Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., commonly known as Joe Biden, is an American politician and the 46th President of the United States. He was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Catherine and Joseph Biden Sr. Biden served as a U.S. Senator for Delaware from 1973 until 2009 before being elected as Vice President of the United States under Barack Obama in 2008. After two terms as Vice President, Biden successfully ran for President in 2020, defeating incumbent Donald Trump.
Early Life and Education
Biden grew up in a Catholic family with three siblings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and later moved to Wilmington, Delaware. His father worked as a used-car salesman, while his mother was a homemaker. Biden attended the University of Delaware, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1965. He then attended Syracuse Law School, where he earned his law degree in 1968 and was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1969.
Political Career
Biden’s political career began when he was elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970 at the age of 27. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1973-2009, becoming the sixth-youngest Senator in American history when he started his term. During his time in the Senate, Biden took a particular interest in foreign policy and was a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He also served as the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and, from 2001-2003, as the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
One of Biden’s most significant legislative accomplishments was the Violence Against Women Act, which he co-sponsored in 1994. This act provided federal funding for programs aimed at ending domestic violence and providing services to victims. Additionally, Biden played a critical role in the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, also known as Obamacare.
Vice Presidency
In 2008, President-elect Barack Obama selected Biden as his running mate in the 2008 election. The two went on to win the election, with Biden becoming the 47th Vice President of the United States. Biden played a significant role in the Obama administration, serving as a key advisor on foreign policy and economic issues. Among his most significant accomplishments as Vice President were helping to negotiate the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia and leading the administration’s efforts to combat gun violence after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012.
Presidency
After running a successful campaign, Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021. Shortly after taking office, President Biden signed several executive orders, including rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, reversing Trump’s travel ban on several predominantly Muslim countries, halting the construction of the southern border wall, and instituting a mask mandate on federal property.
Biden’s legislative priorities include COVID-19 relief and economic recovery, immigration reform, infrastructure investment, healthcare reform, and addressing climate change. One of his first actions as President was to introduce a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package, which included direct payments to Americans, funding for vaccine distribution, and aid for small businesses.
In his first 100 days in office, Biden signed several landmark pieces of legislation. In March 2021, he signed the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill aimed at addressing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan included provisions for direct payments to Americans, expanded unemployment benefits, funding for vaccine distribution, and aid for small businesses and state and local governments.
In May 2021, Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which aimed to address the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during the pandemic. He also signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which made Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Biden has also been vocal in his support for addressing climate change, signing several executive orders aimed at reducing carbon emissions and reversing Trump-era policies that rolled back environmental regulations. He has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and has proposed a $2 trillion infrastructure plan, known as the American Jobs Plan, which includes significant investments in renewable energy and climate change mitigation efforts.
Conclusion
President Biden’s decades-long career in politics has given him a wealth of experience and established him as a leader in foreign policy and domestic issues. His presidency launched during one of the most challenging times in modern American history, but President Biden has been able to make progress on several of his legislative priorities in his first six months in office. Biden’s leadership and commitment to addressing the challenges facing the United States will undoubtedly shape his presidency and leave a lasting impact on the country.
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