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146-534: The Clean Power Plan was an Obama administration policy aimed at combating climate change that was first proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in June 2014. The final version of the plan was unveiled by President Barack Obama on August 3, 2015. Each state was assigned a target for reducing carbon emissions within its borders, which could be accomplished how the states saw fit, but with

292-524: A new executive order that would have protected another four million illegal immigrants from deportation, but the order was blocked by the Supreme Court in a 4–4 tie vote that upheld a lower court's ruling. Despite executive actions to protect some individuals, deportations of illegal immigrants continued under Obama. A record high of 400,000 deportations occurred in 2012, though the number of deportations fell during Obama's second term. In continuation of

438-589: A second bailout of US automakers, possibly saving General Motors and Chrysler from bankruptcy at the cost of $ 9.3 billion. For homeowners in danger of defaulting on their mortgage due to the subprime mortgage crisis , Obama launched several programs, including HARP and HAMP . Obama re-appointed Ben Bernanke as Chair of the Federal Reserve Board in 2009, and appointed Janet Yellen to succeed Bernanke in 2013. Short-term interest rates remained near zero for much of Obama's presidency, and

584-416: A " ...central, comprehensive, and unified energy data and information program which will collect, evaluate, assemble, analyze, and disseminate data and information which is relevant to energy resource reserves, energy production, demand, and technology, and related economic and statistical information, or which is relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet demands in the near and longer term future for

730-529: A 5–4 majority upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, even though it made state Medicaid expansion voluntary. In King v. Burwell , a 6–3 majority allowed the use of tax credits in state-operated exchanges. The October 2013 launch of HealthCare.gov , a health insurance exchange website created under the provisions of the ACA, was widely criticized, even though many of the problems were fixed by

876-452: A Clean Energy Incentive Plan that will reward communities who invest in wind and solar generations; the premise is to increase demand for energy efficient programs in low-income communities. In addition to incentivizing public engagement, they will also be testing air quality evaluations and providing demographic information in order to gauge the impact of air pollution on communities who are located near power plants. President Obama announced

1022-616: A Senate filibuster in a 55–41 vote in favor of the bill. In 2013, the Senate passed an immigration bill with a path to citizenship, but the House did not vote on the bill. In 2012, Obama implemented the DACA policy, which protected roughly 700,000 illegal immigrants from deportation; the policy applies only to those who were brought to the United States before their 16th birthday. In 2014, Obama announced

1168-600: A ban on denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions . However, the House bill included a tax increase on families making more than $ 1 million per year and a public health insurance option , while the Senate plan included an excise tax on high-cost health plans . The 2010 Massachusetts Senate special election victory of Scott Brown seriously imperiled the prospects of a health care reform bill, as Democrats lost their 60-seat Senate super-majority . The White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi engaged in an extensive campaign to convince both centrists and liberals in

1314-600: A bipartisan basis by the National Governors Association , and the Council of Chief State School Officers . The criteria were not mandatory, they were incentives to improve opportunities to get a grant. Most states revised their laws accordingly, even though they realized it was unlikely they would when a highly competitive new grant. Race to the Top had strong bipartisan support, with centrist elements from both parties. It

1460-536: A budget. House Republicans passed a budget that would defund Obamacare , but Senate Democrats refused to pass any budget that defunded Obamacare. Meanwhile, the country faced another debt ceiling crisis . Ultimately the two sides agreed to a continuing resolution that re-opened the government and suspended the debt ceiling. Months after passing the continuing resolution, Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 and an omnibus spending bill to fund

1606-600: A cut in military spending , a scaling back of tax deductions for mortgages and employer-provided health insurance, a raise of the Social Security retirement age, and reduced spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and federal employees. The proposal never received a vote in Congress, but it served as a template for future plans to reduce the national debt. After taking control of the House in the 2010 elections , Congressional Republicans demanded spending cuts in return for raising

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1752-560: A large share of their consumption falling into the energy-intensive category, including products and services like electricity, heating, and gasoline. However, lower-income communities are also likely to benefit from increased air quality, and therefore decreased health care expenditures. In order to combat any negative impact of the CPP, states may choose to allocate roughly 10% of their carbon pricing revenue to protect low-income communities. Higher-income communities may be disproportionately affected by

1898-478: A major bill addressing the issue, in part because many Republicans and some Democrats questioned whether global warming is occurring and whether human activity contributes to it. Following his inauguration, Obama asked that Congress pass a bill to put a cap on domestic carbon emissions. After the House passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act in 2009, Obama sought to convince the Senate to pass

2044-573: A one-year reduction in the FICA payroll tax , and other measures. Obama ultimately persuaded many wary Democrats to support the bill, though many liberals such as Bernie Sanders continued to oppose it. The $ 858 billion Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 passed with bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress and was signed into law by Obama on December 17, 2010. Shortly after Obama's 2012 re-election, Congressional Republicans and Obama again faced off over

2190-447: A peak of 12.2 million in 2007. The nation's immigrant population hit a record 42.2 million in 2014. In November 2015, Obama announced a plan to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States. Energy production boomed during the Obama administration. An increase in oil production was driven largely by a fracking boom spurred by private investment on private land, and

2336-572: A portion of a bill to be unconstitutional, and he subsequently issued several signing statements. Obama also signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 , which added 2 million acres (8,100 km ) of land to the National Wilderness Preservation System , as well as a law raising the cigarette pack tax by 62 cents (equivalent to $ 0.88 in 2023). On February 17, 2009, Obama signed

2482-562: A strategy of letting Congress drive the process, with the House and Senate writing their own bills. In the Senate, a bipartisan group of senators on the Finance Committee known as the Gang of Six began meeting with the hope of creating a bipartisan healthcare reform bill, even though the Republican senators involved with the crafting of the bill ultimately came to oppose it. In November 2009,

2628-530: A total savings for consumers projected at $ 155 billion from 2020 to 2030. Enough energy would have been conserved to power 30 million homes and 30 percent more renewable energy would have been generated annually by 2030, with hundreds of thousands of jobs created. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), coal in 2015 in the United States produced 1,364,000,000 metric tons of CO 2 . This amounted to 71% of CO 2 emissions from

