How did the United States change between Jan 20, 1981 and Jan 19, 1989?
Pick two dates. See the laws, the executive orders, the courts, Congress, federal agencies, the Constitution and the budget, as a diff.
$ civicdiff 1981-01-20..1989-01-19 # 8 years
jsonLaws enacted
+2,47192 notable
Executive orders
—records start in 1994
Final rules
—records start in 1994
Supreme Court
3 of 9seats changed hands
Agencies
+26 −3departments & tracked agencies
Public debt
+$1.69T$908B → $2.60T
The presidency passed from James Earl Carter to Ronald Wilson Reagan. Congress enacted 2,471 public laws. 33 senators and 196 representatives took seats that they did not hold before. 3 new justices joined the Supreme Court. Inflation-adjusted federal spending changed +26% (FY1981 → FY1989).
Executive
executive/presidentThe presidencyJames Earl Carter D
39th president
Ronald Wilson Reagan R
40th president · took office Jan 20, 1981
executive/vice-presidentThe vice presidencyWalter Frederick Mondale D
George Herbert Walker Bush R
took office Jan 20, 1985
executive/cabinetCabinet & senior officials+25−21Wikidata ↗
Secretary of State · 2 people took this office in between
David D. Newsom (acting)
Secretary of the Treasury · 3 people took this office in between
Secretary of Defense · 2 people took this office in between
Attorney General · 3 people took this office in between
Secretary of the Navy · 3 people took this office in between
Secretary of the Interior · 2 people took this office in between
Show 13 more cabinet offices
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce · 2 people took this office in between
Secretary of Labor · 2 people took this office in between
Secretary of Health and Human Services · 2 people took this office in between
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation · 2 people took this office in between
Secretary of Energy · 3 people took this office in between
Secretary of Education · 3 people took this office in between
White House Chief of Staff · 4 people took this office in between
Director of the Office of Management and Budget · 3 people took this office in between
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency · 3 people took this office in between
Ambassador to the United Nations · 2 people took this office in between
Director of Central Intelligence · 2 people took this office in between
Other senior officials (6 changed)
Secretary of the Navy · 3 people took this office in between
Chair of the Federal Reserve
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff · 2 people took this office in between
Director of the FBI
National Security Advisor · 6 people took this office in between
Solicitor General · 2 people took this office in between
executive/ordersExecutive ordersno dataFederal Register API ↗
Federal Register records of executive orders begin in 1994.
executive/nominationsSenate confirmations+3,621Congress.gov ↗
4,428 civilian nominations received · 3,621 confirmed · 63 withdrawn · 503 returned to the President
Caspar Willard Weinberger, of California, to be Secretary of Defense.
confirmed Jan 20, 1981 · 97–2
Richard S. Schweiker, of Pennsylvania, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.
confirmed Jan 21, 1981 · 99–0
Donald T. Regan, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of the Treasury.
confirmed Jan 21, 1981 · 98–0
Alexander Meigs Haig, Jr., of Connecticut, to be Secretary of State.
confirmed Jan 21, 1981 · 93–6
T. H. Bell, of Utah, to be Secretary of Education.
confirmed Jan 22, 1981 · 90–2
Andrew L. Lewis, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be Secretary of Transportation.
confirmed Jan 22, 1981 · 98–0
James B. Edwards, of South Carolina, to be Secretary of Energy.
confirmed Jan 22, 1981 · 93–3
Samuel R. Pierce, Jr., of New York, to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
confirmed Jan 22, 1981 · 98–0
Malcolm Baldrige, of Connecticut, to be Secretary of Commerce.
confirmed Jan 22, 1981 · 97–1
John R. Block, of Illinois, to be Secretary of Agriculture.
confirmed Jan 22, 1981 · 98–0
William French Smith, of California, to be Attorney General.
confirmed Jan 22, 1981 · 96–1
Show 39 more top confirmations
James Gaius Watt, of Colorado, to be Secretary of the Interior.
confirmed Jan 22, 1981 · 83–12
David A. Stockman, of Michigan, to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
confirmed Jan 27, 1981 · 93–0
Raymond J. Donovan, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of Labor.
confirmed Feb 3, 1981 · 80–17
George P. Shultz, of California, to be Secretary of State.
confirmed Jul 15, 1982 · 97–0
Elizabeth Hanford Dole, of Kansas, to be Secretary of Transportation.
confirmed Feb 1, 1983 · 97–0
Margaret M. Heckler, of Massachusetts, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.
confirmed Mar 3, 1983 · 82–3
William P. Clark, of California, to be Secretary of the Interior.
confirmed Nov 18, 1983 · 71–18
James A. Baker III, of Texas, to be Secretary of the Treasury.
confirmed Jan 29, 1985 · 95–0
John S. Herrington, of California, to be Secretary of Energy.
confirmed Feb 6, 1985 · 93–1
William J. Bennett, of North Carolina, to be Secretary of Education.
confirmed Feb 6, 1985 · 93–0
Donald P. Hodel, of Virginia, to be Secretary of the Interior.
confirmed Feb 6, 1985 · 93–1
Edwin Meese III, of California, to be Attorney General.
confirmed Feb 23, 1985 · 63–31
William Emerson Brock III, of Tennessee, to be Secretary of Labor.
confirmed Apr 26, 1985
Otis R. Bowen, of Indiana, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.
confirmed Dec 12, 1985 · 93–2
Richard E. Lyng, of Virginia, to be Secretary of Agriculture.
confirmed Mar 6, 1986 · 95–2
William H. Rehnquist, of Virginia, to be Chief Justice of the United States.
confirmed Sep 17, 1986 · 65–33
C. William Verity, Jr., of Ohio, to be Secretary of Commerce.
confirmed Oct 13, 1987 · 84–11
Frank C. Carlucci, of Virginia, to be Secretary of Defense.
confirmed Nov 20, 1987 · 91–1
James H. Burnley IV, of North Carolina, to be Secretary of Transportation.
confirmed Nov 30, 1987 · 74–0
Ann Dore McLaughlin, of the District of Columbia, to be Secretary of Labor.
confirmed Dec 11, 1987 · 94–0
Richard L. Thornburgh, of Pennsylvania, to be Attorney General.
confirmed Aug 11, 1988 · 85–0
Nicholas F. Brady, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of the Treasury.
confirmed Sep 14, 1988 · 92–2
Lauro F. Cavazos, of Texas, to be Secretary of Education.
confirmed Sep 20, 1988 · 94–0
Civilian nominations only (military promotions excluded). Top confirmations are cabinet-level posts, Supreme Court justices, and the Fed chair.
