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Water Quality Control Act
Regulated discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. -
U.S. illegally sells arms to Iran (Iran-Contra Affair)
Senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to the Khomeini government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was the subject of an arms embargo. The administration hoped to use the proceeds of the arms sale to fund the Contras in Nicaragua. -
Fifty-two American hostages held in Iran released
Hostages from Iran were released and $8 billion of Irans assets were unfrozen -
Reagan inaugurated
Reagan was sworn into presidency -
Reagan delivers his first State of the Union
Reagan gives a speech in congress to layout is plans of presidency -
Spending speech (increase defense, decrease taxes)
Reagan proposed decreasing taxes and domestic spending while also increasing defense -
Reagan shot
Reagan was shot at six times. Bullet was lodged a few inches from his heart. He did survive -
Soviet grain embargo lifted
The United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union was enacted in response to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and lasted until 1981 when Reagan lifted it -
Reagan and air-traffic controllers strike
Reagan fired 11,345 air-traffic controllers because they went on strike and would not go to work. As a result Labor unions deteriorated as employers fired striking workers and replaced them. -
Sandra Day O’Connor nominated to Supreme Court
Sandra Day O’Connor was nominated to Supreme Court by Reagan. Was the first Female Supreme Court Justice -
Military buildup (B-1 Bomber and MX missiles)
Reagan seeking Congress' approval to build 100 MX land-based missiles and 100 B1 bombers under a $180.3 billion program to upgrade the nation's nuclear forces. -
Sanctions on Poland
Reagan ordered a series of economic reprisals against the Polish government and warned that he is prepared to impose more serious sanctions against both Poland and the Soviet Union if "the outrages in Poland do not cease." -
Tax Equity & Fiscal Responsibility Act
The Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, also known as TEFRA, is a United States federal law that rescinded some of the effects of the Kemp-Roth Act passed the year before. -
Reagan addresses Parliament in England
Reagan gave the first speech by an American president to a meeting of both houses of the British Parliament, President Ronald Reagan presents his hope for a future -
Social Security reform becomes law
Up to one-half of the value of the Social Security benefit was made potentially taxable income. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
A plan to develop a space-based missile defense program that could protect the country from a large-scale nuclear attack. -
Suicide bombers attack U.S. Marines in Lebanon (1983)
Two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut, Lebanon, housing American and French service members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon, a military peacekeeping operation during the Lebanese Civil War -
Invasion of Grenada
The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada, 100 miles north of Venezuela. Code named Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, it resulted in military occupation within a few days -
Farm credit crises (Feb 1985)
Farm debt for land and equipment purchases soared during the 1970s and early 1980s, doubling between 1978 and 1984. -
Embargo on Nicaragua
The United States embargo against Nicaragua was declared by Reagan and prohibited all trade between the U.S. and Nicaragua. In a strategy similar to the embargo against Cuba, it was intended to undermine the Sandinista government which came to power in 1979. -
Reagan, Gorbachev hold summit in Switzerland
A Cold War-era meeting in Geneva, Switzerland between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The two leaders met for the first time to hold talks on international diplomatic relations and the arms race. -
Space Shuttle Challenger explosion (Reagan Speech)
“The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives,” Reagan said. “We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth' to 'touch the face of God. ' -
South African sanctions
The Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 was a law enacted by the United States Congress. The law imposed sanctions against South Africa and stated five preconditions for lifting the sanctions that would essentially end the system of apartheid, which the latter was under at the time. -
Reagan and Gorbachev meet in Iceland Democrats gain seats
A sweeping nuclear arms-control agreement in which the nuclear weapons of both sides would be dismantled. -
Tower Commission concludes report (1987)
Concluded that CIA Director William Casey, who supported the Iran-Contra arrangement, should have taken over the operation and made the president aware of the risks and notified Congress as legally required. -
Berlin Wall Speech in West Berlin (1987)
Reagan delivered a speech in which he said he wanted to tear down the Berlin wall -
Gorbachev, Reagan sign treaty (1987)
Reagan and Gorbachev signed the INF Treaty in Washington, D.C. The final treaty eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons, restricting the deployment of both intermediate and short-range land-based missiles worldwide. -
Reagan visits Soviet Union (1988)
Reagan meets with the leader of the soviet union -
Reagan prohibits abortion assistance (1988)
Prohibited most of the nation's family planning clinics from providing advice or other assistance that would help women obtain abortions -
Reagan says farewell
Reagan delivered a speech saying goodbye after his presidency ends