Timeline of Major Events (The New Millennium)

This page is a comprehensive timeline of major events for The New Millennium.

November

 * November 7: The results of the 2000 United States Presidential Election are unclear as the tipping-point state, Florida, is too close to call. Meanwhile, Democrats take control of the Senate in a 50-50 tie after winning 4 seats from Republicans in the 2000 United States Senate Elections. Democrats also gain 4 seats from Republicans in the 2000 United States House of Representatives Elections, but Republicans still manage to hold control over the House with a narrow majority.
 * November 26: After several weeks of recounts and controversy, the Florida State Canvassing Board certifies incumbent Vice-President Al Gore and Senator Joe Lieberman as the winners of the 2000 United States presidential election over George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

January

 * January 3: The 107th Congress is seated. The Senate is controlled by Democrats over Republicans with a tie of 50-50 seats. Tom Daschle becomes the Majority Leader of the Senate. The House of Representatives is controlled narrowly by Republicans with 218 seats over Democrats with 215 seats with 2 Independents also seated. Dennis Hastert is re-elected as Speaker of the House.
 * January 20: Al Gore and Joe Lieberman are inaugurated as the 43rd president and 46th vice-president of the United States at the United States Capitol Building in Washington D.C. The oath of office is administered by Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Gore declares an "age of prosperity and progress for all" in his inaugural address and pledged to lead America "With sensibility and a focus on freedom in the New Millennium."
 * January 21: The Republican Governor of Connecticut John G. Rowland announces Lieberman's replacement in the Senate as Republican Phillip Giordano who is sworn in that same day, resulting in the Republicans retaking the Senate with a majority of 51-49 seats, making Trent Lott the Majority Leader, after only 18 days of Democratic control.
 * January 24: President Gore signs a series of executive orders that adds several new pollution regulations while bolstering current regulations and increase government investment in clean energy sources.

February

 * February 8: President Gore presents his 10-year economic plans to Congress, including a proposal for $500 billion in tax cuts, the creation of 3 new government trust funds, a Medicare "lockbox", and a balanced budget plan that uses the budget surplus to pay for increases to Defense and Social Security while paying down the national debt.
 * February 16: A coalition of American and British military aircraft launch an attack in southern Iraq, targeting command and communication centers to enforce the Iraqi No-Fly Zones.
 * February 20: The FBI announce the arrest of Agent Robert Hanssen for passing classified information to the Russians.
 * February 27: President Gore outlines the goals and plans for his administration to a joint session of the members of Congress.

April

 * April 9: President Gore's budget plan for the fiscal year of 2002 is submitted to Congress.

May

 * May 1: The House of Representatives vote for the main cornerstones of Gore's tax-relief and tax cut plans, sending it to the Senate.
 * May 14: The Senate passes Gore's tax plans as the Tax Relief and Economic Growth Act of 2001.
 * May 15: President Gore signs the Tax Relief and Economic Growth Act of 2001 into law.
 * May 24: Republican Senator from Vermont, Jim Jeffords leaves the Republican Party and becomes an Intendent caucusing with Democrats, restoring their majority in the Senate with 50-50 seats, making Tom Daschle the Majority Leader once again.

June

 * June 18: With the support of President Gore, Democratic Senator John Edwards and Republican Senator John McCain propose the Patients' Bill of Rights to the Senate.
 * June 28: The Patients' Bill of Rights is passed in the Senate and sent to the House of Representatives for review.

July

 * July 29: A proposal by Democrats to amend the "Freedom to Farm" Act dies in the House of Representatives as Republicans are hesitant to budge on amending the legislation.

August

 * August 8: The Patients' Bill of Rights gets stalled in the House of Representatives as Republicans reject several provisions from the proposed act.
 * August 17: A watered-down version of the Patients' Bill of Rights passes the House and Senate after weeks of delay.
 * August 20: President Gore signs the Patients' Bill of Rights Act into law, pledging to keep fighting for the provisions left out of the new bill.

September

 * September 11: The September 11 Attacks occur.
 * September 18: President Gore signs the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists bill from Congress giving him the authority to target the terrorists responsible for the attacks on 9/11.
 * September 20: President Gore delivers an address to a joint session of Congress with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and New York Governor George Pataki in attendance addressing the attacks and announcing a "War on Terror". President Gore also announces the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, a new agency to help better prepare for and prevent potential terrorist attacks from happening.

October

 * October 7: President Gore announces the beginning of American military action in Afghanistan, code-named Operation Enduring Freedom.
 * October 6: President Gore signs the USA Patriot Act into law, increasing the surveillance ability for law enforcement agencies to tap international phones, establishing better interagency communication between intelligence agencies for counterterrorism, and severely increasing criminal penalties for acts of terrorism.

November

 * November 6: The 2001 United States gubernatorial elections occur, resulting in Democrats winning 2 governorships in New Jersey and Virginia from Republicans.
 * November 16: President Gore signs the Farm Securities and Investment Act of 2001 into law, heavily increasing investment and subsidies for farmers.
 * November 12: President Gore signs the American Energy and Water Development Act into law, which significantly expands federal funding for renewable energy development and provides funding for new water resource developments.
 * November 19: President Gore signs the Aviation and Transportation Security Act into law, establishing the Transportation Security Admninistration under the Department of Homeland Security.

January

 * January 8: President Gore signs the bipartisan Every Child Succeeds Act into law that seeks to bridge the gap between poor and high performing students and seeks to improve test scores nationwide.
 * January 25: President Gore signs the Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Clean-Up Act into law.
 * January 29: President Gore delivers his annual State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress.

March

 * March 8: President Gore signs the American Jobs and Workers Relief Act of 2002 into law to provide relief to businesses and workers being affected by the economic downturn.

April

 * April 4: President Gore signs the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 into law.

July

 * July 3: President Gore issues an executive order to speed up the process of citizenship for non-citizens who have been in the military since the September 11 Attacks.