Bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic depressive illness or manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by wide mood swings from high (manic) to low (depressed). Periods of high or irritable mood are called manic episodes.
James Byrd, Jr. was not engaged in a federally-protected activity when he was lynched and killed. The Matthew Shepard Act expanded the 1969 Federal Hate Crime Law to cover these and other types of brutal murders.
The Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 (AWB) was part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act signed by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994.anned because they look ominous. The Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 (AWB) was part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act signed by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994. It expired 10 years later due to a sunset clause. There have been numerous, but failed attempts of reinstatement since then.