When President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, our country faced unprecedented crises - a raging pandemic, economic crisis, climate crisis, and racial injustice. The President and Vice President ran for office on the promise to move quickly to tackle these crises head-on and deliver results for working families. That’s what the Biden-Harris Administration has done.
Top Accomplishments
Lowering Costs of Families’ Everyday Expenses
The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic legislative achievement that lowers costs for families, combats the climate crisis, reduces the deficit, and finally makes the largest corporations pay their fair share. For the first time, Medicare is able to negotiate the price of certain high-cost drugs, a month’s supply of insulin for seniors is capped at $35, Medicare beneficiaries pay $0 out of pocket for recommended adult vaccines, and seniors’ out of pocket expenses at the pharmacy will be capped at $2,000 a year. And thanks to the President’s actions, including a historic release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, gas prices are down more than $1.60 from their summer 2022 peak.
More People Are Working Than At Any Point in American History
As a result of President Biden’s economic plan, 2021 and 2022 were the two strongest years of job growth in history. Nearly 11 million jobs have been created since President Biden took office – including 750,000 manufacturing jobs. The unemployment rate is at a 50-year low, and a record number of small businesses have started since President Biden took office. Black Americans and Hispanic Americans have near record low unemployment rates and people with disabilities are experiencing record low unemployment.
Making More in America
As a result of historic legislation, the President has signed into law, there is a manufacturing boom taking hold across America: in two years, companies have announced nearly $300 billion in manufacturing investments in the United States. These investments are ensuring the technologies of the future are made in America, and bringing back supply chains from overseas. And they are creating good-paying jobs, including union jobs and jobs that don’t require a four-year degree.
Rescued the Economy and Changed the Course of the Pandemic
Soon after taking office, with a pandemic raging and an economy reeling, the President signed the American Rescue Plan to change the course of the pandemic and jumpstart our economic recovery. The American Rescue Plan funded our successful vaccination campaign, safely re-opened schools for in-person learning, helped 200,000 child care providers keep their doors open, and delivered relief to American families.
Rebuilding our Infrastructure
Washington policymakers celebrated "infrastructure week" without ever delivering. President Biden got it done. He worked across the aisle to forge consensus and passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure. We are rebuilding our roads, bridges, ports, and airports, upgrading public transit and rail systems, replacing lead pipes to provide clean water, cleaning up pollution, providing affordable high-speed internet to every family in America, delivering cheaper and cleaner energy to households and businesses, and creating good-paying jobs – including union jobs, and jobs that don’t require a four-year degree.
Historic Expansion of Benefits and Services for Toxic Exposed Veterans
President Biden signed into law the PACT Act – the most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than 30 years. This law also enables the Department of Veterans Affairs to move more quickly in the future to determine if illnesses are related to military service, and it offers critical support to survivors who were harmed by exposures. And, the law authorized 31 new clinical sites and provides VA several tools and resources to ensure effective implementation of the law.
The First Meaningful Gun Violence Reduction Legislation in 30 Years
President Biden brought together Democrats and Republicans to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major piece of gun safety legislation in three decades. The law will save lives by requiring young people ages 18 to 21 to undergo enhanced background checks; narrowing the "boyfriend loophole" to keep guns out of the hands of convicted dating partners; funding crisis interventions, including extreme risk protection order ("red flag") laws; making significant investments to address the mental health crisis in America, including in our schools; clarifying who needs to register as a federally licensed gun dealer and run background checks before selling a single weapon; and making gun trafficking and straw purchases distinct federal crimes.
Protected Marriage for LGBTQI+ and Interracial Couples
Over ten years ago, President Biden announced his support for marriage equality, becoming the highest-ranking U.S. government official to do so. Building on his longstanding support and generations of civil rights advocacy, President Biden signed historic bipartisan legislation protecting marriage for same-sex and interracial couples. And, the President took historic steps to advance full equality for LGBTQI+ Americans, including reversing the discriminatory ban on transgender servicemembers in the military, strengthening non-discrimination protections in health care, housing, education, and employment, and ensuring that transgender Americans can access government support and services.
Historic Confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Federal Judges of Diverse Backgrounds
President Biden nominated and the Senate confirmed Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Justice Jackson is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds and has unprecedented experience in our legal system. President Biden’s other judicial appointees include record percentages of women, racial and ethnic minorities, and civil rights lawyers and public defenders. Sixty-six percent of President Biden’s nominees are women, and 65% are people of color.
Rallied the World to Support Ukraine in Response to Putin’s Aggression
Since the start of President Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Biden has rallied the world to rise to the moment, stand up to autocracy, and defend democracy. President Biden has worked around the clock with partners and allies to support the people of Ukraine, coordinate and impose unprecedented economic costs against Russia, and secure robust bipartisan support at home to deliver critical weapons and economic and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.
