Compiled by Eric von Bleicken
Legislation and executive orders Biden accomplished or helped accomplish:
- CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT – Focused on international companies to build and reinvest in the US with good-paying union job – supply chain to come home
- $1.2 trillion bipartisan INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE – $ to fund bridges, highways, upgrade airports, ports, electrical and internet, solar and wind
- $1.2 trillion INFLATION REDUCTION ACT – $369 billion to climate change – goal on target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to pre-2005 levels and achieve net zero before 2050
- Rejoined the Paris Climate Accord to help accelerate climate legislation and other issues
- Established the AMERICAN CLIMATE CORPS – workforce to deploy clean energy, restore land, and establish community resilience
- Executive Order on Competition – “commits the federal government to full and aggressive enforcement of our antitrust laws” and identifies 72 specific initiatives to promote competition
Economy: Goal – to move beyond failed trickle-down economics and concentrate on building the economy from “the middle out and the bottom up” by: a. Making smart investments in America; b. Empowering and educating workers to grow the middle class; c. Promoting competition to lower costs and help entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive
- Presided over the addition of more than 13 MILLION JOBS including nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs, more than any other president in U.S. History.
- Targeted public investment in order to attract more private sector investment.
- America has the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years.
- Unleashed a manufacturing and clean energy boom.
- Applications for new businesses are the strongest in two years.
- America has the strongest growth since the pandemic of any leading economy.
- Inflation has fallen for 11 straight months by more than half
- Unemployment rate fell below 4% four years before expectations
- Presided over $1.7 trillion in deficit reduction (larger than any other President in American history.
- Signed legislation into law to reduce the deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next decade.
- Imposed a 15% minimum corporate tax on some of the largest corporations in the country ensuring they pay their fair share.
- Proposed cutting taxes for working people and families with children by almost $800 billion over the next ten years, expanding the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Premium Tax Credit.
- Raised the budget of the Internal Revenue Service by nearly $80 billion to reduce tax evasion and increase revenue.
- Working to end junk fees that cost American’s tens of billions per year.
- Working to crack down on noncompete agreements, which currently limit as many as 30 million workers from switching to a new job in the same field.
Foreign Policy: Biden has pledged to pursue a foreign policy rooted in a renewed commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law and international cooperation. His decades of experience enabled a unique understanding of how intertwined U.S foreign policy is with domestic growth.
- Strengthened partnerships and alliances around the globe from NATO to East Asia, in the Indo-Pacific and the G-20.
- Normalized trading categories with China, using diplomacy combined with protective competition.
- Ended America’s involvement in Afghanistan following through on Trump’s commitment.
- Prior to Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine, Biden sought stability and guardrails in the relationship with Russia but was able to abruptly and successfully change course deftly anticipating Russia’s military expansion despite constant misleading propaganda.
- Biden’s strategy of making intelligence on Russia’s war preparations public was a crucial and creative innovation.
- Led a massive effort to push back against Russia after it unleashed the most horrific war of aggression in Europe since 1945
- As the result of Russia’s war Biden helped usher in the further expansion of NATO with the initiation of FINLAND. SWEDEN’S initiation is on track as well.
- Signed the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 which began to funnel money and equipment to help Ukraine against Russian expansion.
- Continues to support sending aid, both military and domestic, to Ukraine to bolster and support Democracy and prevent Authoritarian encroachment.
- Built and expanded new alliances to contain China in the Indo-Pacific
Medical:
- Capped prescription drug prices at $2,000 per year for seniors on Medicare
- Medicare can now negotiate unreasonably-priced drugs
- Initiated the lowest uninsured rates ever
- Hearing aids can now be sold over the counter
Reproductive Rights:
- Executive orders defending the right to travel for medical care, guarantee access to contraception, and clarify private health insurance covers contraception.
Student Loans:
- Borrowers can apply for relief through a new repayment program opened to more than 20 million borrowers, with payments based on income and family size. \
- Loan forgiveness has been applied to borrowers who have paid for decades, only to grow further in debt due to loan interest structure.
Consumer Protection:
- By executive order, directed agencies to reduce paperwork and other barriers to obtaining government benefits such as Medicaid, disability, food assistance and unemployment insurance.
- Going after junk fees, hefty add-ons to hospital stays, hotel rooms, airline seats, and phone bills.
Veterans:
- The PACT Act addresses service member’s exposure to burn pits and other toxins.
COVID:
- Helped get more than 500 million life-saving COVID-19 vaccinations in the arms of Americans through the American Rescue Plan.
Gun Legislation:
- As part of the historic Inflation Reduction Act, broke a streak of 30 years of inaction on gun violence which: enhanced background checks, closed the “boyfriend” loophole, and provided funds for youth mental health.
- Biden and Harris established a new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
Humanitarianism:
- Halted all federal executions after Trump reinstated them after a 17-year freeze
Ecology:
- Millions of acres of land are newly protected in Alaska, Minnesota, Nevada, Colorado, and Texas, in maritime sanctuaries and on tribal lands.
- Toxic clean-ups are underway.
- Goal: to protect 30% of all the nation’s land and waters by 2030
Judges Nominated by Biden as of Sept. 12, 2023
- One associate to Supreme Court
- 141 Article III judges
- 36 to US Courts of Appeals
- 104 to US District Courts
August 2023
- Executive Order on United States Coast Guard Officer Personnel Management (August 14, 2023)
- Executive Order on Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern (August 9, 2023)
September 2023