executive/agenciesFederal agencies+26−3Wikidata ↗
295 → 319 tracked organizations · 14 → 14 executive departments
United States Arctic Research Commission
established Jan 1, 1984 · United States independent federal agency that develops and recommends a national Arctic research policy
United States Sentencing Commission
established Jan 1, 1984 · independent agency of the U.S. federal judiciary which determines sentencing guidelines
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
established Jan 1, 1986 · American merit-based scholarship awarded to prospective scientists
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
established Jan 1, 1986 · Independent agency of the US government
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
established Jan 1, 1986 · foundation established by United States Congress in 1986
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
established Jan 1, 1987 · U.S. independent federal agency
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
established Jan 29, 1981 · subagency within Office of Management and Budget, responsible for oversight of regulatory actions of other executive branch agencies
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
established Jan 1, 1982 · operator and manager of United States environmental satellite programs
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
established Jan 1, 1982 · organization
Minerals Management Service
established Jan 19, 1982 · government agency
Show 19 more
National Ocean Service
established Jan 1, 1983 · U.S. government agency; successor to the National Ocean Survey
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel
established Jan 1, 1983 · former US government office
Executive Office for Immigration Review
established Jan 9, 1983 · Office of the US Department of Justice
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
established Jan 1, 1984 · Branch of the US Food and Drug Administration
Office of Commercial Space Transportation
established Jan 1, 1984 · branch of the US FAA
United States Institute of Peace
established Jan 1, 1984 · national organization in the United States (since 1984)
Take Pride in America
established Jan 1, 1985 · encouraging volunteering for better public land care
Combat support agency
established Jan 1, 1986 · agency designation by the United States Department of Defense
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
established Jan 1, 1986 · United States federal agency division that supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases
Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer
established Jan 1, 1986
National Indian Gaming Commission
established Jan 1, 1988 · United States regulatory agency
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
established Jan 1, 1988 · member institute of the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Office for Victims of Crime
established Jan 1, 1988 · part of the U.S. Department of Justice
Technology Administration
established Oct 24, 1988 · former agency in the Department of Commerce that worked with United States industries
Office of Environmental Management
established Jan 1, 1989 · government organization in Washington D.C., United States
Office of Thrift Supervision
established Jan 1, 1989 · U.S. Treasury Department agency
National Ocean Survey
abolished Jan 1, 1983 · government agency; predecessor to the National Ocean Service · replaced by National Ocean Service
U.S. National Institute of Education
abolished Jan 1, 1985 · United States government agency (1972–1985)
Crop Reporting Board
abolished Jan 1, 1986 · Division of the USDA Bureau of Agricultural Economics
Agency start and end dates come from Wikidata, which covers smaller bureaus unevenly.
Military
military/conflictsArmed conflictsU.S. in 0 armed conflicts → 0
2 conflicts began and ended in between
Lebanese Civil War (Multinational Force)
1983 – 1984 · U.S. troops fighting alongside the government · against Amal, NSF
Invasion of Grenada
Oct 25, 1983 – Oct 27, 1983 · U.S. a principal party · against Grenada
An armed conflict here means at least 25 battle deaths in a year, with U.S. forces as a party or fighting for a government (UCDP's definition). Air strikes, raids, and advisory missions below that threshold aren't included. UN peacekeeping missions are excluded.
military/authorizationsDeclarations of war & authorizationsMultinational Force in Lebanon Resolution
Oct 12, 1983 · Authorized U.S. participation in the Multinational Force in Lebanon (Pub. L. 98-119).
Legislative
legislative/controlControl of Congress97
98
99
100
101
Top: House · Bottom: Senate DemocraticRepublican
97th Congress → 101st Congress · 4 new Congresses elected
1 change of chamber control along the way
House: Democrat majority on both dates
241 D · 193 R → 261 D · 174 R
Senate: Republican majority
53 R · 47 D
Senate: Democrat majority
55 D · 45 R
legislative/senateSenate+33−33congress-legislators ↗
33 new members · 33 departed · 67 served on both dates · women 2 → 2 · median age 52 → 55
20 seats changed party
Howard Henry Baker Jr. R
Tennessee
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. D
Tennessee
Charles Harting Percy R
Illinois
Paul Martin Simon D
Illinois
Roger William Jepsen R
Iowa
Tom Harkin D
Iowa
Walter Darlington Huddleston D
Kentucky
Mitch McConnell R
Kentucky
Show 16 more seat flips
Mark Andrews R
North Dakota
Kent Conrad D
North Dakota
John Porter East R
North Carolina
James Terry Sanford D
North Carolina
T. Slade Gorton R
Washington
Brockman Adams D
Washington
Mack Francis Mattingly R
Georgia
Wyche Fowler Jr. D
Georgia
James Abdnor R
South Dakota
Thomas A. Daschle D
South Dakota
Paula Hawkins R
Florida
Bob Graham D
Florida
Thomas Francis Eagleton D
Missouri
Christopher S. Bond R
