Displaying 140 Accomplishments
  • Median household income up 5.2% for the first time in over seven years due to economic policies put in to place that benefit lower and middle income Americans
    Sep 13 2016
  • Poverty rate at its lowest level since 1999 due to economic policies put in to place that benefit lower and middle income Americans
    Sep 13 2016
  • 87,500 acres of wildlife, forests, rivers and mountains in Maine’s North Woods designated as a national monument that will be protected by the National Park Service
    Aug 24 2016
  • Transgender Americans able to serve openly in the military after the Department of Defense lifted a ban prohibiting them from serving
    Jul 01 2016
  • 42 prisoners serving excessive and unfair prison sentences for nonviolent crimes have sentences commuted
    Jun 03 2016
  • Nutritional labels updated and modernized to better inform consumers of what they are purchasing under new labeling rules by the Food and Drug Administration
    May 20 2016
  • Suggested maximum daily sugar amount added to nutritional labels for the first time under new labeling rules by the Food and Drug Administration
    May 20 2016
  • First openly gay Secretary of the Army confirmed unanimously by the Senate
    May 18 2016
  • Over four million Americans to qualify for overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours a week under new rule by the Labor Department that raised the salary threshold from $23,660 to $47,476 per year
    May 17 2016
  • Transgender students in public schools must be allowed to use the bathrooms of their gender identity under new rule by the Obama Administration
    May 12 2016
  • Stonewall Inn named the first national monument honoring the history of gays and lesbians in the United States
    May 04 2016
  • Individuals investing in retirement accounts protected under new rule requiring financial advisers to provide investment advice that puts their client's best interests above all else
    Apr 15 2016
  • Homeowners taken advantage of by deceptive mortgage practices from Goldman Sachs to receive monetary relief after agreement between the bank and the Justice Department
    Apr 11 2016
  • Gender neutral restrooms available for White House staff and visitors so individuals can use the bathroom that conforms to their gender identity
    Apr 07 2016
  • Hazardous industrial material crystalline silica which is known to pose serious risks of incurable lung disease and lung cancer regulated to lower the allowable exposure limit
    Mar 23 2016
  • Workers must be informed of their employers and its contractors direct or indirect persuading against forming a union under a new rule by the Labor Department
    Mar 23 2016
  • American citizens may fly to Cuba for the first time in 50 years after the two countries sign an agreement restoring commercial air travel
    Feb 16 2016
  • Consumers who reduce their electricity use during peak hours receive a discount through new rule by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
    Jan 25 2016
  • Families with three or more children have their taxes reduced $200-$600 through the permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit
    Dec 18 2015
  • Teacher performance evaluations no longer based off student test results after passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act
    Dec 10 2015
  • First openly gay American nominated to become Secretary of the Army
    Sep 18 2015
  • Employees of Federal government contractors must be offered seven days of paid sick leave per year
    Sep 07 2015
  • Transgender Americans may not be discriminated against by health insurance companies or medical providers
    Sep 03 2015
  • First openly transgender person hired by White House to work as civilian employee
    Aug 18 2015
  • Sexual orientation discrimination against Federal employees ruled illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
    Jul 16 2015
  • Government mandated threshold for all hourly workers to qualify for overtime pay increased from $23,660 to $50,440.
    Jun 30 2015
  • United States restores diplomatic relationship with Cuba after 50 year freeze
    Dec 17 2014
  • President Obama issues executive order allowing the parents of children who are U.S. citizens or legal residents to continue residing in the United States
    Nov 20 2014
  • President Obama signs executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminting against LGBT individuals
    Jul 21 2014
  • International Trade Data System created to streamline small business Export/Import process
    Feb 19 2014
  • Minimum wage for Federal Contractors raised to $10.10 per hour.