2774-450: A transition away from coal as an energy source, but the falling price of wind, solar, and natural gas energy sources also contributed to coal's decline. Obama encouraged this successful transition away from coal in large part due to the fact that coal emits more carbon than other sources of power, including natural gas. Obama's campaign to fight global warming found more success at the international level than in Congress. Obama attended

2920-459: A trend that began with the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 , the percentage of foreign-born people living in the United States reached 13.7% in 2015, higher than at any point since the early 20th century. After having risen since 1990, the number of illegal immigrants living in the United States stabilized at around 11.5 million individuals during Obama's presidency, down from

3066-623: A universal accounting system for emissions, required each country to monitor its emissions, and required each country to create a plan to reduce its emissions. Several climate negotiators noted that the US-China climate deal and the EPA's emission limits helped make the deal possible. In 2016, the international community agreed to the Kigali accord, an amendment to the Montreal Protocol which sought to reduce

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3212-543: A worsening public image of the United States internationally. However she is hopeful that the decision's impact on the industry's direction toward a cleaner energy system won't be severe as several states already meet the 2022 target carbon dioxide emissions established in the Clean Power Plan. On June 1, 2017, Donald Trump announced United States withdrawal from the Paris Agreement , but a number of U.S. states formed

3358-535: A “Resolution of Disapproval” under the Congressional Review Act , which would have permanently blocked the Clean Power Plan and prohibited the EPA from developing “substantially similar” standards. S. J. Res. 24 was approved by the Senate on November 17 by a vote of 52–46 and by the House on December 1 by a vote of 242–180. Obama vetoed the resolution on December 18. According to the League of Conservation Voters ,

3504-533: The 2008 Democratic National Convention , Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel , and Defense Secretary Robert Gates , whom Obama chose to retain from the previous administration. An early list of suggestions came from Michael Froman , then an executive at Citigroup . Obama described his Cabinet choices as a " team of rivals ", and Obama chose several prominent public officials for Cabinet positions, including defeated rival Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Obama nominated several former Clinton administration officials to

3650-502: The 2008 presidential election . Four years later, in the 2012 presidential election , he defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney , to win re-election. Obama is the first African American president, the first multiracial president, the first non-white president, and the first president born in Hawaii. Obama was succeeded by Republican Donald Trump , who won the 2016 presidential election . Historians and political scientists rank him among

3796-515: The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference , which drafted the non-binding Copenhagen Accord as a successor to the Kyoto Protocol . The deal provided for the monitoring of carbon emissions among developing countries , but it did not include Obama's proposal to commit to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050. In 2014, Obama reached an agreement with China in which China pledged to reach peak carbon emission levels by 2030, while

3942-521: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to address the Great Recession . The ARRA had been passed, after much debate, by both the House and Senate four days earlier. While it was originally intended to be a bipartisan bill, Congressional passage of the bill relied largely on Democratic votes, though three Republican senators voted for it. The lack of Republican support for the bill, and

4088-481: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , which was charged with protecting consumers against abusive financial practices. On signing the bill, Obama stated that the bill would "empower consumers and investors," "bring the shadowy deals that caused the crisis to the light of day," and "put a stop to taxpayer bailouts once and for all." Some liberals were disappointed that the law did not break up

4234-402: The D.C. Circuit to fill Scalia's seat. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley , and other Senate Republicans argued that Supreme Court nominations should not be made during a presidential election year, and that the winner of the 2016 presidential election should instead appoint Scalia's replacement. Garland's nomination remained before

4380-734: The Great Recession . After a lengthy debate over the national debt limit , he signed the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 . In foreign policy, he increased US troop levels in Afghanistan , reduced nuclear weapons with the United States–Russia New START treaty, and ended military involvement in the Iraq War . He gained widespread praise for ordering Operation Neptune Spear ,

4526-872: The Guantanamo Bay detention camp , in Cuba , though it remains open. He lifted some travel and money restrictions to the island. Obama signed many landmark bills into law during his first two years in office. The main reforms include: the Affordable Care Act , sometimes referred to as "the ACA" or "Obamacare", the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act , and the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 . The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act served as economic stimuli amidst

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4672-698: The Gulf of Mexico . Because the pipeline crossed international boundaries, its construction required the approval of the US federal government, and the US State Department engaged in a lengthy review process. President Obama vetoed a bill to construct the Keystone Pipeline in February 2015, arguing that the decision of approval should rest with the executive branch. It was the first major veto of his presidency, and Congress

4818-785: The House Energy and Commerce Committee that the EPA's energy policy was "burning the Constitution." Challengers argue that EPA overstepped its legal authority in issuing the CPP, in regards to the power plants covered by the plan, and that the scope of the "building blocks" for action goes beyond standards applied to specific electric generating units, as called for by the Clean Air Act. Eighteen states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington) have joined

4964-623: The House of Representatives and the Senate , and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid both remained in their posts. Republicans John Boehner and Mitch McConnell continued to serve as House Minority Leader and Senate Minority Leader, respectively. The presidential transition period began following Obama's victory in the 2008 U.S. presidential election , though Obama had chosen Chris Lu to begin planning for

5110-669: The New Deal . The act increased regulation and reporting requirements on derivatives (particularly credit default swaps ), and took steps to limit systemic risks to the US economy with policies such as higher capital requirements , the creation of the Orderly Liquidation Authority to help wind down large, failing financial institutions, and the creation of the Financial Stability Oversight Council to monitor systemic risks. Dodd-Frank also established

5256-540: The Supreme Court of the United States during Obama's tenure, but Obama made only two successful appointments. During the 111th Congress , when Democrats held a majority in the Senate, Obama successfully nominated two Supreme Court Justices: Justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016, during the 114th Congress , which had a Republican majority in the Senate. In March 2016, Obama nominated Chief Judge Merrick Garland of

5402-533: The United States Climate Alliance to maintain within state borders the objectives of the Clean Power Plan separately from the federal government. On October 4, 2017, an EPA document obtained by Reuters revealed that the EPA was planning to repeal the Clean Power Plan. A list of potential alternatives to the Clean Power Plan following public discussion were leaked to Bloomberg News on October 6. Likewise, The Washington Post and CNN reported that

5548-665: The United States debt ceiling , the statutory limit on the total amount of debt that the Treasury Department can issue. The 2011 debt-ceiling crisis developed as Obama and Congressional Democrats demanded a "clean" debt-ceiling increase that did not include spending cuts. Though some Democrats argued that Obama could unilaterally raise the debt ceiling under the terms of the Fourteenth Amendment , Obama chose to negotiate with Congressional Republicans. Obama and Speaker of