Missouri
Charles McCurdy Mathias Jr. R
Maryland
Barbara A. Mikulski D
Maryland
Paul Dominque Laxalt R
Nevada
Harry Reid D
Nevada
Jeremiah Andrew Denton Jr. R
Alabama
Richard C. Shelby D
Alabama
Henry Martin Jackson D
Washington
T. Slade Gorton R
Washington
Lawton Mainor Chiles Jr. D
Florida
Connie Mack III R
Florida
John Melcher D
Montana
Conrad Burns R
Montana
John Cornelius Stennis D
Mississippi
Trent Lott R
Mississippi
Harrison Hagan Schmitt R
New Mexico
Jeff Bingaman D
New Mexico
Lowell Palmer Weicker Jr. R
Connecticut
Joseph I. Lieberman D
Connecticut
Who joined and who left (33 in · 33 out)
Richard C. Shelby D
Alabama
John McCain R
Arizona
Pete Wilson R
California
Timothy E. Wirth D
Colorado
Joseph I. Lieberman D
Connecticut
Bob Graham D
Florida
Connie Mack III R
Florida
Wyche Fowler Jr. D
Georgia
Tom Harkin D
Iowa
Paul Martin Simon D
Illinois
Daniel Coats R
Indiana
Mitch McConnell R
Kentucky
John B. Breaux D
Louisiana
John F. Kerry D
Massachusetts
Barbara A. Mikulski D
Maryland
Christopher S. Bond R
Missouri
Trent Lott R
Mississippi
Conrad Burns R
Montana
James Terry Sanford D
North Carolina
Kent Conrad D
North Dakota
J. Robert Kerrey D
Nebraska
Frank R. Lautenberg D
New Jersey
Jeff Bingaman D
New Mexico
Harry Reid D
Nevada
Richard H. Bryan D
Nevada
Thomas A. Daschle D
South Dakota
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. D
Tennessee
Phil Gramm R
Texas
Charles S. Robb D
Virginia
James M. Jeffords R
Vermont
Brockman Adams D
Washington
Herb Kohl D
Wisconsin
John D. Rockefeller, IV D
West Virginia
Jeremiah Andrew Denton Jr. R
Alabama
Barry Morris Goldwater R
Arizona
Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa R
California
Gary Warren Hart D
Colorado
Lowell Palmer Weicker Jr. R
Connecticut
Lawton Mainor Chiles Jr. D
Florida
Paula Hawkins R
Florida
Mack Francis Mattingly R
Georgia
Roger William Jepsen R
Iowa
Charles Harting Percy R
Illinois
James Danforth Quayle R
Indiana
Walter Darlington Huddleston D
Kentucky
Russell Billiu Long D
Louisiana
Paul Efthemios Tsongas D
Massachusetts
Charles McCurdy Mathias Jr. R
Maryland
Thomas Francis Eagleton D
Missouri
John Cornelius Stennis D
Mississippi
John Melcher D
Montana
John Porter East R
North Carolina
Mark Andrews R
North Dakota
Edward Zorinsky D
Nebraska
Harrison Arlington Williams Jr. D
New Jersey
Harrison Hagan Schmitt R
New Mexico
Howard Walter Cannon D
Nevada
Paul Dominque Laxalt R
Nevada
James Abdnor R
South Dakota
Howard Henry Baker Jr. R
Tennessee
John Goodwin Tower R
Texas
Harry Flood Byrd Jr. I
Virginia
Robert Theodore Stafford R
Vermont
Henry Martin Jackson D
Washington
William Proxmire D
Wisconsin
Jennings Randolph D
West Virginia
legislative/houseHouse+196−196congress-legislators ↗
196 new members · 196 departed · 239 served on both dates · women 19 → 26 · median age 49 → 51
42 state delegations changed
Show delegation changes
Alabama 4 D · 3 R
Alabama 5 D · 2 R
Arkansas 2 D · 2 R
Arkansas 3 D · 1 R
Arizona 2 D · 2 R
Arizona 1 D · 4 R
California 22 D · 21 R
California 27 D · 18 R
Colorado 3 D · 2 R
Colorado 3 D · 3 R
Connecticut 4 D · 2 R
Connecticut 3 D · 3 R
Delaware 0 D · 1 R
Delaware 1 D · 0 R
Florida 11 D · 4 R
Florida 10 D · 9 R
Hawaii 2 D · 0 R
Hawaii 1 D · 1 R
Iowa 3 D · 3 R
Iowa 2 D · 4 R
Idaho 0 D · 2 R
Idaho 1 D · 1 R
Illinois 10 D · 14 R
Illinois 14 D · 8 R
Indiana 6 D · 5 R
Indiana 7 D · 3 R
Kansas 1 D · 4 R
Kansas 2 D · 3 R
Louisiana 6 D · 2 R
Louisiana 4 D · 4 R
Massachusetts 10 D · 2 R
Massachusetts 10 D · 1 R
Maryland 7 D · 1 R
Maryland 6 D · 2 R
Maine 0 D · 2 R
Maine 1 D · 1 R
Michigan 12 D · 7 R
Michigan 11 D · 7 R
Minnesota 3 D · 5 R
Minnesota 5 D · 3 R
Missouri 6 D · 4 R
Missouri 5 D · 4 R
Mississippi 3 D · 2 R
Mississippi 4 D · 1 R
North Carolina 7 D · 4 R
North Carolina 8 D · 3 R
Nebraska 0 D · 3 R
Nebraska 1 D · 2 R
New Hampshire 1 D · 1 R
New Hampshire 0 D · 2 R
New Jersey 8 D · 7 R
New Jersey 8 D · 6 R
New Mexico 0 D · 2 R
New Mexico 1 D · 2 R
Nevada 1 D · 0 R
Nevada 1 D · 1 R
New York 22 D · 17 R
New York 21 D · 13 R
Ohio 10 D · 13 R
Ohio 11 D · 10 R
Oklahoma 5 D · 1 R
Oklahoma 4 D · 2 R
Oregon 3 D · 1 R
Oregon 3 D · 2 R
Pennsylvania 11 D · 13 R · 1 other
Pennsylvania 12 D · 11 R
Rhode Island 1 D · 1 R
Rhode Island 0 D · 2 R
South Carolina 2 D · 4 R
South Carolina 4 D · 2 R
South Dakota 1 D · 1 R
South Dakota 1 D · 0 R
Tennessee 5 D · 3 R
Tennessee 6 D · 3 R
Texas 19 D · 5 R
Texas 19 D · 8 R
Utah 0 D · 2 R
Utah 1 D · 2 R
Virginia 1 D · 9 R
Virginia 5 D · 5 R
Washington 5 D · 2 R
Washington 5 D · 3 R
West Virginia 2 D · 2 R
West Virginia 4 D · 0 R
Who joined and who left (196 in · 196 out)
Ben Erdreich D
Alabama-6
Claude Harris Jr. D
Alabama-7
John Glen Browder D
Alabama-3
H. L. Callahan R
Alabama-1
Tommy Franklin Robinson D
Arkansas-2
John Jacob Rhodes III R
Arizona-1
James T. Kolbe R
Arizona-5
Jon Kyl R
Arizona-4
Jim Bates D
California-44
Douglas Harry Bosco D
California-1
Meldon Edises Levine D
California-27
Richard Henry Lehman D
California-18
Alfred A. McCandless R
California-37
Esteban Edward Torres D
California-34
Tom Campbell R
California-12
Matthew G. Martínez D
California-30
Ron Packard R
California-43
C. Christopher Cox R
California-40
Howard L. Berman D
California-26
Elton Gallegly R
California-21
Wally Herger R
California-2
Barbara Boxer D
California-6
Dana Rohrabacher R
California-42
Nancy Pelosi D
California-5
Daniel Schaefer R
Colorado-6
David Evans Skaggs D
Colorado-2
Ben Nighthorse Campbell D
Colorado-3
Joel Hefley R
Colorado-5
Bruce Andrew Morrison D
Connecticut-3
John Rowland R
Connecticut-5
Barbara Bailey Kennelly D
Connecticut-1
Nancy Lee Johnson R
Connecticut-6
Christopher H. Shays R
Connecticut-4
Thomas R. Carper D
Delaware-AL
James William Grant D
Florida-2
Craig T. James R
Florida-4
Lawrence Jack Smith D
Florida-16
Thomas F. Lewis R