    Feb 12 2014
  • Federal Government reopens after 16 day shutdown defeating Republican partisan attempt to cancel health care benefits for millions under Obamacare
    Oct 17 2013
  • Defense of Marriage Act ruled unconstitutional by Supreme Court
    Jun 26 2013
  • President Obama becomes first sitting president to publicly support marriage equality
    May 09 2012
  • Federal unemployment benefits programs extended an additional 13 to 20 weeks
    Feb 22 2012
  • Cuts in Medicare physician payment rates averted with extension of existing rates through 2012
    Feb 22 2012
  • Employee social security payroll tax reduction from 6.2% to 4.2 % extended through 2012
    Feb 22 2012
  • Self-employed social security payroll tax reduction from 12.4% to 10.4 % extended through 2012
    Feb 22 2012
  • War in Iraq ended with last American troops crossing border into Kuwait
    Dec 17 2011
  • US government international campaign initiated to build respect for the human rights of LGBT persons worldwide
    Dec 06 2011
  • $700 million annual funding for child protection, child abuse prevention, family support and adoption promotion through 2016
  • Entrepreneurs and businesses benefited by reduced average wait time for patent approvals from 3 years to 1 year.
    Sep 16 2011
  • Patent litigation costs reduced through tightened patent standards, quality and processes to expedite challenges.
    Sep 16 2011
  • Defense of Marriage Act declared unconstitutional and no longer defended in federal courts by the Obama Administration
    Feb 23 2011
  • Small family farms selling locally exempted from federal regulations such as traceability and record keeping
    Jan 04 2011
  • Safety of imported food improved with new FSVP & VQIP programs that helps ensure it is safe, unadulterated and not misbranded
    Jan 04 2011
  • Safety of U.S. grown food improved with requirements for large factory farms to register all food handlers and maintain records relating to food safety
    Jan 04 2011
  • US sponsored measure to include “sexual orientation” in the definition of human rights adopted by the UN General Assembly, 122- 0.
    Dec 22 2010
  • Gays and lesbians allowed to serve openly in the military
  • $193 million saved over five years by eliminating recruiting and retraining costs of replacing soldiers discharged due to DADT
  • $186 billion in tax relief for all tax payers by extending the Bush income tax cuts for 2010 & 2011
    Dec 17 2010
  • $136 billion in tax relief for 21 million middle class households through patch to the Alternative Minimum Tax for 2010 & 2011
    Dec 17 2010
  • $111 billion in tax relief for workers by a reducing social security payroll tax from 6.2% to 4.2% for 2011.
    Dec 17 2010
  • Unemployment benefits extended for 13 months at a cost of $56 billion
    Dec 17 2010
  • $40 billion in tax credits for college students and lower income families with children
    Dec 17 2010
  • Number of eligible children enrolled in school meal programs increased by approximately 115,000 students
    Dec 13 2010
  • Schools and communities provided resources to utilize local farms and gardens to provide fresh produce for school food programs.
    Dec 13 2010
  • $1.5 billion awarded to some 75,000 black farmers who were victims of discrimination in applying for farm loans from 1983 to 1997
  • $3.4 billion settlement for Native Americans against the US government arising from incorrect accounting for royalties on mineral leases
    Dec 08 2010
  • Veteran work-study programs expanded to include congressional offices, state agencies and institutions of higher learning
    Oct 14 2010
  • On-the-job training opportunities expanded for veterans by reimbursing energy sector employers for training costs.