5694-458: The constitutionality and the political effects of the Clean Power Plan. The New York Times Editorial Board published an editorial arguing that the D.C. Circuit should uphold the plan. In August 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the EPA an additional 60 days to review the CPP and submit their position to the court, before continuing the process to settle

5840-407: The electricity grid , repair public housing, and weatherize modest-income homes. Obama also promoted the use of plug-in electric vehicles , and 400,000 electric cars had been sold by the end of 2015. According to a report by The American Lung Association, there was a "major improvement" in air quality under Obama. Upon entering office, Obama focused on handling the global financial crisis and

5986-783: The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill , which was the worst oil spill in US history. In December 2016, President Obama invoked the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to ban offshore oil and gas exploration in large parts of the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. During Obama's tenure, the battle over the Keystone XL Pipeline became a major issue, with advocates arguing that it would contribute to economic growth and environmentalists arguing that its approval would contribute to global warming. The proposed 1,000-mile (1,600 km) pipeline would have connected Canada's oil sands with

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6132-563: The 2011 withdrawal from Iraq, promoted discussions that led to the 2015 Paris Agreement on global climate change, drew down US troops in Afghanistan in 2016, initiated sanctions against Russia following its annexation of Crimea and again after interference in the 2016 US elections , brokered the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal with Iran, and normalized US relations with Cuba . Obama nominated three justices to

6278-482: The 2021-22 term. On June 30, 2022, in a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled against the EPA, holding that "Congress did not grant EPA...the authority to devise emissions caps based on the generation shifting approach the Agency took in the Clean Power Plan" and that "Under this body of law, known as the major questions doctrine , given both separation of powers principles and a practical understanding of legislative intent,

6424-493: The ACE as a "fundamental misconstruction" of environmental laws . The ruling did not reinstate the Clean Power Plan; however, it did create the opportunity for the Biden administration to improve and clarify the rules. In 2022, in the case West Virginia v. EPA , the U.S. Supreme Court curbed the EPA's ability to broadly regulate carbon emissions from existing power plants as was done in

6570-402: The Affordable Care Act on June 25, 2015, however, the EPA adopted a more aggressive statutory interpretation . In the final rule announced on August 3, the EPA argued that the Senate's language unambiguously allows it to regulate, while the House language in the U.S. Code should be ignored because it is unreasonable under the Clean Air Act's "comprehensive scheme". Opponents immediately declared

6716-400: The CPP because of decreased income levels, due to greater dependence on capital income, rather than wages. Coal miners, making up 0.057% of the total U.S. employment, may be disproportionately affected by the CPP due to potential layoffs in the coal industry. In contrast, coal miners disproportionately benefit from increased clean air and decreased health expenditures. Just one to five percent of

6862-496: The CPP will decrease the cost of electricity. M.J. Bradley & Associates rely on data from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and reported generally optimistic findings, with large decreases in costs due to the CPP. NERA Economic Consulting, funded by coal lobbyists, relied on U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data with pessimistic assumptions, resulting in pessimistic findings stating that some states may even face double-digit price increases. The EPA drew from

7008-679: The Cabinet and to other positions. On April 28, 2009, the Senate confirmed former Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services, completing Obama's initial Cabinet. During Obama's presidency, four Republicans served in Obama's Cabinet: Ray LaHood as Secretary of Transportation, Robert McDonald as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Gates and Chuck Hagel as Secretaries of Defense. Security and international affairs Economic affairs †Appointed by President Bush ‡Originally appointed by President Bush, reappointed by President Obama There were three vacancies on

7154-443: The Clean Power Plan (CPP), not including the impact on employment, can be measured by many variables including its impact on electricity prices and health expenditures. In four major studies conducted on the economic impact of the CPP, findings varied widely due to the assumptions made and the variables analyzed. Ultimately, the effect of the CPP on households is most influenced by how states decide to meet their emissions goals, allocate

7300-423: The Clean Power Plan would have reduced the pollutants that contribute to smog and soot by 25 percent, leading to 140,000 to 150,000 fewer asthma attacks among children and 2,700 to 6,600 fewer premature deaths. Net climate and health benefits were estimated between $ 25 billion and $ 45 billion per year beginning in 2030. The average American family would have saved an estimated $ 85 per year in energy bills in 2030, with

7446-729: The Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan was no longer in place, but if it had been, the ruling would have struck it down. In 2024, the Biden Administration issued a suite of rules called the Greenhouse Gas Standards and Guidelines for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants, sometimes called the "Clean Power Plan 2.0", to replace the Clean Power Plan and ACE. The final version of the plan aimed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electrical power generation by 32 percent by 2030 relative to 2005 levels. The plan focused on reducing emissions from coal -burning power plants and increasing

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7592-544: The Democratic primary. Several other candidates, including Senator Joe Biden of Delaware and former senator John Edwards of North Carolina , also ran for the nomination, but these candidates dropped out after the initial primaries. In June, on the day of the final primaries, Obama clinched the nomination by winning a majority of the delegates, including both pledged delegates and superdelegates . Obama selected Biden as his running mate, and they were officially nominated as

7738-513: The Democratic ticket at the 2008 Democratic National Convention . With Republican president George W. Bush term-limited, the Republicans nominated Senator John McCain of Arizona for president and Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska for vice president. Obama won the presidential election with 365 of the total 538 electoral votes and 52.9% of the popular vote. In the concurrent congressional elections , Democrats added to their majorities in both

7884-626: The EIA's information online each month. Some of the EIA's products include: The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 created the Federal Energy Administration (FEA), the first U.S. agency with the primary focus on energy and mandated it to collect, assemble, evaluate, and analyze energy information. It also provided the FEA with data collection enforcement authority for gathering data from energy producing and major consuming firms. Section 52 of

8030-452: The EPA fact sheet on the Clean Power Plan, climate change is responsible for everything from stronger storms to longer droughts and increased insurance premiums, food prices and allergy seasons. The populations most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change include children, older adults, people with heart or lung disease and people living in poverty. The repeal of the Clean Power Plan will increase greenhouse gas emissions, expediting