Florida-12
Harry A. Johnston II D
Florida-14
Porter J. Goss R
Florida-13
Michael Bilirakis R
Florida-9
Cliff Stearns R
Florida-6
Ben Jones D
Georgia-4
Richard Belmont Ray D
Georgia-3
Robert Lindsay Thomas D
Georgia-1
George Darden D
Georgia-7
James Roy Rowland Jr. D
Georgia-8
John Lewis D
Georgia-5
Patricia Fukuda Saiki R
Hawaii-1
David Ray Nagle D
Iowa-3
Frederick Lawrence Grandy R
Iowa-6
James Ross Lightfoot R
Iowa-5
Richard Howard Stallings D
Idaho-2
Terry Lee Bruce D
Illinois-19
Charles Arthur Hayes D
Illinois-1
George Edward Sangmeister D
Illinois-4
Harris W. Fawell R
Illinois-13
Glenn Poshard D
Illinois-22
William O. Lipinski D
Illinois-5
Lane A. Evans D
Illinois-17
J. Dennis Hastert R
Illinois-14
Jerry F. Costello D
Illinois-21
Richard J. Durbin D
Illinois-20
James Prather Jontz D
Indiana-5
Jill Lynette Long Thompson D
Indiana-4
Francis Xavier McCloskey D
Indiana-8
Dan Burton R
Indiana-6
Peter J. Visclosky D
Indiana-1
James Charles Slattery D
Kansas-2
Jan Meyers R
Kansas-3
Carl Christopher Perkins D
Kentucky-7
Jim Bunning R
Kentucky-4
Clyde Cecil Holloway R
Louisiana-8
James Allison Hayes D
Louisiana-7
Richard Hugh Baker R
Louisiana-6
James O. McCrery III R
Louisiana-4
Chester Greenough Atkins D
Massachusetts-5
Joseph Patrick Kennedy II D
Massachusetts-8
Richard E. Neal D
Massachusetts-2
Charles Thomas McMillen D
Maryland-4
Helen Delich Bentley R
Maryland-2
Constance Morella R
Maryland-8
Benjamin L. Cardin D
Maryland-3
Kweisi Mfume D
Maryland-7
Joseph Edward Brennan D
Maine-1
Bill Schuette R
Michigan-10
Milton Robert Carr D
Michigan-6
Paul B. Henry R
Michigan-5
Sander M. Levin D
Michigan-17
Fred Upton R
Michigan-4
Gerald Edward Sikorski D
Minnesota-6
Timothy Joseph Penny D
Minnesota-1
John William Buechner R
Missouri-2
Alan Dupree Wheat D
Missouri-5
Melton D. Hancock R
Missouri-7
Larkin I. Smith R
Mississippi-5
Albert Michael Espy D
Mississippi-2
Michael Parker D
Mississippi-4
James McClure Clarke D
North Carolina-11
H. Martin Lancaster D
North Carolina-3
John Alexander, III McMillan R
North Carolina-9
Itimous Thaddeus, Jr., Valentine D
North Carolina-2
Cass Ballenger R
North Carolina-10
Howard Coble R
North Carolina-6
David E. Price D
North Carolina-4
Peter D. Hoagland D
Nebraska-2
Robert Smith R
New Hampshire-1
Charles Gywnne Douglas III R
New Hampshire-2
Dean Anderson Gallo R
New Jersey-11
Robert Torricelli D
New Jersey-9
H. James Saxton R
New Jersey-13
Donald M. Payne D
New Jersey-10
Frank Pallone, Jr. D
New Jersey-3
William Blaine Richardson D
New Mexico-3
Steven Harvey Schiff R
New Mexico-1
James Hubert Bilbray D
Nevada-1
Barbara Farrell Vucanovich R
Nevada-2
Robert Jan Mrazek D
New York-3
George Joseph Hochbrueckner D
New York-1
Floyd Harold Flake D
New York-6
Thomas J. Manton D
New York-9
L. William Paxon R
New York-31
Amory Houghton Jr. R
New York-34
Sherwood L. Boehlert R
New York-25
Major R. Owens D
New York-12
Michael R. McNulty D
New York-23
James T. Walsh R
New York-27
Gary L. Ackerman D
New York-7
Edolphus Towns D
New York-11
Louise McIntosh Slaughter D
New York-30
Eliot L. Engel D
New York-19
Nita M. Lowey D
New York-20
Donald Edgar Lukens R
Ohio-8
Edward Farrell Feighan D
Ohio-19
John R. Kasich R
Ohio-12
Michael DeWine R
Ohio-7
Thomas C. Sawyer D
Ohio-14
James A. Traficant Jr. D
Ohio-17
Michael G. Oxley R
Ohio-4
Paul E. Gillmor R
Ohio-5
Marcy Kaptur D
Ohio-9
James M. Inhofe R
Oklahoma-1
Robert Freeman Smith R
Oregon-2
Peter A. DeFazio D
Oregon-4
Joseph Paul Kolter D
Pennsylvania-4
Peter Houston Kostmayer D
Pennsylvania-8
Thomas Joseph Ridge R
Pennsylvania-21
Robert A. Borski D
Pennsylvania-3
George W. Gekas R
Pennsylvania-17
W. Curtis Weldon R
Pennsylvania-7
Paul E. Kanjorski D
Pennsylvania-11
Ronald K. Machtley R
Rhode Island-1
Elizabeth J. Patterson D
South Carolina-4
Robert Mooneyhan Tallon Jr. D
South Carolina-6
Arthur Ravenel Jr. R
South Carolina-1
John McKee Spratt Jr. D
South Carolina-5
Tim Johnson D
South Dakota-1
Donald Kenneth Sundquist R
Tennessee-7
Robert Clement D
Tennessee-5
Barton Jennings Gordon D
Tennessee-6
John S. Tanner D
Tennessee-8
John J. Duncan, Jr. R
Tennessee-2
Jim Cooper D
Tennessee-4
Harry Stephen Bartlett R
Texas-3
Albert Garza Bustamante D
Texas-23
Michael Allen Andrews D
Texas-25
William Sarpalius D
Texas-13
John Wiley Bryant D
Texas-5
Jim Chapman D
Texas-1
Ronald D’Emory Coleman D
Texas-16
Gregory H. Laughlin D
Texas-14
Richard K. Armey R
Texas-26
Larry Combest R
Texas-19
Thomas Dale DeLay R
Texas-22
Solomon P. Ortiz D
Texas-27
Joe Barton R
Texas-6
Lamar Smith R
Texas-21
Howard Curtis Nielson R
Utah-3
Douglas Wayne Owens D
Utah-2
James R. Olin D
Virginia-6
Daniel French Slaughter Jr. R
Virginia-7
Lewis Franklin Payne Jr. D
Virginia-5
Herbert H. Bateman R
Virginia-1
Owen B. Pickett D
Virginia-2
Norman Sisisky D
Virginia-4
Frederick C. Boucher D
Virginia-9
Peter P. Smith R
Vermont-AL
Rodney Dennis Chandler R
Washington-8
John Ripin Miller R
Washington-1
Jolene Unsoeld D
Washington-3
Jim McDermott D
Washington-7
Jim Moody D
Wisconsin-5
Gerald D. Kleczka D
Wisconsin-4
Harley Orrin Staggers Jr. D
West Virginia-2
Robert E. Wise Jr. D
West Virginia-3
Alan B. Mollohan D
West Virginia-1
Albert Lee Smith Jr. R
Alabama-6
William Jackson Edwards R
Alabama-1
William Flynt Nichols D
Alabama-3
Richard C. Shelby D
Alabama-7
Edwin Ruthvin Bethune Jr. R
Arkansas-2
John Jacob Rhodes R
Arizona-1
Eldon Dean Rudd R
Arizona-4
Clair Walter Burgener R
California-43
John Lowell Burton D
California-5
Donald Holst Clausen R
California-2
George Elmore Danielson D
California-30
Barry Morris Goldwater Jr. R
California-20
Wayne Richard Grisham R
California-33
Paul Norton McCloskey Jr. R
California-12
John Harbin Rousselot R
California-26
Phillip Burton D
California-6
Jerry Mumford Patterson D
California-38
Eugene A. Chappie R