    Oct 14 2010
  • Insurance policy amounts and terms enhanced for severely disabled veterans
    Oct 14 2010
  • Service members receiving relocation orders protected from early termination fees for certain contracts and residential leases
  • $10 million in job training, counseling, placement services, and child care services for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children
    Oct 14 2010
  • Disabled veterans provided improved independent assisted living services, automobile adaptive equipment and allowances for automobile purchase
    Oct 14 2010
  • $30 billion lending program created for community banks with incentives to increase small business lending
    Sep 27 2010
  • $12 billion in assistance for small businesses through eight separate tax cuts
    Sep 27 2010
  • Large disparity in jail sentences reduced for crack cocaine related offenses that disproportionately affected African Americans
  • Borrowers protected from bad loans with rules and penalties requiring that lenders verify that they are able to repay the loans that they issue
    Jul 22 2010
  • FDIC bank deposit insurance increased from $100,000 to $250,000
    Jul 22 2010
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau established to promote fairness and transparency for mortgages, credit cards, and other consumer financial products
    Jul 22 2010
  • Federal benefits extended to same sex partners of workers through memorandum by Obama administration
    Jun 02 2010
  • Transgender Americans able to list their gender identity on their passports under rule issued by the State Department
    Jun 01 2010
  • Family caregivers of veterans granted eligibility to VA counseling and mental health services
    May 05 2010
  • Health care services improved and expanded for women veterans at Veterans care facilities
    May 05 2010
  • Counseling and care enhanced for military women victims of sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
    May 05 2010
  • Care options expanded for veterans living in rural areas that lack the necessary VA medical facilities
    May 05 2010
  • Housing and care options expanded for homeless veterans living in care shelters
    May 05 2010
  • $68 billion to expand Pell grants & make it easier for students to repay outstanding loans after graduation through savings in the federal student loan program
    Mar 30 2010
  • $2 billion investment to laid off workers for education and career training programs in community colleges over four years starting in 2010
    Mar 30 2010
  • $250 rebate for those in the Medicare Prescription drug "donut hole" during 2010
    Mar 23 2010
  • 50% discount on prescription drug costs for seniors in the Medicare "donut hole" starting in 2011
    Mar 23 2010
  • Health care insurance plans prohibited from putting a lifetime limit on the benefits you receive
    Mar 23 2010
  • Annual dollar limits on health benefits restricted and phased out by 2014
    Mar 23 2010
  • Insurers selling to groups of 50 or more employees must spend 85% of premiums on medical care and quality improvement
    Mar 23 2010
  • Consumers guaranteed the right to choose the primary care doctor or pediatrician from their health plan’s provider network
    Mar 23 2010
  • Preventative services will be covered at no additional cost
    Mar 23 2010
  • Insurance companies must provide consumers a short, easy to understand summary of their benefits and coverage
    Mar 23 2010
  • Health insurance companies can not charge higher premiums for out of network emergency room care
    Mar 23 2010
  • People denied coverage for a pre-existing condition given access to a temporary high risk health insurance plan
    Mar 23 2010
  • Children under 19 can no longer be denied coverage or benefits for a pre-existing condition
    Mar 23 2010
  • Young adults can stay on parent's insurance plan up until age 26
    Mar 23 2010
  • People with a pre-existing condition cannot be denied health coverge by an insurance company starting in 2014
    Mar 23 2010
  • Insurance companies must spend 80% of the money raised from consumers premiums on health care and quality improvement
    Mar 23 2010
  • Social Security payroll tax credits in 2010 for employers that hired people who have been unemployed for 60+ days
    Mar 18 2010
  • Tax credits to employers who keep new hires for 52 weeks to encourage retention of new hires
    Mar 18 2010
  • $17.5 billion in tax cuts, business credits and subsidies for state and local construction bonds to stimulate business investment and hiring
    Mar 18 2010
  • $20 billion to the highway trust fund for spending on highway and transit programs.
    Mar 18 2010
  • Encourages job creation by expanding investments in schools and clean energy projects
    Mar 18 2010
  • Offsets costs through a 30 percent withholding tax on income from certain U.S. financial assets held by foreign banks who have not agreed to disclosures.
    Mar 18 2010
  • Discrimination based on gender identity banned in federal workplaces
    Jan 01 2010
  • Liquidation of General Motors and Chrysler avoided through government mandated restructuring plans and conditional investment and loan programs
  • 115,000 jobs created at General Motors and Chrysler since government financing and restructuring implemented
  • 1.45 million American jobs saved overall by government financing and restructuring of GM and Chrysler to avoid liquidation
  • $96 billion in personal income losses avoided by government financing and restructuring of GM and Chrysler to avoid liquidation
  • $28.6 billion net public benefit in income taxes and social security taxes paid because liquidation of GM and Chrysler avoided
  • People with HIV/AIDS no longer prohibited from entering the United States
    Oct 30 2009
  • Federal hate crime law expanded to include crimes motivated by gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.
