The 1980's

  • Air Traffic-controllers strike

    Thousands of air-trtaffic controllers went on strike and Reagan refused to work out the problem with the Professional Air Traffic COntrollers Organization and fired the workers that went on strike because they were violating a law forbidding federal employees from striking.
  • Equal Access Act

    This act required public secondary schools to allow any group equal access to school facilities. Conservative Christian groups supported this act because many public schools didn't allow religious groups to meet on school property
  • Iran-Contra Scandal

    A scandal that happened under President Reagan involving the use of money from secret arms sales to Iran to illegally support the Contras in Nicaragua
  • Gramm-Rudman Hollings Act

    The law provided for automatic spending cuts to take effect if the president and Congress failed to reach established targets; the U.S. comptroller general was given the right to order spending cuts.
  • Westside Community School District v. Mergens

    Bridget Mergens wanted to form a Christian religious group at a school and was rejected by an Omaha high school. Mergens claimed that the federal law required "equal access" for student religious groups.
  • Reno v. ACLU

    The 1996 Federal Communications Decency Act said it was a crime to send and receive bad or wrong messages over the internet in hope to protect minors. The court ruled it was a violation of the 1st amendment.
  • Mitchell v. Helms

    A Surpreme Court Case ruled that a federal law providing funds for educational materials to public and private school, including Catholic parochial schools, does not violate the 1st Admendment Establishment Clause.
  • Bush v. Gore

    Following the controversial 2000 presidential election, the Surpreme Court held that the Florida Surpreme Court's plan for recounting ballots was unconstitutional.