California-1
Bobbi Fiedler R
California-21
Robert Edward Badham R
California-40
Daniel E. Lungren R
California-34
Raymond Peter Kogovsek D
Colorado-3
Kenneth Bentley Kramer R
Colorado-5
Timothy E. Wirth D
Colorado-2
William Ross Cotter D
Connecticut-1
Lawrence Joseph DeNardis R
Connecticut-3
Anthony John Moffett Jr. D
Connecticut-6
William Richard Ratchford D
Connecticut-5
Stewart Brett McKinney R
Connecticut-4
Thomas Beverley Evans Jr. R
Delaware-AL
Louis Arthur Bafalis R
Florida-10
Don Fuqua D
Florida-2
William Venroe Chappell Jr. D
Florida-4
Daniel Andrew Mica D
Florida-11
Jack Thomas Brinkley D
Georgia-3
Billy Lee Evans D
Georgia-8
Ronald Bryan Ginn D
Georgia-1
Elliott Harris Levitas D
Georgia-4
Lawrence Patton McDonald D
Georgia-7
Wyche Fowler Jr. D
Georgia-5
Cecil Landau Heftel D
Hawaii-1
Berkley Warren Bedell D
Iowa-6
Thomas Cooper Evans R
Iowa-3
Tom Harkin D
Iowa-5
George Vernon Hansen R
Idaho-2
Edward Joseph Derwinski R
Illinois-4
John G. Fary D
Illinois-5
Paul Findley R
Illinois-20
Robert McClory R
Illinois-13
Thomas Fisher Railsback R
Illinois-19
Thomas Joseph Corcoran R
Illinois-15
Daniel Bever Crane R
Illinois-22
John Neal Erlenborn R
Illinois-14
Harold Washington D
Illinois-1
George Miller O’Brien R
Illinois-17
Charles Melvin Price D
Illinois-23
Paul Martin Simon D
Illinois-24
Adam Benjamin Jr. D
Indiana-1
Huey Joel Deckard R
Indiana-8
David Walter Evans D
Indiana-6
Floyd James Fithian D
Indiana-2
Elwood Haynes Hillis R
Indiana-5
Daniel Coats R
Indiana-4
James Edmund Jeffries R
Kansas-2
Edward Lawrence Winn Jr. R
Kansas-3
Carl Dewey Perkins D
Kentucky-7
Marion Gene Snyder R
Kentucky-4
Gillis William Long D
Louisiana-8
William Henson Moore III R
Louisiana-6
Charles Elson Roemer III D
Louisiana-4
John B. Breaux D
Louisiana-7
Margaret M. Heckler R
Massachusetts-10
James Michael Shannon D
Massachusetts-5
Thomas Phillip O’Neill Jr. D
Massachusetts-8
Edward Patrick Boland D
Massachusetts-2
Clarence Dickinson Long D
Maryland-2
Michael Darr Barnes D
Maryland-8
Marjorie Sewell Holt R
Maryland-4
Parren James Mitchell D
Maryland-7
Barbara A. Mikulski D
Maryland-3
David Farnham Emery R
Maine-1
James Johnston Blanchard D
Michigan-18
William McNulty Brodhead D
Michigan-17
James Whitney Dunn R
Michigan-6
David Alan Stockman R
Michigan-4
Donald Joseph Albosta D
Michigan-10
Harold Samuel Sawyer R
Michigan-5
Arlen Ingolf Erdahl R
Minnesota-1
Thomas Michael Hagedorn R
Minnesota-2
R. Wendell Bailey R
Missouri-8
Richard Walker Bolling D
Missouri-5
Robert Anton Young III D
Missouri-2
Gene Taylor R
Missouri-7
David Reece Bowen D
Mississippi-2
Jon Clifton Hinson R
Mississippi-4
Trent Lott R
Mississippi-5
Lawrence H. Fountain D
North Carolina-2
Walter Eugene Johnston III R
North Carolina-6
Ike Franklin Andrews D
North Carolina-4
James Grubbs Martin R
North Carolina-9
William Martin Hendon R
North Carolina-11
Charles Orville Whitley D
North Carolina-3
James Thomas Broyhill R
North Carolina-10
Harold John, Jr., Daub R
Nebraska-2
Norman Edward D’Amours D
New Hampshire-1
Judd A. Gregg R
New Hampshire-2
Millicent Hammond Fenwick R
New Jersey-5
Harold Capistran Hollenbeck R
New Jersey-9
Edwin Bell Forsythe R
New Jersey-6
Joseph George Minish D
New Jersey-11
James John Howard D
New Jersey-3
Peter Wallace Rodino Jr. D
New Jersey-10
Manuel Luján Jr. R
New Mexico-1
James David Santini D
Nevada-AL
Jonathan Brewster Bingham D
New York-22
Gregory Wright Carman R
New York-3
Shirley Anita Chisholm D
New York-12
John LeBoutillier R
New York-6
Gary Alcide Lee R
New York-33
Donald Jerome Mitchell R
New York-31
Peter A. Peyser D
New York-23
Frederick William Richmond D
New York-14
Leo C. Zeferetti D
New York-15
Barber Benjamin Conable Jr. R
New York-35
Geraldine Anne Ferraro D
New York-9
Richard Lawrence Ottinger D
New York-24
Benjamin Stanley Rosenthal D
New York-8
Joseph Patrick Addabbo D
New York-7
William Carney R
New York-1
Stanley Nelson Lundine D
New York-39
Mario Biaggi D
New York-10
Jack French Kemp R
New York-38
Samuel Studdiford Stratton D
New York-28
George Cornelius Wortley R
New York-32
Jean Spencer Ashbrook R
Ohio-17
Clarence J. Brown Jr. R
Ohio-7
Tennyson Guyer R
Ohio-4
Ronald Milton Mottl D
Ohio-23
Robert Norton Shamansky D
Ohio-12
John William Stanton R
Ohio-11
Edward Ford Weber R
Ohio-9
Lyle Williams R
Ohio-19
Thomas Norman Kindness R
Ohio-8
John Frederick Seiberling D
Ohio-14
Delbert Leroy Latta R
Ohio-5
James Robert Jones D
Oklahoma-1
James Howard Weaver D
Oregon-4
Eugene Vincent Atkinson R
Pennsylvania-25
Donald Allen Bailey D
Pennsylvania-21
James Kitchenman Coyne III R
Pennsylvania-8
Charles Francis Dougherty R
Pennsylvania-4
Allen Edward Ertel D
Pennsylvania-17
Raymond Francis Lederer D
Pennsylvania-3
Marc Lincoln Marks R
Pennsylvania-24
James Leo Nelligan R
Pennsylvania-11
Robert William Edgar D
Pennsylvania-7
Fernand Joseph St. Germain D
Rhode Island-1
Kenneth Lamar Holland D
South Carolina-5
John Light Napier R
South Carolina-6
Carroll Ashmore Campbell Jr. R
South Carolina-4
Thomas Forbes Hartnett R
South Carolina-1
Clint Ronald Roberts R
South Dakota-2
Thomas A. Daschle D
South Dakota-1
Robin Leo Beard Jr. R
Tennessee-6
William Hill Boner D
Tennessee-5
John James Duncan R
Tennessee-2
Ed Jones D
Tennessee-7
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. D
Tennessee-4
James Mitchell Collins R
Texas-3
James Albon Mattox D
Texas-5
Richard Crawford White D
Texas-16
Kent Ronald Hance D
Texas-19
Jack English Hightower D
Texas-13
Abraham Kazen Jr. D
Texas-23
William Neff Patman D
Texas-14
Sam Blakeley Hall Jr. D
Texas-1
Thomas Gilbert Loeffler R
Texas-21
Phil Gramm D
Texas-6
Ron Paul R
Texas-22
David Daniel Marriott R
Utah-2
Manley Caldwell Butler R
Virginia-6
Robert Williams Daniel Jr. R
Virginia-4
William Creed Wampler R
Virginia-9
James Kenneth Robinson R
Virginia-7
