1995-2015 timeline.

The United States invaded Iraq. This was a major foreign policy decision under President George W. Bush. The invasion was highly controversial and led to a prolonged and complex conflict in the Middle East.

In July 1995, President Clinton announced his intention to reaffirm the principle of affirmative action and fix the practices. Affirmative actions refer to policies and practices designed to address past and present discrimination by ensuring equal opportunities in employment, education, and contracting for historically underrepresented groups, particularly racial minorities and women.

Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, which reformed welfare. There were time limits on how long families could receive welfare benefits. It cut off benefits after two years and limited lifetime benefits to five years. The act replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with a system of block grants to states. This gave states more flexibility in how they administered welfare programs.

Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), defining marriage as exclusively heterosexual. DOMA defined marriage at the federal level as a "union between one man and one woman." DOMA also stated that no state was required to recognize a same-sex marriage performed in another state. This allowed states to refuse to acknowledge same-sex marriages that were legal in other states.

The federal budget showed a surplus of $70 billion, the first surplus since 1969. This indicates a significant turnaround in the financial health of the U.S. government. For decades, the country had been running on a deficit, meaning it spent more money than it took in through taxes and other revenues. A surplus means the government's income exceeded its spending, which can help reduce national debt.

Federal budget surpluses averaged $156 billion a year. This demonstrates that the 1998 surplus was not a one-time occurrence. The continued surpluses during these years suggested a period of strong economic growth and fiscal discipline.

Federal expenditures fell to 17.6% of the GDP, the lowest since the late 1960s. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the total value of goods and services produced by a country's economy. This statistic shows that government spending, relative to the size of the economy, had decreased to its lowest level in over three decades.

George W. Bush became president. This marks a transition in political leadership in the White House. George W. Bush's presidency would be defined by significant events, most notably the September 11th terrorist attacks.

September 11th terrorist attacks. This refers to the series of coordinated terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. These attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people and had a profound impact on American society, politics, and foreign policy.

Barack Obama was elected president. This was a historic election as Barack Obama became the first African American president of the United States. His election reflected significant demographic and political changes in the country.