8176-485: The EPA would repeal the plan and limit the alternatives to advice for local utilities on October 10. Then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt signed a proposed rule to repeal the Clean Power Plan on that day. New York's and Massachusetts’ attorneys general planned to sue the EPA over the repeal. The EPA held a hearing, titled, "Proposal to Repeal the Clean Power Plan", on Nov. 28–29, 2017 in Charleston, West Virginia. The hearing

8322-546: The EPA's proximity analysis concludes that a higher percentage of minority and low-income communities live near power plants when compared to the national averages, increasing risk of disease and death due to toxic particulate matter emissions and air pollution. The EPA has determined that greenhouse gas pollution causes global temperature warming, leading to harmful changes to the environment and human health globally such as increased drought and increased famine due to decrease in water supply and agricultural production. According to

8468-797: The FEA Act mandated establishment of the National Energy Information System to "… contain such energy information as is necessary to carry out the Administration's statistical and forecasting activities …" The Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977 , Public Law 95-91, created the Department of Energy. Section 205 of this law established the Energy Information Administration (EIA) as the primary federal government authority on energy statistics and analysis to carry out

8614-549: The Federal Reserve did not raise interest rates during Obama's presidency until December 2015. There was a sustained increase of the US unemployment rate during the early months of the administration, as multi-year economic stimulus efforts continued. The unemployment rate reached a peak in October 2009 at 10.0%. However, the economy added non-farm jobs for a record 75 straight months between October 2010 and December 2016, and

8760-482: The House John Boehner attempted to negotiate a "grand bargain" to cut the deficit, reform entitlement programs , and re-write the tax code, but the negotiations eventually collapsed due to ideological differences between the Democratic and Republican leaders. Congress instead passed the Budget Control Act of 2011 , which raised the debt ceiling, provided for domestic and military spending cuts, and established

8906-563: The House passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act on a 220–215 vote, with only one Republican voting for the bill. In December 2009, the Senate passed its own health care reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or ACA), on a party-line, 60–39 vote. Both bills expanded Medicaid and provided health care subsidies; they also established an individual mandate , health insurance exchanges , and

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9052-572: The House to pass the Senate's health care bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In March 2010, after Obama announced an executive order reinforcing the current law against spending federal funds for elective abortion services, the House passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The bill, which had passed the Senate in December 2009, did not receive a single Republican vote in either house. On March 23, 2010, Obama signed

9198-428: The June 18, 2014, proposed rule, EPA argued that because the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment is ambiguous, EPA's interpretation is entitled to judicial deference . EPA found the statute to be ambiguous because the language in the United States Code is from a May 23, 1990, House amendment that conflicts with a never codified April 3 Senate conforming amendment. After the U.S. Supreme Court in King v. Burwell upheld

9344-499: The NREL for data and made middle-ground assumptions, ultimately reporting findings that are similarly "middle-ground" compared with other studies. The ability to measure and determine the impact on at-risk communities is confounded by these varying conclusions. Differences between states aside, three key at-risk groups are lower-income communities, higher-income communities, and coal miner communities. Lower-income households may disproportionately experience increases in expenditures due to

9490-404: The Obama administration highlighted as a major problem. The federal minimum wage increased during Obama's presidency to $ 7.25 per hour; in his second term, Obama advocated for another increase to $ 12 per hour. GDP growth returned in the third quarter of 2009, expanding at a 1.6% pace, followed by a 5.0% increase in the fourth quarter. Growth continued in 2010, posting an increase of 3.7% in

9636-408: The Obama administration played only a small role in this development. The Obama administration promoted the growth of renewable energy , and solar power generation tripled during Obama's presidency. Obama also issued numerous energy efficiency standards, contributing to a flattening of growth of the total US energy demand. In May 2010, Obama extended a moratorium on offshore drilling permits after

9782-422: The PPACA into law. The New York Times described the PPACA as "the most expansive social legislation enacted in decades," while the Washington Post noted that it was the biggest expansion of health insurance coverage since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. Both houses of Congress also passed a reconciliation measure to make significant changes and corrections to the PPACA; this second bill

9928-407: The Paris Agreement, this action may discourage other countries from upholding their own commitments. Janet McCabe , an Obama Administration EPA department head, stated that the decision completely disregards the impacts of climate and the cost and benefits associated with the started programs. According to her it will lead to several more years of uncertainty and potentially lost opportunity as well as

10074-450: The Plan was illegal, attempting to sue before the agency finalized the rule. Only ten days after the EPA announced the final rule, twenty-seven states petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for an emergency stay. Peabody Energy hired Laurence Tribe , President Obama's mentor at Harvard Law School, to author a brief which was later acclaimed on the Senate floor. Tribe would go on to testify before

10220-403: The Plan's requirements although sometimes indirectly, regardless of open opposition. On September 27, 2016, the case against the CPP was heard in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit . The chief judge of the court, Merrick B. Garland , recused himself, as he was also President Obama's US Supreme Court nominee . The argument has sparked debate about both

10366-574: The Senate for longer than any other Supreme Court nomination in history, and the nomination expired with the end of the 114th Congress. President Donald Trump later nominated Neil Gorsuch to Scalia's former seat on the Supreme Court, and Gorsuch was confirmed by the Senate in April 2017. Obama's presidency saw the continuation of battles between both parties over the confirmation of judicial nominees. Democrats continually accused Republicans of stalling nominees throughout Obama's tenure. After several nomination battles, Senate Democrats in 2013 reformed

10512-630: The Supreme Court : Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were confirmed as justices, while Merrick Garland was denied hearings or a vote from the Republican-majority Senate . Economic policy actions Other domestic policy actions Foreign policy actions Supreme Court nominations Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential election on February 10, 2007. Obama faced senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton in

10658-517: The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges . The Obama Administration filed an amicus brief in support of gay marriage and Obama personally congratulated the plaintiff. Obama also issued dozens of executive orders intended to help LGBT Americans, including a 2010 order that extended full benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. A 2014 order prohibited discrimination against employees of federal contractors on

10804-506: The U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement , and on October 9, Trump-appointed EPA administrator Scott Pruitt announced the formal process to repeal the Clean Power Plan would begin on October 10, 2017. In May 2019, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced plans to change the way the EPA calculates health risks of air pollution, saying the change was intended to rectify inconsistencies in the current cost-benefit analyses used by