Paul Seward Trible Jr. R
Virginia-1
George William Whitehurst R
Virginia-2
Wilbur Clarence Daniel D
Virginia-5
James M. Jeffords R
Vermont-AL
Joel McFee Pritchard R
Washington-1
Don Leroy Bonker D
Washington-3
Michael Edward Lowry D
Washington-7
Henry Schoellkopf Reuss D
Wisconsin-5
Clement John Zablocki D
Wisconsin-4
Cleveland Keith Benedict R
West Virginia-2
Robert Homer Mollohan D
West Virginia-1
David Michael Staton R
West Virginia-3
legislative/lawsLaws enacted+2,471Congress.gov ↗
2,471 public laws enacted · 2 landmark · 90 notable · 1,729 routine · 650 ceremonial
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Simpson-Mazzoli Act) landmark
Pub. L. 99-603 · Nov 6, 1986
Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (ERTA or Kemp-Roth Tax Cut)
Pub. L. 97-34 · Aug 13, 1981
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981
Pub. L. 97-35 · Aug 13, 1981
Military Cooperation with Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies Act
Pub. L. 97-86 · Dec 1, 1981
Agriculture and Food Act of 1981
Pub. L. 97-98 · Dec 22, 1981
Intelligence Identities Protection Act
Pub. L. 97-200 · Jun 23, 1982
Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982
Pub. L. 97-248 · Sep 3, 1982
Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA)
Pub. L. 97-252 · Sep 8, 1982
Codification of Title 31 of the United States Code
Pub. L. 97-258 · Sep 13, 1982
Show 30 more notable laws
Bus Regulatory Reform Act
Pub. L. 97-261 · Sep 20, 1982
Job Training Partnership Act of 1982
Pub. L. 97-300 · Oct 13, 1982
Garn–St. Germain Depository Institutions Act
Pub. L. 97-320 · Oct 15, 1982
Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982
Pub. L. 97-424 · Jan 6, 1983
Nuclear Waste Policy Act
Pub. L. 97-425 · Jan 7, 1983
Internal Revenue Code of 1954 and Social Security Act
Pub. L. 97-455 · Jan 12, 1983
Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983
Pub. L. 98-8 · Mar 24, 1983
Social Security Amendments of 1983
Pub. L. 98-21 · Apr 20, 1983
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act of 1983
Pub. L. 98-67 · Aug 5, 1983
Extra-Long Staple Cotton Act of 1983
Pub. L. 98-88 · Aug 26, 1983
Martin Luther King Jr. Day law
Pub. L. 98-144 · Nov 2, 1983
Dairy and Tobacco Adjustment Act of 1983
Pub. L. 98-180 · Nov 29, 1983
Shipping Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-237 · Mar 20, 1984
National Minimum Drinking Age Act
Pub. L. 98-363 · Jul 17, 1984
Land Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-365 · Jul 17, 1984
Deficit Reduction Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-369 · Jul 18, 1984
Equal Access Act
Aug 11, 1984
Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act
Pub. L. 98-417 · Sep 24, 1984
Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act
Pub. L. 98-435 · Sep 28, 1984
Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act
Pub. L. 98-440 · Oct 3, 1984
Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-473 · Oct 12, 1984
Comprehensive Smoking Education Act
Pub. L. 98-474 · Oct 12, 1984
National Archives and Records Administration Act
Pub. L. 98-497 · Oct 19, 1984
Aviation Drug-Trafficking Control Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-499 · Oct 19, 1984
National Organ Transplant Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-507 · Oct 19, 1984
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act
Pub. L. 98-524 · Oct 19, 1984
Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-549 · Oct 30, 1984
Trade and Tariff Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-573 · Oct 30, 1984
Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-575 · Oct 30, 1984
Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98-620 · Nov 8, 1984
Judicial
judicial/supreme-courtThe Supreme CourtBench by appointing party: 7 R · 2 D → 7 R · 2 D
Potter Stewart R
appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · 1959
Warren Earl Burger R
appointed by Richard M. Nixon · 1969
Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. R
appointed by Richard M. Nixon · 1971
Sandra Day O'Connor R
appointed by Ronald Reagan · 1981
Antonin Scalia R
appointed by Ronald Reagan · 1986
Anthony McLeod Kennedy R
appointed by Ronald Reagan · 1988
6 justices served on both dates
William Joseph Brennan, Jr. R
appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · 1957
Byron Raymond White D
appointed by John F. Kennedy · 1962
Thurgood Marshall D
appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · 1967
Harry Andrew Blackmun R
appointed by Richard M. Nixon · 1970
John Paul Stevens R
appointed by Gerald Ford · 1975
William Hubbs Rehnquist R
appointed by Ronald Reagan · 1986
judicial/lower-courtsAppeals & district courtsCourts of appeals (active judges): 80 D · 47 R → 91 R · 52 D · 22 N(
District courts (active judges): 292 D · 193 R · 9 N( · 1 N( → 347 R · 202 D · 3 N(
Ronald Reagan R appointed 387 judges
4 Supreme Court · 83 appeals · 294 district · 6 other
None (reassignment) N( appointed 34 judges
33 appeals · 1 district
8 circuits flipped majority
First Circuit 3 D · 1 R (D majority)
First Circuit 3 D · 3 R (tie majority)
Fourth Circuit 6 D · 4 R (D majority)
Fourth Circuit 5 D · 6 R (R majority)
Fifth Circuit 18 D · 7 R (D majority)
Fifth Circuit 6 D · 9 R (R majority)
Sixth Circuit 7 D · 3 R (D majority)
Sixth Circuit 5 D · 9 R (R majority)
Seventh Circuit 4 D · 4 R (tie majority)
Seventh Circuit 2 D · 9 R (R majority)
Eighth Circuit 5 D · 3 R (D majority)
Eighth Circuit 3 D · 6 R (R majority)
Tenth Circuit 5 D · 3 R (D majority)
Tenth Circuit 4 D · 6 R (R majority)
District of Columbia Circuit 8 D · 3 R (D majority)
District of Columbia Circuit 5 D · 6 R (R majority)
D and R describe the party of the appointing president, not the judge. Active service ends when a judge takes senior status.
