October 2009 Current Events: U.S. News

World News | Business/Science News

Here are the key events in United States news for the month of October 2009.

• Texting While Driving Banned for Federal Employees (Oct. 1): President Obama signs an executive order banning texting while driving for Federal workers. The government also plans to ban texting while driving for bus drivers and truckers who travel across state lines.
• U.S. Math Scores Show No Improvement Since No Child Left Behind (Oct. 14): Results of the nation's most important math test for students show that achievement has not improved in the eight years since President Bush passed the No Child Left Behind law, which requires 100% of students to show proficiency in math and reading by 2014. Student gains are actually slower since the program began; 39% of fourth graders and 34% of eighth graders test at or above proficiency this year.
• Stimulus Created 30,000 Jobs So Far (Oct. 15): The Obama administration reports that businesses who have received stimulus money from the federal government have created or saved over 30,000 jobs so far. Only $2.2 billion of the $16 billion in stimulus contracts awarded by the government has been spent thus far. President Obama's goal is to save or create 3.5 million jobs over two years.
• No More Federal Prosecution for Medical Marijuana (Oct. 19): The federal government announces it will no longer prosecute those who use or sell marijuana for medical reasons, if they are complying with state law. There are 14 states that currently allow some use of medical marijuana.
• Obama Announces End of Policy Banning HIV-Positive Patients from Entering U.S. (Oct. 30): President Obama announces that he is ending the policy banning patients who are HIV positive from entering the United States. He calls the law outdated and misguided, "rooted in fear rather than fact."