10950-524: The US pledged to cut its emissions by 26–28 percent compared to its 2005 levels. The deal provided momentum for a potential multilateral global warming agreement among the world's largest carbon emitters. Many Republicans criticized Obama's climate goals as a potential drain on the economy. At the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference , nearly every country in the world agreed to a landmark climate deal in which each nation committed lowering their greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Agreement created

11096-464: The United States because of the shrinkage in the industry sector. More specifically, there will be a 19% reduction in the iron and steel production, 21% reduction in cement production, and 11% in refining production. On the other hand, those who argue favorably for the Clean Power Plan have addressed the employment concerns of critics of the Clean Power Plan. While jobs will be decreasing in the industrial sector, there has also been an increase nationwide in

11242-509: The United States had "ever taken to address climate change." The Clean Power Plan was one of the first major initiatives in the world to curb internal greenhouse gas emissions . The Paris Agreement was agreed upon in October 2016 and entered into force in November 2016. It aims to keep global temperature rise this century "well below" 2 degrees Celsius and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In order to enact

11388-948: The White House, and rescinded the Mexico City Policy , which banned federal grants to international groups that provide abortion services or counseling. On January 29, Obama signed a bill for the first time in his presidency; the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 revised the statute of limitations for filing pay discrimination lawsuits. On February 3, he signed the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIP), expanding CHIP's health care coverage from 7 million children to 11 million children. On March 9, 2009, Obama lifted restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research . Obama stated that, like Bush, he would employ signing statements if he deems

11534-421: The administration of incoming President Joe Biden to make a rule from scratch. Several states and energy companies petitioned to the Supreme Court on the basis of the D.C. Circuit ruling to challenge fundamental aspects of the power granted by Congress to the EPA to regulate emissions. The Supreme Court granted certiorari to four petitions in October 2021, consolidated under West Virginia v. EPA , heard during

11680-480: The administration's attempt to loosen emission standards. Environmentalists are concerned that the new ACE standards are so limited in the pollution controls it requires power producers to install that it could hamstring future administrations from addressing climate-altering pollution. On January 19, 2021, the federal D.C. Circuit ruled the Affordable Clean Energy rule violated the Clean Air Act, leaving

11826-400: The agency must point to 'clear congressional authorization' for the authority it claims." Presidency of Barack Obama Barack Obama 's tenure as the 44th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2009, and ended on January 20, 2017. Obama, a Democrat from Illinois , took office following his victory over Republican nominee John McCain in

11972-450: The agency. This became the Affordable Clean Energy rule. On June 19, 2019, the EPA issued the final Affordable Clean Energy rule (ACE), which replaced the Clean Power Plan. On January 19, 2021, the last full day of the Trump administration, the D.C. Circuit vacated the Affordable Clean Energy rule and remanded to the EPA for further proceedings consistent with its opinion. The court characterized

12118-490: The approval of any other officer or employee of the Department in connection with the collection or analysis of any information; nor shall the Administrator be required, prior to publication, to obtain the approval of any other officer or employee of the United States with respect to the substance of any statistical or forecasting technical reports which he has prepared in accordance with law." More than two million people use

12264-475: The basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2015, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter ended the ban on women in combat roles, and in 2016, he ended the ban on transgender individuals openly serving in the military. On the international stage, Obama advocated for gay rights, particularly in Africa. The Great Recession of 2008–09 caused a sharp decline in tax revenues in all cities and states. The response

12410-477: The beginning of his presidency, Obama supported comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship for many immigrants illegally residing in the United States. However, Congress did not pass a comprehensive immigration bill during Obama's tenure, and Obama turned to executive actions. In the 2010 lame-duck session, Obama supported passage of the DREAM Act , which passed the House but failed to overcome

12556-682: The bill as well. The legislation would have required the US to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and by 83 percent by the middle of the 21st century. However, the bill was strongly opposed by Republicans and neither it nor a separate proposed bipartisan compromise ever came up for a vote in the Senate. In 2013, Obama announced that he would bypass Congress by ordering the EPA to implement new carbon emissions limits. The Clean Power Plan , unveiled in 2015, seeks to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent by 2025. Obama also imposed regulations on soot, sulfur, and mercury that encouraged

12702-464: The bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to propose further spending cuts. As the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction failed to reach an agreement on further cuts, domestic and military spending cuts known as the "sequester" took effect starting in 2013. In October 2013, the government shut down for two weeks as Republicans and Democrats were unable to agree on

12848-492: The case Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency that EPA regulation of carbon dioxide is actually required by the Clean Air Act , which is still in effect. Trump explained this decision calling the Clean Power Plan a "job-killing regulation" which some see as false, saying "the potential for job growth in the clean energy sector dwarfs any potential job growth in the fossil fuel economy". Opposition argues that with

12994-416: The case about the legality of the CPP. President Donald Trump 's proposed 2018 United States federal budget defunded the Clean Power Plan. On March 28, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order directing EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to review the Clean Power Plan. EPA will need to go through the formal rulemaking process to change the existing rule, and in 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in

13140-595: The country into three regions based on connected regional electricity grids to determine a state's goal. States were not told the means they had to use to meet the target, but if a state had not submitted a plan by the deadline, the EPA could have imposed its own plan on that state. States could implement their plans by focusing on three building blocks: increasing the generation efficiency of existing fossil fuel plants, substituting natural gas generation for coal-powered generation, and substituting generation renewable sources for fossil fuel-powered generation. The EPA estimated

13286-502: The country's largest banks or reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act , while many conservatives criticized the bill as a government overreach that could make the country less competitive. Under the bill, the Federal Reserve and other regulatory agencies were required to propose and implement several new regulatory rules , and battles over these rules continued throughout Obama's presidency. Obama called for further Wall Street reform after

13432-573: The customer contact center. Located in Washington, D.C. , EIA has about 325 federal employees and a budget of $ 126.8 million in fiscal year 2021. By law, EIA's products are prepared independently of policy considerations. EIA neither formulates nor advocates any policy conclusions. The Department of Energy Organization Act allows EIA's processes and products to be independent from review by Executive Branch officials; specifically, Section 205(d) says: "The Administrator shall not be required to obtain

13578-403: The damaging environmental changes due to climate change that disproportionately affect subaltern populations around the globe. As aforementioned, a major part of the Clean Power Plan's mission is to regulate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industry. Opponents of the Clean Power Plan have stated that the attempt in reducing these emissions is also going to be reducing the number of jobs in

