Timeline: 1990s

Operation Desert Storm is authorized by the U.N. U.S. part of 30-nation coalition.

U.S. sanctions China, Iran, Cuba, and Kuwait for sponsoring terrorism, engaging in proliferation of WMDs, and human rights abuses.

April 29, 1992: Los Angeles erupts in riots after acquittal of officers who beat Rodney King. They are retried under civil rights laws, and two are found guilty.

1993. U.S. adopts "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which allows the government to remove open homosexuals from the army.

1994: North American Free Trade Agreement.

1995: Student-led campaign delivers the Environmental Bill of Rights to Congress with 1.2 million signatures.

1996. Controversial “Back to Work” Welfare Reform.

1999. U.N. Human Rights Commission Resolution Supporting Worldwide Moratorium on Executions. The U.S. does not sign.