Over the past 50 years, President Joe Biden has epitomized what it means to be a public servant. As a senator from Delaware, Vice President under Barack Obama, and President of the U.S., Biden’s political experience is unmatched. As his tenure in public service comes to a close, Biden continues to face more and more backlash for the rampant inflation during the duration of his presidency – cumulatively, prices rose nearly 20% during his tenure according to the Federal Reserve Bank.
But, criticism aside, what pieces of legislation has Biden helped pass? What has Biden accomplished?
“President Biden’s most significant legislative accomplishment is arguably the Violence Against Women Act,” said AP history and government teacher Kevin Guay.
A landmark piece of legislation initially passed when Biden was a senator, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), drastically increased penalties for repeat sex offenders, and created a variety of new systems designed to support survivors.
It also sparked action at the state-wide level in order to support the millions of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault (the first of its kind). According to President Obama’s White House archives, since the passage of the bill in 1994, domestic violence rates have decreased by more than 50%.
In 2013, with Biden at the helm as vice president, the VAWA Reauthorization Act was signed into law, expanding existing protections and increasing funding to housing programs specifically for victims of violence.
Biden is also an advocate for our climate. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a controversial bill passed in June 2022, dedicated hundreds of millions aimed toward net carbon neutrality.
“I really think Biden’s received a lot of undue criticism for things that might not be his fault. He’s done a great job securing a green future through an agenda that will be hard to repeal,” said AP English teacher Victoria Dryden.
President Biden’s legislative agenda has prioritized a clean environment for the future, regardless of retaliatory actions from future presidents.
Not only has he set a goal for the U.S. to cut half of its carbon emissions by 2030, but the IRA empowered the Environmental Protection Agency to enact stronger protections against carbon emissions. According to Climate Power, the IRA also invested billions of dollars into sustainable manufacturing, leading to the creation of more than 273,000 new clean energy jobs. President Biden’s domestic legislative agenda is also bringing manufacturing jobs back to America.
“He has done a wonderful job promoting economic growth in certain areas while maintaining the viability of our climate,” said Dryden.
The CHIPS and Science Act helped spur growth in new manufacturing facilities, with an increase of 116% over the past year per the White House. The legislation will invest billions into American semiconductor manufacturing, making the US less reliant on resources from Asia.
“While we have political differences, I appreciate his lifelong service to our nation,” Sen. Lindsey Graham R-S.C. said.
“He has devoted his entire life to public service for the people of Delaware and the United States, and I wish him and his family well as this chapter in his life comes to an end.”