13724-569: The deal, the bill passed the Republican House in large part due to the fact that the failure to pass any bill would have resulted in the total expiration of the Bush tax cuts. US government debt grew substantially during the Great Recession , as government revenues fell. Obama largely rejected the austerity policies followed by many European countries. US government debt grew from 52% of GDP when Obama took office in 2009 to 74% in 2014, with most of

13870-421: The electric power sector. By switching this coal generation to a cleaner source such as wind power , CO 2 emissions could be significantly reduced. According to the League of Conservation Voters , in 2015, the Clean Power Plan "established the first national limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants—our nation's single largest source of the pollution fueling climate change" and was "the biggest step"

14016-424: The encyclical Laudato si' by Pope Francis . The policy has been described as "[Obama's] most ambitious climate policy to date." In response to Obama's 2015 announcement, hundreds of businesses voiced support for the plan, including eBay , Nestlé , and General Mills . To show support for the Clean Power Plan, 360 other companies and investors sent letters to their governors. The companies and investors signing

14162-453: The end of the year. The number of uninsured Americans dropped from 20.2% of the population in 2010 to 13.3% of the population in 2015, though Republicans continued to oppose Obamacare as an unwelcome expansion of government. Many liberals continued to push for a single-payer healthcare system or a public option, and Obama endorsed the latter proposal, as well as an expansion of health insurance tax credits, in 2016. Risky practices among

14308-432: The final fate of the Bush tax cuts. Republicans sought to make all tax cuts permanent, while Obama sought to extend the tax cuts only for those making under $ 250,000. Obama and Congressional Republicans came to an agreement on the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 , which made permanent the tax cuts for individuals making less than $ 400,000 a year (or less than $ 450,000 for couples). For earnings greater than that amount,

14454-713: The first actions of Obama's presidency focused on reversing measures taken by the Bush administration following the September 11 attacks . In his first week in office, Obama signed Executive Order 13492 suspending all ongoing proceedings of the Guantanamo military commissions and ordering the Guantanamo detention facility to be shut down within the year. Another order, Executive Order 13491 , banned torture and other coercive techniques, such as waterboarding . Obama also issued an executive order placing tighter restrictions on lobbying in

14600-427: The first quarter, with lesser gains throughout the rest of the year. The country's real GDP grew by about 2% in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, peaking at 2.9% in 2015. In the aftermath of the recession, median household income (adjusted for inflation) declined during Obama's first term, before recovering to a new record high in his final year. The poverty rate peaked at 15.1% in 2010 but declined to 12.7% in 2016, which

14746-575: The government through 2014. In 2015, after John Boehner announced that he would resign as Speaker of the House, Congress passed a bill that set government spending targets and suspended the debt limit until after Obama left office. During his presidency, Obama, Congress, and the Supreme Court all contributed to a major expansion of LGBT rights. In 2009, Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act , which expanded hate crime laws to cover crimes committed because of

14892-461: The growth in debt coming between 2009 and 2012. In 2010, Obama ordered the creation of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (also known as the "Simpson-Bowles Commission") in order to find ways to reduce the country's debt. The commission ultimately released a report that called for a mix of spending cuts and tax increases. Notable recommendations of the report include

15038-562: The health risks for various environmental regulations, to the detriment of industry. Administrator Wheeler defended the change as a way to rectify inconsistencies in the current cost-benefit analyses used by the agency. The new plan will be known as the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. The planned changes were hailed by industry representatives. Environmentalists are fighting the administration's power plant regulation rollbacks. In April 2020, several environmental groups and twenty-two states filed their first legal briefs in an attempt to fight

15184-582: The inability of Democrats to win that support, foreshadowed the gridlock and partisanship that continued throughout Obama's presidency. The $ 787 billion bill combined tax breaks with spending on infrastructure projects, extension of welfare benefits, and education. Following his inauguration, Obama and the Senate worked to confirm his nominees to the United States Cabinet . Three Cabinet-level officers did not require confirmation: Vice President Joe Biden , whom Obama had chosen as his running mate at

15330-451: The income tax increased from 35% to 39.6%, which was the top rate before the passage of the Bush tax cuts. The deal also permanently indexed the alternative minimum tax for inflation, limited deductions for individuals making more than $ 250,000 ($ 300,000 for couples), permanently set the estate tax exemption at $ 5.12 million (indexed to inflation), and increased the top estate tax rate from 35% to 40%. Though many Republicans did not like

15476-445: The influence of lobbyists on the executive branch; breaking from the Bush administration on a number of policy fronts, except for Iraq, in which he followed through on Bush's Iraq withdrawal of US troops; supporting the UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity ; and lifting the 7½-year ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research . Obama also ordered the closure of

15622-405: The law, including a $ 116 billion income tax cut, temporarily reduced taxes for 98% of taxpayers, bringing tax rates to their lowest levels in 60 years. The Obama administration would later argue that the stimulus saved the United States from a "double-dip" recession. Obama asked for a second major stimulus package in December 2009, but no major second stimulus bill passed. Obama also launched

15768-495: The letter represent all 50 states. In 2016, 2/3 of electric utilities supported the plan. The 460-page rule (RIN 2060–AR33) titled "Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" was published in the Federal Register on October 23, 2015. In October 2015, Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia introduced Senate Joint Resolution 24 (S. J. Res. 24),

15914-589: The litigation in support of the EPA's plan. On February 9, 2016, the United States Supreme Court ordered the EPA to halt enforcement of the plan until a lower court rules in the lawsuit against the plan. The 5–4 vote was the first time the Supreme Court had ever stayed a regulation before a judgment by the lower Court of Appeals. As of July 2016, several states – including Republican-held ones such as Wyoming , South Carolina , Virginia , Arizona , Idaho , and New Jersey – are moving forward to meet

16060-400: The major financial institutions on Wall Street were widely seen as contributing to the subprime mortgage crisis , the financial crisis of 2007–08 , and the subsequent Great Recession , so Obama made Wall Street reform a priority in his first term. On July 21, 2010, Obama signed the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act , the largest financial regulatory overhaul since