judicial/rulingsSupreme Court decisions+1,180Supreme Court Database ↗
1,180 argued decisions · 30 landmark
Commonwealth Edison Co. v. Montana
453 U.S. 609 · Jul 2, 1981 · Decided 6–3 · Economic Activity · Affirmed · Overruled precedent
Railway Labor Executives' Assn. v. Gibbons
455 U.S. 457 · Mar 2, 1982 · Decided 9–0 · Economic Activity · Vacated · Declared federal law unconstitutional
United States v. Ross
456 U.S. 798 · Jun 1, 1982 · Decided 6–3 · Criminal Procedure · Reversed and remanded · Overruled precedent
Northern Pipeline Construction Co. v. Marathon Pipe Line Co.
458 U.S. 50 · Jun 28, 1982 · Decided 6–3 · Judicial Power · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Sporhase v. Nebraska ex rel. Douglas
458 U.S. 941 · Jul 2, 1982 · Decided 7–2 · Federalism · Reversed and remanded · Overruled precedent · Struck down state law
United States v. Grace
461 U.S. 171 · Apr 20, 1983 · Decided 9–0 · First Amendment · Affirmed in part, reversed in part · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Bob Jones University v. United States
461 U.S. 574 · May 24, 1983 · Decided 8–1 · Civil Rights · Affirmed · Overruled precedent
Illinois v. Gates
462 U.S. 213 · Jun 8, 1983 · Decided 6–3 · Criminal Procedure · Reversed · Overruled precedent
Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha
462 U.S. 919 · Jun 23, 1983 · Decided 7–2 · Miscellaneous · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Bolger v. Youngs Drug Products Corp.
463 U.S. 60 · Jun 24, 1983 · Decided 8–0 · First Amendment · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Show 20 more
Michigan v. Long
Jul 6, 1983 · Decided 6–3 · Criminal Procedure · Reversed and remanded · Overruled precedent
Pennhurst State School and Hospital v. Halderman
Jan 23, 1984 · Decided 5–4 · Federalism · Reversed and remanded · Overruled precedent
United States v. One Assortment of 89 Firearms
Feb 22, 1984 · Decided 9–0 · Criminal Procedure · Reversed and remanded · Overruled precedent
Limbach v. Hooven & Allison Co.
Apr 18, 1984 · Decided 9–0 · Economic Activity · Vacated and remanded · Overruled precedent
Copperweld Corp. v. Independence Tube Corp.
Jun 19, 1984 · Decided 5–3 · Economic Activity · Reversed · Overruled precedent
Chevron U. S. A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
Jun 25, 1984 · Decided 6–0 · Economic Activity · Reversed
Federal Communications Commission v. League of Women Voters of California
Jul 2, 1984 · Decided 5–4 · First Amendment · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Regan v. Time, Inc.
Jul 3, 1984 · Decided 5–4 · First Amendment · Reversed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority
Feb 19, 1985 · Decided 5–4 · Unions · Reversed and remanded · Overruled precedent
Federal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action Committee
Mar 18, 1985 · Decided 7–2 · First Amendment · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
United States v. Miller
Apr 1, 1985 · Decided 8–0 · Criminal Procedure · Reversed · Overruled precedent
Aguilar v. Felton
Jul 1, 1985 · Decided 5–4 · First Amendment · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Daniels v. Williams
Jan 21, 1986 · Decided 9–0 · Civil Rights · Affirmed · Overruled precedent
United States v. Lane
Jan 27, 1986 · Decided 5–4 · Criminal Procedure · Affirmed in part, reversed in part, remanded · Overruled precedent
Batson v. Kentucky
Apr 30, 1986 · Decided 7–2 · Civil Rights · Reversed and remanded · Overruled precedent
Bowsher v. Synar
Jul 7, 1986 · Decided 7–2 · Miscellaneous · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc.
Dec 15, 1986 · Decided 5–4 · First Amendment · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Hodel v. Irving
May 18, 1987 · Decided 9–0 · Due Process · Affirmed · Declared federal law unconstitutional
Puerto Rico v. Branstad
Jun 23, 1987 · Decided 9–0 · Criminal Procedure · Reversed · Overruled precedent
Tyler Pipe Industries, Inc. v. Washington State Department of Revenue
Jun 23, 1987 · Decided 6–2 · Economic Activity · Vacated and remanded · Overruled precedent · Struck down state law
Landmark means the Court overruled precedent, struck down a federal law, or the case is on a curated landmark list.
