, "managed competition," didn't work and universal-health care plan failed