16206-646: The move, as the plan raised national emission standards but provided the single national efficiency standard that auto industry officials group had long desired. In 2012, Obama set even higher standards, mandating an average fuel efficiency of 54.5 miles per US gallon (4.32 L/100 km). Obama also signed the "cash-for-clunkers" bill, which provided incentives to consumers to trade in older, less fuel-efficient cars for more efficient cars. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided $ 54 billion in funds to encourage domestic renewable energy production, make federal buildings more energy-efficient, improve

16352-472: The passage of Dodd-Frank, saying that banks should have a smaller role in the economy and less incentive to make risky trades. Obama also signed the Credit CARD Act of 2009 , which created new rules for credit card companies. During his presidency, Obama described global warming as the greatest long-term threat facing the world. Obama took several steps to combat global warming, but was unable to pass

16498-465: The permanent extension of most of the Bush tax cuts , which had been enacted between 2001 and 2003. Those tax cuts were set to expire during Obama's presidency since they were originally passed using a Congressional maneuver known as reconciliation , and had to fulfill the long-term deficit requirements of the "Byrd rule". During the lame duck session of the 111th Congress , Obama and Republicans wrangled over

16644-510: The plan in a speech given at the White House on August 3, 2015. In his announcement, Obama stated that the plan includes the first standards on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants ever proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. He also called the plan "the single most important step that America has ever made in the fight against global climate change." Obama called his plan "a moral obligation" and made reference to

16790-555: The plan, 194 UNFCCC member nations have signed the treaty, 172 of which have ratified it. The poorest, most underdeveloped nations emit the lowest levels of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gasses. According to the World Bank , greenhouse gas emissions from large nations such as the U.S. and China disproportionately affect developing nations that don't have the infrastructure to combat climate change-induced drought, famine, and other natural and anthropogenic disasters. The economic impact of

16936-432: The possibility of the EPA stepping in if a state refused to submit a plan. If every state met its target, the plan was projected to reduce carbon emissions from electricity generation by 32 percent relative to 2005 levels by 2030, and would have reduced other harmful air pollution as well. In March 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating that the EPA review the plan. In June 2017, he withdrew

17082-744: The presidency at 12:00 pm, EST , and completed the oath of office at 12:05 pm, EST. He delivered his inaugural address immediately following his oath. Obama's transition team was highly complimentary of the Bush administration's outgoing transition team, particularly with regards to national security, and some elements of the Bush-Obama transition were later codified into law. [REDACTED] The full text of Barack Obama's First Inaugural Address at Wikisource. Within minutes of Obama's taking office, his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel , issued an order suspending last-minute regulations and executive orders signed by his predecessor George W. Bush . Some of

17228-572: The primary federal government authority on energy statistics and analysis, building upon systems and organizations first established in 1974 following the oil market disruption of 1973. EIA conducts a comprehensive data collection program that covers the full spectrum of energy sources, end uses, and energy flows; generates short- and long-term domestic and international energy projections; and performs informative energy analyses. EIA disseminates its data products, analyses, reports, and services to customers and stakeholders primarily through its website and

17374-517: The proposals of advanced educational reformers. In the competition points were awarded for allowing charter schools to multiply, for compensating teachers on a merit basis including student test scores, and for adopting higher educational standards. There were incentives for states to establish college and career-ready standards, which in practice meant adopting the Common Core State Standards Initiative that had been developed on

17520-600: The raid that killed Osama bin Laden , who was responsible for the September 11 attacks . In 2011, Obama ordered the drone-strike killing in Yemen of al-Qaeda operative Anwar al-Awlaki , who was an American citizen. He ordered military involvement in Libya in order to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1973 , contributing to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi . After winning re-election by defeating Republican opponent Mitt Romney, Obama

17666-475: The repeal of the Clean Power Plan, the United States will not be able to meet the greenhouse gas emission standards agreed to under the Paris Agreement , and in turn, will have to withdraw from the agreement. Without it, the United States is projected to fall over 20% short of its pledge. Because the Clean Power Plan was a significant part of how the United States intended to meet the emission targets it set for

17812-569: The resolution was "an extreme measure...threatening our health and our future." The votes on the resolution were considered key votes by the League and Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Congressional scorecards. AFP said the Clean Power Plan would have a "devastating effect on the economy" and that the resolution would send a "clear signal to the Paris climate negotiators that President Obama's expansive green energy agenda does not have support on Capitol Hill." In

17958-510: The revenue generated by the carbon tax, and collaborate with other states. Data on the economic impact of the Clean Power Plan on electricity prices relies heavily on four studies conducted separately by Synapse Energy Economics, M.J. Bradley & Associates, NERA Economic Consulting, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Synapse Energy Economics relied on assumptions from a 2012 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) study on future potential of energy and reported findings indicating that

18104-473: The revenue generated from a moderate carbon price would offset any detriment to coal miner communities. According to a 2017 analysis of the Energy Innovation's Energy Policy Simulator, a repeal of the Clean Power Plan would lead to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions of more than 500 million metric tons by 2030, and by 2050, that figure would rise to more than 1,200 million metric tons. Furthermore,

18250-427: The role of private banks in lending out federally insured student loans , created a new income-based loan repayment plan known as Pay as You Earn , and increased the amount of Pell Grant awards given each year. He also instituted new regulations on for-profit colleges , including a "gainful employment" rule that restricted federal funding from colleges that failed to adequately prepare graduates for careers. From

18396-540: The similar but more comprehensive Equality Act . Neither bill passed Congress. In May 2012, Obama became the first sitting president to support same-sex marriage , shortly after Vice President Joe Biden had also expressed support for the institution. The following year, Obama appointed Todd M. Hughes to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit , making Hughes the first openly gay federal judge in US history. In 2015,

18542-546: The solar sector, wind sector, and energy efficient sector. While some are skeptical of the Clean Power Plan because of its job loss in the industrial sector, the EPA has made clear that in order for the Clean Energy Plan to be effective community engagement is essential, particularly low income, minority and tribal communities. To ensure opportunities in communities, the EPA is requiring all states demonstrate how they are actively engaging with communities. The EPA has created

18688-512: The stimulus bill was enacted in February 2009, health care reform became Obama's top domestic priority, and the 111th Congress passed a major bill that eventually became widely known as " Obamacare ". Health care reform had long been a top priority of the Democratic Party, and Democrats were eager to implement a new plan that would lower costs and increase coverage. In contrast to Bill Clinton 's 1993 plan to reform health care, Obama adopted

