When President Biden and Vice President Harris took office one year ago, our country faced unprecedented crises. From the raging pandemic, economic turmoil, ongoing climate change, and persistent racial injustice, the President and Vice President promised to move quickly, tackle these crises head-on, and deliver results for working families. That’s what they’ve done.
In spite of unprecedented crises and opposition from Congressional Republicans, the President and Congressional Democrats got an enormous amount done for the American people in their first year.
Since taking office one year ago, President Biden and Vice President Harris:
Got Shots in Arms & Saved Lives
- The President set up a historic vaccination program that resulted in more than 200 million Americans fully vaccinated this year, almost 75% of all adults.
- Millions of teenagers and children are now vaccinated, and tens of millions of Americans are getting booster shots. The President also closed the racial equity gap in COVID vaccinations among adults. And, because the President prioritized school staff for vaccinations and of resources in the American Rescue Plan, about 96% of schools are open.
- All these steps have and continue to save countless lives.
Got People Back to Work
- President Biden has added 6.4 million jobs – the most ever in one year – and managed the fastest growing economy in decades. Recent weekly unemployment claims are down near a level not seen since 1969.
Passed Laws to Create Jobs & Rebuild Crumbling Infrastructure
- President Biden got the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed — the most impactful legislative agenda for a first year President.
- The American Rescue Plan led to what experts estimate will be the lowest child poverty rate on record and the unemployment rate is down to 3.9% four years faster than projected.
- The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create jobs, provide clean drinking water, upgrade our roads, airports, and rail, and is a critical first step towards a clean energy future.
Expanded Affordable Health Care
- President Biden increased the number of Americans with health care coverage to the highest number ever, lowered the co-pays that many Americans pay, and slashed premiums for millions – as a result of his actions, hundreds of thousands.
- The President implemented a ban on surprise billing, so after leaving the hospital, you can’t get an extra $2000 charge for a consultation you didn’t even know about, and.
Restored America’s Global Leadership
- President Biden restored our global alliances and ended America’s longest war. For the first time in a generation, Americans are not deployed overseas in an ongoing war.
- The United States donated and delivered nearly 400 million vaccinations to developing countries.
Took Aggressive Action to Tackle the Climate Crisis:
- President Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement and reestablished U.S. leadership at the global conference on climate change.
- He jumpstarted an electric future made in America, doubling sales of electric vehicles in a year.
- He is deploying more wind and solar energy than ever before, addressing the long-lasting negative effects of legacy pollution and advancing environmental justice in underserved communities, and creating good-paying, union jobs that are making our country stronger and more resilient to the changing climate.”
Addressed Gun Violence and Crime:
- President Biden issued a comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crime, including cracking down on gun trafficking and the proliferation of “ghost guns.”
- The Department of Justice banned federal law enforcement from using choke holds and “no-knock” entries.
- President Biden provided cities historic levels of funding through the American Rescue Plan to put more cops on the beat and invest in community programs that are proven to reduce crime and make our communities safer.
Bolstered Domestic Manufacturing:
- President Biden increased the competitiveness of the U.S. economy by finalizing the most significant changes to Buy American in almost 70 years.
- He directed federal dollars to U.S. manufacturers by creating the first-ever Made in America Office.
- Under his Made in America Executive Order, federal purchases will help to bolster domestic manufacturing and manufacturing supply chains, and support good-paying, union jobs.
Confirmed Historic Judges:
- More of President Biden’s lower-court judicial nominees were confirmed in his first year than any president since Kennedy.
- The President appointed more Black women to the Court of Appeals than any President ever.
Formed a Government That Looks Like America:
- President Biden was the first president since Reagan to get all his initial picks for the statutory cabinet confirmed, and the first president ever to have a cabinet that truly looks like America: the first cabinet half female and majority non-white.
Advanced Racial Equity:
- President Biden signed a Day One Executive Order on advancing equity and racial justice and a separate Executive Order to expand Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility across the federal government.
- The Administration set a government-wide goal of increasing the share of federal contracts to small disadvantaged businesses, including those owned by people of color, by 50% by FY25, meaning an increase of $100 billion to these firms over 5 years.
- The Administration provided $32B specifically for Tribal communities and Native people in American Rescue Plan and $13B in direct investments in Tribal communities through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Source: White House