Strengthened Alliances and Partnerships to Deliver for the American People
America’s alliances and partnerships are the strongest they’ve ever been at any point in recent history – a hallmark of President Biden’s approach to the world to advance our interests and values. Following Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine, President Biden moved quickly to strengthen NATO. He provided reassurance and support to Allies, particularly on the eastern flank, and he generated congressional support for the accession of two new states, Sweden and Finland, into the Alliance. The G7 has become the premier platform in coordinating the international response to the biggest challenges we face from energy security to the swift economic costs we’ve imposed on Russia for its brutal war. In the Indo-Pacific, we have deepened our security and economic partnerships and we’ve brought together Atlantic and Pacific partners to shape the rules of the road and strengthen our edge in the competition with China, in this decisive decade. Across the world, from Africa to the Western Hemisphere, to the Middle East, President Biden is building the strongest possible coalition of nations to solve shared challenges and position the United States to shape the future of the international order.
Successful Counterterrorism Missions Against the Leaders of Al Qaeda and ISIS
At President Biden’s direction, the United States took key leaders of ISIS and Al Qaeda off the battlefield, demonstrating our resolve and ability to defend the American people against those who seek to do us harm and in ways that do not require risking the lives of thousands of Americans on the ground. These successful missions have sent a powerful message to all terrorists who threaten America and our interests around the world that the United States is committed to being relentless in these efforts.
Executive Orders Protecting Reproductive Rights
Since the Supreme Court took away a constitutional right from the American people, President Biden and Vice President Harris are taking action to defend reproductive rights. The President has signed Executive Orders to protect access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraception, and safeguard patient privacy and sensitive health information, and has made clear his commitment to fighting any attack by a state or local official who attempts to interfere with women exercising their constitutional right to travel out of state for medical care.
Historic Student Debt Relief for Middle- and Working-Class Families
The Biden Administration announced debt relief of up to $20,000 for Americans earning less than $125,000 per year who had Pell Grants in college, and up to $10,000 for all other borrowers below that income threshold. More than 40 million borrowers stand to benefit from this action, and about 20 million would see their debt entirely wiped out - and nearly 90% of this relief will go to borrowers earning less than $75,000 per year. In early 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a plan to provide millions of borrowers with more affordable monthly student loan payments through changes to income-driven repayment plans.
Ending our Failed Approach to Marijuana
To help remedy our country’s failed approach to marijuana, including racial disparities, the President pardoned all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession and urged governors to do the same. The Administration is also initiating the process to review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law. Marijuana is currently a Schedule I drug, the same classification as for heroin and LSD and even higher than for fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Advancing Equity and Racial Justice, Including Historic Criminal Justice Reform
On his first day in office, President Biden signed a historic executive order directing the federal government to use every tool available to advance equity and racial justice. As a result, the Administration has taken bold action to narrow the racial wealth gap, invest in communities facing persistent poverty, and advance programs and policies to deliver racial justice. President Biden has delivered criminal justice reforms to improve prison conditions and help people get back on their feet after incarceration. To strengthen public safety and public trust, he signed a landmark executive order on safe, effective, and accountable policing that mandated federal reforms such as banning chokeholds, restricting no-knock entries, creating a national police accountability database, and restricting the transfer of military equipment to local police departments.
Delivering on the Most Aggressive Climate and Environmental Justice Agenda in American History
The U.S. is positioned to achieve our ambitious climate goals of cutting our emissions in half by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. The President has taken executive action and signed legislation to develop clean energy at home, accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, and reduce pollution that endangers overburdened communities. And, the President is lowering energy costs for families, creating good paying jobs, and ensuring America leads the global clean energy economy. The President also protected more lands and waters in his first year than any President since John F. Kennedy.
More People with Health Insurance Than Ever Before
President Biden took action to lower the cost of health care for millions of Americans. Right now, four out of five people who sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act can find health care coverage for $10 a month or less and millions of Americans on Obamacare are saving an average of $800 a year. Since he took office, there has been a combined 50 percent increase in enrollment in states that use HealthCare.gov and the nation’s uninsured rate is historically low at 8 percent. Over 16 million Americans signed up for quality, affordable health coverage, the highest number ever produced in an open enrollment period.
