Legislation: Major U.S. Legislation
Year Legislation Significance
1990 Securities Market Reform Act Gave Securities and Exchange Commission the authority to close the
nation’s stock exchanges in an emergency; restricted program trading.
1990 Airport Noise and Capacity Act Required the secretary of transportation to issue regulations
establishing a national aviation noise policy and to submit plans for
changes in federal aircraft noise standards.
1990 Clean Air Act Strengthened 1977 standards by imposing stricter federal controls on
smog and toxic emissions; mandated development of cleaner
automobiles and gasoline; placed limits on utility plant emissions that
caused acid rain.
1990 Americans with Disabilities Act Taking effect in stages between 1992 and 1996, the law required places
of business, public transportation, and public accommodations to be
made accessible to those with wheelchairs; prohibited discrimination
against the disabled.
1990 Iraq Sanctions Act Condemned Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990; granted the
president authority to cut off trade with any nation not complying with
the global embargo against Iraq.
1990 National Affordable Housing Act Authorized $57.4 billion over two years for programs, partnerships, and
grants related to housing; supported initiatives to promote home
ownership.
1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education
Act
Prohibited food manufacturers from making certain health and
nutrition claims about products not fully tested by the Food and Drug
Administration; required detailing of nutritional information on most
packaged food items.1990 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Called for $236 billion in spending reductions over five years through
tax increases, user fees, and savings in entitlement and other mandatory
programs.
1990 Food, Agriculture, Conservation,
and Trade Act
Reduced the amount of cropland eligible for income support payments
by 15 percent; maintained farm price support and income support
programs for five years.1990 Immigration Act Made it harder to deny entry to foreigners on the basis of their political
beliefs and sexual orientation; increased immigration quotas to 700,000
for the first three years of the act; set quotas at 675,000 annually
thereafter.
1990 Judicial Improvements Act Created seventy-four federal district court judgeships and eleven federal
circuit court of appeals judgeships.
1991 Resolution Trust Corporation
Funding Act
Approved $30 billion for the Resolution Trust Corporation to cover
losses on insured depositors at failed savings and loan associations.1991 Civil Rights Act Countered the effect of nine U.S. Supreme Court rulings by making it
easier for workers to win job-discrimination lawsuits.
1991 Emergency Unemployment
Compensation Act Amendments
Furnished up to seven additional weeks of unemployment benefits to
eligible persons.