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Unborn Victims of Violence Act
This was signed into law by President George W. Bush, recognizing an "unborn child" as a legal victim if they are injured or killed during the commission of a federal crime. This act applies to over 60 federal crimes, such as assault, murder, or terrorism on federal lands or against federal officials. This allows federal authorities to prosecute offenders for harming or killing a fetus as a separate offense from any harm done to the mother.
This law is mentioned on page 272 of the book -
Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004
FALCPA is a U.S. federal law made to improve the safety of consumers with food allergies by requiring clearer labeling of food products. This requires manufacturers to clearly label any presence of the eight major food allergens in their products. These are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. Allergens must be identified in the ingredient list, "contains list", and "may contain" list to avoid cross-contamination, making it easier to manage food allergies. -
The Assistive Technology Act of 2004
This act provided funding for state programs designed to find and acquire assistive technologies. It also promoted awareness and education about resources available for families, students, educators, etc. This act also supported training for all who needed as these devices can be hard to navigate. The 2004 version of this act provided more hands-on support and access, rather than just research or training professionals. -
Individuals with Disabilities Act Reauthorization
This act mandates that all students with disabilities be provided with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) special education services be tailored to meet the needs of each student, and that students with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment (LRE), meaning they should be integrated with non-disabled peers. The reauthorization focuses on early intervention, teacher qualifications, response to intervention, and accountability for the progress of students with IEPs. -
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane centered in New Orleans, Louisiana. 80% of New Orleans was flooded. It formed, August 23, 2005, made landfall: August 29, 2005, and finally dissipated: August 31, 2005. There was an estimated 108 billion dollars in property damage and a total of 1,833 deaths. Over 1 million people were displaced, one of the largest displacements in U.S. history. Delays in evacuation, emergency aid, and rescue drew criticism of Bush. Page 280 of the book. -
Invention of iPhone
The iPhone revolutionized the way people interact with technology. Steve Jobs announced the iPhone at the Macworld conference in San Francisco on January 9, 2007. Key features included
The multi-touch interface, all-screen design with no physical keyboard, a visual voicemail, and Safari Mobile. This changed how we communicate (calls, texts, FaceTime, social media) and transformed industries such as cameras, music players, gaming, and GPS. These were all major leaps in technology for the time. -
Invention of Kindle
The first Kindle was sold for $399 and sold out in less than 6 hours after launching. The Kindle made it easier and faster to access books. It also created an increase of self-publishing, Kindle Direct Publishing allowed authors to publish their work directly to the Kindle Store faster than possible traditionally. The Kindle had things other e-readers at the time did not, such as an integrated bookstore, wireless book downloads, and an E Ink display. -
Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)
The MHPAEA is a federal law that requires most health insurance plans to provide equal coverage for mental health and substance use disorders as they do for medical and surgical care. This took effect for most group health plans starting in 2010. MHPAEA helps eliminate barriers to care for people with conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. It was a big step toward treating mental health as health. -
Inauguration of Barack Obama
Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected as President of the United States. The inauguration was attended by almost 2 million people in Washington, D.C., making it the largest inaugural crowd in U.S. history at the time. Key things Obama did in office were the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, the Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in 2011, and the Fair Sentencing Act in 2010. He also impacted healthcare, climate policy, foreign relations, and civil rights. -
Sandy Hook Shooting
The shooter was Adam Lanza was was 20 at the time. Before going to elementary school, he shot and killed his mother. He used a Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle. 26 people were killed in under five minutes, including 20 children aged 6–7 and 6 adult staff members. Adam then took his own life as police arrived. At the time, it was the second-deadliest mass shooting at a U.S. school. States, like Connecticut and New York, passed stricter gun laws in response. There is now a Sandy Hook Promise foundation. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Obergefell v. Hodges was decided in the Supreme Court. The case was to challenge state bans on same-sex marriage and the refusal to recognize legal marriages performed in other states. The Supreme Court ruled in a 5–4 decision that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry and all states must both license and recognize marriages between same-sex couples, regardless of where they were performed. Now, same-sex marriage is legal nationwide in the U.S.