Fiscal
fiscal/budgetThe federal budget+26% real spendingOMB Historical Tables ↗
Fiscal year 1981 → fiscal year 1989 · inflation-adjusted with the GDP price index
Spending $678B
FY1981
Spending $1.14T
FY1989 · +69% nominal · +26% after inflation
Revenue $599B
FY1981
Revenue $991B
FY1989 · +65% nominal · +23% after inflation
Surplus / deficit −$79.0B
FY1981
Surplus / deficit −$153B
FY1989 · −$73.7B
Spending, % of GDP 21.6%
FY1981
Spending, % of GDP 20.6%
FY1989 · −1.0 pts
Debt held by the public, % of GDP 25.2%
FY1981
Debt held by the public, % of GDP 39.4%
FY1989 · +14.2 pts
Spending by function · real change
fiscal/debtTotal public debt outstanding+$1.69TTreasury Fiscal Data ↗
$908B
as of Sep 30, 1980
$2.60T
as of Sep 30, 1988
Constitution & Union
constitution/amendmentsAmendments & statehood26 → 26 amendments in force · 50 → 50 states
No amendments ratified and no states admitted. The last amendment was the 27th, in 1992.
Log
logEverything in between145 events
- presidentRonald Wilson Reagan takes office
- rulingCommonwealth Edison Co. v. Montana
- lawEconomic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (ERTA or Kemp-Roth Tax Cut)
- lawOmnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981
- justiceSandra Day O'Connor — Associate Justice
- lawMilitary Cooperation with Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies Act
- lawAgriculture and Food Act of 1981
- rulingRailway Labor Executives' Assn. v. Gibbons
- rulingUnited States v. Ross
- lawIntelligence Identities Protection Act
- rulingNorthern Pipeline Construction Co. v. Marathon Pipe Line Co.
- rulingSporhase v. Nebraska ex rel. Douglas
- lawTax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982
- lawUniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA)
- lawCodification of Title 31 of the United States Code
- lawBus Regulatory Reform Act
- lawJob Training Partnership Act of 1982
- lawGarn–St. Germain Depository Institutions Act
- war+Lebanese Civil War (Multinational Force)
- lawSurface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982
- lawNuclear Waste Policy Act
- lawInternal Revenue Code of 1954 and Social Security Act
- lawTemporary Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983
- lawSocial Security Amendments of 1983
- rulingUnited States v. Grace
- rulingBob Jones University v. United States
- rulingIllinois v. Gates
- rulingImmigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha
- rulingBolger v. Youngs Drug Products Corp.
- rulingMichigan v. Long
- lawCaribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act of 1983
- lawExtra-Long Staple Cotton Act of 1983
- war+Invasion of Grenada
- war−Invasion of Grenada
- lawMartin Luther King Jr. Day law
- lawDairy and Tobacco Adjustment Act of 1983
- agency+United States Arctic Research Commission
- agency+United States Sentencing Commission
- rulingPennhurst State School and Hospital v. Halderman
- rulingUnited States v. One Assortment of 89 Firearms
- lawShipping Act of 1984
- rulingLimbach v. Hooven & Allison Co.
- rulingCopperweld Corp. v. Independence Tube Corp.
- rulingChevron U. S. A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
- rulingFederal Communications Commission v. League of Women Voters of California
- rulingRegan v. Time, Inc.
- lawNational Minimum Drinking Age Act
- lawLand Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984
- lawDeficit Reduction Act of 1984
- lawEqual Access Act
- lawDrug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act
- lawVoting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act
- lawSecondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act
- lawComprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984
- lawComprehensive Smoking Education Act
- lawNational Archives and Records Administration Act
- lawAviation Drug-Trafficking Control Act of 1984
- lawNational Organ Transplant Act of 1984
- lawCarl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act
- lawCable Communications Policy Act of 1984
- lawTrade and Tariff Act of 1984
- lawCommercial Space Launch Act of 1984
- lawSemiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984
- lawNational Fishing Enhancement Act of 1984
- war−Lebanese Civil War (Multinational Force)
- presidentRonald Wilson Reagan takes office
- rulingGarcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority
- rulingFederal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action Committee
- rulingUnited States v. Miller
- lawUnited States–Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act of 1985
- rulingAguilar v. Felton
- lawBalanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Balanced Budget Act)
- lawGold Bullion Coin Act of 1985
- lawFood Security Act of 1985
- agency+Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
- agency+Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
- agency+James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
- rulingDaniels v. Williams
- rulingUnited States v. Lane
- lawConsolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA)
- rulingBatson v. Kentucky
- lawFirearm Owners Protection Act
- rulingBowsher v. Synar
- lawUniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
- justiceWilliam Hubbs Rehnquist — Chief Justice
- justiceAntonin Scalia — Associate Justice
- lawGoldwater–Nichols Act (Defense Reorganization)
- lawComprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act
- lawEmergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
- lawElectronic Communications Privacy Act
- lawTax Reform Act of 1986
- lawAnti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986
- lawAge Discrimination in Employment Act of 1986
- lawImmigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Simpson-Mazzoli Act)
- lawEmergency Wetlands Resources Act
- lawNational Childhood Vaccine Injury Act
- lawWater Resources Development Act of 1986
- rulingFederal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc.
- agency+United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
- lawNational Appliance Energy Conservation Act
- lawSurface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act
- rulingHodel v. Irving
- rulingPuerto Rico v. Branstad
- rulingTyler Pipe Industries, Inc. v. Washington State Department of Revenue
- rulingSolorio v. United States
- rulingWelch v. Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation
- lawMcKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act
- lawMalcolm Baldrige National Quality Improvement Act of 1987
- lawBalanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Reaffirmation Act of 1987
- lawOmnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987
- lawAnti-Terrorism Act of 1987
- lawAgricultural Credit Act of 1987
- lawComputer Security Act of 1987
- lawCommodity Distribution Reform Act and WIC Amendments of 1987
- lawHousing and Community Development Act of 1987
- justiceAnthony McLeod Kennedy — Associate Justice
- lawCivil Rights Restoration Act of 1987
- rulingGulfstream Aerospace Corporation v. Mayacamas Corporation
- rulingBoos v. Marion S. Barry, Jr.
- rulingSouth Carolina v. Baker
- lawPrescription Drug Marketing Act
- lawAbandoned Shipwrecks Act
- lawSupreme Court Case Selections Act of 1988
- rulingMorrison v. Olson
- lawMedicare Catastrophic Coverage Act
- lawWorker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988
- lawCivil Liberties Act of 1988
- lawOmnibus Foreign Trade and Competitiveness Act
- lawHunger Prevention Act of 1988
- lawUnited States–Canada Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of 1988
- lawFamily Support Act
- lawIndian Gaming Regulatory Act
- lawHealth Maintenance Organization Amendments of 1988
- lawDepartment of Veterans Affairs Act
- lawBerne Convention Implementation Act of 1988
- lawMedical Waste Tracking Act
- lawFair Credit and Charge Card Disclosure Act
- lawGenocide Convention Implementation Act
- lawAIDS amendments of 1988
- lawVideo Privacy Protection Act
- lawUndetectable Firearms Act
- lawWater Resources Development Act of 1988
- lawAnti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988
- lawStafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act