That’s not all — President Biden has also:
Advanced cutting-edge research on cancer and other diseases through the ARPA-H initiative
Signed legislation to put more cops on the beat and invest in community policing
Signed the Electoral Count Act, which takes long overdue steps to protect the integrity of our elections
Lowered the cost of hearing aids by making them available over the counter
Created more manufacturing jobs in 2022 than in any single year in nearly 30 years
Signed an Executive Order to encourage competition across industries
Took action to lower energy costs for families
Lowered seniors’ health care expenses, including by capping out of pocket expenses on prescription drugs for seniors at $2,000 per year, ensuring that people enrolled in Medicare will not pay more than $35 for a month’s supply of insulin, and recipients will receive free vaccines
Accelerated adoption of electric vehicles by reducing costs for families, jumpstarted the first national EV charging network, and made historic investments into EV batteries and materials
Rejoined the Paris Agreement on day one to reassert the United States global leadership to combat the climate crisis
Jumpstarted the American offshore wind industry and convened the nation’s first federal-state offshore wind partnership
Set new policies to reduce super pollutants like HFCs and methane to protect communities and reduce emissions fueling climate change
Lowered the deficit with the single largest annual reduction in American history
Secured commitments from 20 leading internet providers to increase speeds and cut prices
Signed legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act
Awarded the most ever federal contracting dollars to small businesses and disadvantaged small businesses
Reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goal of cutting the cancer death rate by at least half over the next 25 years
Appointed a record number of women and people of color to serve in his Administration
Hosted the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in over 50 years and released a National Strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases and disparities by 2030
Awarded more than $1 billion to initiate cleanup and clear the backlog of 49 previously unfunded Superfund sites, over $250 million to clean up hundreds of contaminated brownfield sites and $725 million for abandoned mine lands
Restored protections for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments and designated Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument to conserve our lands and waters, honor our nation’s veterans, protect Tribal cultural resources, and support jobs and America’s outdoor recreation economy
Signed an Executive Order on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
Invested historic funding for Tribal governments and Native communities
Mailed over 740 million free COVID-19 tests directly to tens of millions of Americans
Source: Department of Health and Human Services
- Advanced cutting-edge research on cancer and other diseases through the ARPA-H initiative
- Signed legislation to put more cops on the beat and invest in community policing
- Signed the Electoral Count Act, which takes long overdue steps to protect the integrity of our elections
- Lowered the cost of hearing aids by making them available over the counter
- Created more manufacturing jobs in 2022 than in any single year in nearly 30 years
- Signed an Executive Order to encourage competition across industries
- Took action to lower energy costs for families
- Lowered seniors’ health care expenses, including by capping out of pocket expenses on prescription drugs for seniors at $2,000 per year, ensuring that people enrolled in Medicare will not pay more than $35 for a month’s supply of insulin, and recipients will receive free vaccines
- Accelerated adoption of electric vehicles by reducing costs for families, jumpstarted the first national EV charging network, and made historic investments into EV batteries and materials
- Rejoined the Paris Agreement on day one to reassert the United States global leadership to combat the climate crisis
- Jumpstarted the American offshore wind industry and convened the nation’s first federal-state offshore wind partnership
- Set new policies to reduce super pollutants like HFCs and methane to protect communities and reduce emissions fueling climate change
- Lowered the deficit with the single largest annual reduction in American history
- Secured commitments from 20 leading internet providers to increase speeds and cut prices
- Signed legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act
- Awarded the most ever federal contracting dollars to small businesses and disadvantaged small businesses
- Reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goal of cutting the cancer death rate by at least half over the next 25 years
- Appointed a record number of women and people of color to serve in his Administration
- Hosted the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in over 50 years and released a National Strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases and disparities by 2030
- Awarded more than $1 billion to initiate cleanup and clear the backlog of 49 previously unfunded Superfund sites, over $250 million to clean up hundreds of contaminated brownfield sites and $725 million for abandoned mine lands
- Restored protections for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments and designated Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument to conserve our lands and waters, honor our nation’s veterans, protect Tribal cultural resources, and support jobs and America’s outdoor recreation economy
- Signed an Executive Order on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
- Invested historic funding for Tribal governments and Native communities
- Mailed over 740 million free COVID-19 tests directly to tens of millions of Americans
Source: Department of Health and Human Services
Results For The American People
Two strongest years of job growth in history
More than 40 million borrowers stand to benefit from student debt relief
Nearly 11 million jobs created since 2021
Taken over 100 actions to lower household energy costs by $100 per year
Helped bring gas prices down more than $1.60 from their summer 2022 peak
Signed the most significant gun violence prevention legislation in nearly 30 years
Increased the maximum value of Pell Grants by $900
3.5% unemployment rate — the lowest in 50 years
750,000 new manufacturing jobs
Near a record low unemployment rate for Hispanics
Near a record low unemployment rate for African-Americans
Record low unemployment rate for people with disabilities
Millions of Americans are saving $800 per year on health insurance coverage
$15 minimum wage for Federal workers and contractors
Fully vaccinated 79% of American adults against COVID-19
Led the world in a historic release of strategic reserves
Infrastructure investments in all 50 states, D.C., territories, and throughout Tribal nations
Over 16 million households receiving lower cost or free high-speed internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program