18834-472: The subsequent Great Recession that had begun before his election, which was generally regarded as the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression . On February 17, 2009, Obama signed into law a $ 787 billion economic stimulus bill that included spending for health care, infrastructure, education, various tax breaks and incentives , and direct assistance to individuals. The tax provisions of

18980-557: The transition in May 2008. John Podesta , Valerie Jarrett , and Pete Rouse co-chaired the Obama-Biden Transition Project. During the transition period, Obama announced nominations for his cabinet and administration . In November 2008, Congressman Rahm Emanuel accepted Obama's offer to serve as White House Chief of Staff . Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009, succeeding George W. Bush . Obama officially assumed

19126-506: The ultimate fate of the cuts. Obama wanted to extend the tax cuts for taxpayers making less than $ 250,000 a year, while Congressional Republicans wanted a total extension of the tax cuts, and refused to support any bill that did not extend tax cuts for top earners. Obama and the Republican Congressional leadership reached a deal that included a two-year extension of all the tax cuts, a 13-month extension of unemployment insurance ,

19272-473: The unemployment rate fell to 4.7% in December 2016. The recovery from the Great Recession was marked by a lower labor force participation rate, some economists attributing the lower participation rate partially to an aging population and people staying in school longer, as well as long-term structural demographic changes. The recovery also laid bare the growing income inequality in the United States , which

19418-566: The upper tier in historical rankings of American presidents . Obama's accomplishments during the first 100 days of his presidency included signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 relaxing the statute of limitations for equal-pay lawsuits; signing into law the expanded Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP); winning approval of a congressional budget resolution that put Congress on record as dedicated to dealing with major health care reform legislation in 2009; implementing new ethics guidelines designed to significantly curtail

19564-511: The use of HFCs , organic compounds that contribute to global warming. From the beginning of his presidency, Obama took several actions to raise vehicle fuel efficiency in the United States. In 2009, Obama announced a plan to increase the Corporate Average Fuel Economy to 35 miles per US gallon (6.7 L/100 km)], a 40 percent increase from 2009 levels. Both environmentalists and auto industry officials largely welcomed

19710-843: The use of renewable energy and promoting energy conservation. White House officials also hoped the plan would help persuade other countries that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide to officially pledge to reduce their emissions at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference . Although the plan did not go into effect, its emissions reduction goal was met 11 years early in 2019 due to increasing energy efficiency, construction of wind and solar power, and changes in energy market prices that resulted in shifting from coal to natural gas. The plan would have required each state to meet specific standards with respect to reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and to submit emissions reductions plans by September 2016. States could coordinate with other states to develop multi-state plans. The EPA divided

19856-585: The use of the filibuster so that it could no longer be used on executive or judicial nominations (excluding the Supreme Court). Republicans took over the Senate after the 2014 elections , giving them the power to block any judicial nominee, and the 114th Congress confirmed just 20 judicial nominees, the lowest number of confirmations since the 82nd Congress . Obama's judicial nominees were significantly more diverse than those of previous administrations, with more appointments going to women and minorities. Once

20002-504: The victim's sexual orientation. In December 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 , which ended the military's policy of disallowing openly gay and lesbian people from openly serving in the United States Armed Forces . Obama also supported the passage of ENDA , which would ban discrimination against employees on the basis of gender or sexual identity for all companies with 15 or more employees, and

20148-639: Was legalized nationwide in 2015 after the Court ruled so in Obergefell . He advocated for gun control in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting , indicating support for a ban on assault weapons , and issued wide-ranging executive actions concerning global warming and immigration. In foreign policy, he ordered military interventions in Iraq and Syria in response to gains made by ISIL after

20294-545: Was sworn in for a second term on January 20, 2013. During this term, he condemned the 2013 Snowden leaks as unpatriotic, but called for more restrictions on the National Security Agency (NSA) to address privacy issues. Obama also promoted inclusion for LGBT Americans . His administration filed briefs that urged the Supreme Court to strike down same-sex marriage bans as unconstitutional ( United States v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges ); same-sex marriage

20440-523: Was live-streamed from the West Virginia capitol building, where it was held. In May 2019, Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced plans to change the way the EPA calculates health risks of air pollution, resulting in the reporting of far fewer health-related deaths and making it easier to roll back the Clean Power Plan. The Trump administration has argued that the Obama administration over-estimated

20586-758: Was opposed by the left wing of the Democratic Party, and by the right wing of the Republican Party, and criticized for centralizing too much power in Washington. Complaints also came from middle-class families, who were annoyed at the increasing emphasis on teaching to the test, rather than encouraging teachers to show creativity and stimulating students' imagination. Obama also advocated for universal pre-kindergarten programs, and two free years of community college for everyone. Through her Let's Move program and advocacy of healthier school lunches, First Lady Michelle Obama focused attention on childhood obesity , which

20732-443: Was signed into law on March 30, 2010. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became widely known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or "Obamacare". The Affordable Care Act faced considerable challenges and opposition after its passage, and Republicans continually attempted to repeal the law. The law also survived two major challenges that went to the Supreme Court. In National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius ,

20878-408: Was still higher than the 12.5% pre-recession figure of 2007. The relatively small GDP growth rates in the United States and other developed countries following the Great Recession left economists and others wondering whether US growth rates would ever return to the levels seen in the second half of the twentieth century. Obama's presidency saw an extended battle over taxes that ultimately led to

21024-649: Was three times higher in 2008 than it had been in 1974. In December 2015, Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act , a bipartisan bill that reauthorized federally mandated testing but shrank the federal government's role in education, especially with regard to troubled schools. The law also ended the use of waivers by the Education Secretary. In post-secondary education, Obama signed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 , which ended

21170-485: Was to cut education budgets. Obama's $ 800 billion stimulus package included $ 100 billion for public schools, which every state used to protect its educational budget. However, in terms of sponsoring innovation, Obama and his Education Secretary Arne Duncan pursued K-12 education reform through the Race to the Top grant program. With over $ 15 billion of grants at stake, 34 states quickly revised their education laws according to

21316-426: Was unable to override it. In November 2015, Obama announced that he would not approve of the construction of the pipeline. On vetoing the bill, he stated that the pipeline played an "overinflated role" in US political discourse and would have had relatively little impact on job creation or climate change. Energy Information Administration The Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977 established EIA as

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