    Oct 28 2009
  • Existing hate crime laws strengthened with funding to investigate and prosecute those crimes
    Oct 28 2009
  • First-ever reception at the White House honoring Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered, Bisexual Pride Month hosted by the President and First lady
    Jun 29 2009
  • Sonya Sotomayor nominated and approved as Supreme Court justice
  • Credit cardholders protected against arbitrary interest rate increases, hidden and excessive fees, and due date gimmicks
    May 22 2009
  • Homeowners' foreclosures avoided by improved terms for loan modification and restructuring of their debt
    May 20 2009
  • Lenders incentivized to reduce foreclosures by loss mitigation guarantees, compensation and lender protection from lawsuits by investors holding the loans
    May 20 2009
  • $2.2 billion appropriated to help communities address the homeless crisis.
    May 20 2009
  • Financial Crisis Inquiry commission created to examine and report on the domestic and global causes of the 2008 - 2009 financial and economic crisis
    May 20 2009
  • Mortgage lending businesses added to list of financial institutions subject to Federal criminal law in fraudulent lending practices
    May 20 2009
  • Crime of major fraud against the United States amended to include Federal grants made to stimulate economic recovery for fiscal years 2009 and 2010
    May 20 2009
  • Securities fraud definition amended to include fraud related to commodities futures and derivatives fraud
    May 20 2009
  • $140 million in special funding for the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate fraud in financial institutions
    May 20 2009
  • $100 million in special funding for the offices of the United States Attorneys to investigate and prosecute fraud in financial institutions
    May 20 2009
  • $80 million in special funding to the criminal, civil and tax divisions of the Dept of Justice to investigate and prosecute fraud in financial institutions
    May 20 2009
  • $60 million in special funding for the Postal Inspection Service to investigate financial institutions for fraud
    May 20 2009
  • $60 million in special funding for Inspector General's Office at the U S Dept of Housing and Urban Development to investigate financial institutions for fraud
    May 20 2009
  • $40 million in special funding for the Secret Service to investigate financial institutions for fraud
    May 20 2009
  • $42 million in special funding for the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate securites fraud in financial institutions
    May 20 2009
  • 250,000 volunteers by 2017 for community service programs in low income neighborhoods
  • Community volunteer program expanded to address the education, health care, energy and veterans needs of low income communities
  • Disadvantaged youth job opportunites enhanced by community service to gain skills/experience and earn education grants and stipends
  • Approximately 2.7 million jobs added to US payrolls and unemployment rate kept 1½ percentage points lower due to Stimulus spending
    Apr 01 2009
  • 2010 real GDP increased by about 3.4% due to stimulus spending
    Feb 17 2009
  • Tax credit of $400 per worker ($800 per couple) for middle income workers for 2009 & 2010 totaling $116 billion
    Feb 17 2009
  • $82.2 billion in aid for low income workers, unemployed and retirees (including job training)
    Feb 17 2009
  • $70 billion in tax relief for middle class workers by patching the Alternative Minimum Tax for one year
    Feb 17 2009
  • $155 billion in health care assistance for the poor & unemployed primarily for Medicaid, health information technology and insurance premium subsidies
    Feb 17 2009
  • $100 billion in education aid to prevent lay-offs, modernize schools, award Pell grants and help low income children & special education programs
    Feb 17 2009
  • 4 million more children insured under SCHIP in addition to the 6.6 million already covered
    Feb 04 2009
  • Statute of limitations on filing equal-pay lawsuits eased by setting period to start from the date of the most recent paycheck.
    Jan 29 2009
  • Pay discrimination based on gender, race, color, national origin, age and disability prohibited.
    Jan 29 2009
  • Employers prompted to review, develop and update their criteria on employee compensation to ensure they are applied consistently and uniformly.
    Jan 29 2009