Joe Biden’s Accomplishments as President: A Review | US News

The countdown to Joe Biden’s departure from the White House has officially begun.

After the US president announced he would not seek re-election on Sunday, many are congratulating him on a lifetime of public service.

He arrived in the Oval Office, having served as a Delaware senator for almost 40 years, and President Obama’s vice president for eight.

But what has he achieved since taking office in January 2021?

More Americans have health insurance

Almost immediately after taking office, Joe Biden signed two executive orders to reinstate the Affordable Care Act.

He described it as “undoing the damage Trump had done” after Mr Trump made failed attempts to repeal ‘Obamacare’.

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Although health insurance levels hit an all-time low of 7.2% in the second half of last year, they rose above 20 million in early 2024, with new sign-ups concentrated in traditionally Republican states such as West Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida.

According to the White House, four in five healthcare plans accessed via the Affordable Care Act cost $10 (£7.70) a month or less.

US-made semiconductors

The CHIPS Act 2022 dedicated $52m (£40m) to increasing US production of semiconductors, which are found in all devices and computer systems.

It has paid for new factories and improved production lines.

Amid growing tensions between China and Taiwan, where the majority of semiconductors are made globally, the act is aimed at ensuring self-sufficiency and national security in case Asian supplies are compromised.

Unemployment down

More jobs were created in the first three years of the Biden presidency than during the same period of any other – some 14.8 million.

Unemployment has remained below 4% throughout his term, which the White House says is the lowest level in 50 years.

More recently, rising prices have taken away from the president’s success in the labour market.

Inflation reduction

The Inflation Reduction Act 2022 was born out of spiralling post-COVID and Ukraine war inflation and consisted of $485bn in spending – and $790bn in offsets.

Notably, it helped lower the price of expensive drugs and invested in clean energy tax credits.

But Mr Biden was criticised for falsely claiming inflation fell from 9% when he took office to around 3.5% this year.

Official figures show inflation was 1.4% in January 2021, having fallen to 0.4% at the height of COVID in May 2020.

Better infrastructure and internet access

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill represented a $1.2tn (£0.9tn) investment in US infrastructure, from bridges, the rail network, and water pipes.

According to the White House, more than 16 million households now also have low-cost or free high-speed internet thanks to the administration’s Affordable Connectivity Program.

COVID support

Mr Biden presided over the American Rescue Plan, which spent $1.9tn (£1.5tn) on supporting US families and businesses during the pandemic.

Many argue such high public spending later caused inflation to spiral.

Gun restrictions

The administration describes its progress on gun reform as the “most significant gun violence prevention legislation in almost 30 years”.

Despite age-old opposition from gun lobbyists, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was passed and has introduced enhanced background checks for 18 to 21 year olds and more money for so-called ‘red flag’ laws, which place emergency restrictions on licences for high-risk individuals.

There has also been a crackdown on the ‘boyfriend loophole’ – making it harder for convicted domestic abusers to obtain firearms.

Marijuana pardons

Mr Biden signed an executive order that pardoned thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law.

Despite pledging to do so, the administration has failed to downgrade its status as a Schedule I drug, leaving it on a par with heroin and higher than fentanyl.

The president is not responsible for the wave of states, including New York and Delaware, that have legalised marijuana since he has been in office, as this is the jurisdiction of state governors.

Abortion mitigations

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022, access to abortion was almost instantly rescinded in 14 states.

Although power remains at state level, Mr Biden has helped improve access to abortion medication by post and ensured veterans can receive abortion counselling.

He also issued a rule to protect the privacy of women who travel across state lines to get abortions – and the providers that facilitate them – to stop them being prosecuted.

While Kamala Harris is likely to campaign hard on reproductive rights, Mr Biden has faced criticism for not being strong enough on the issue in light of his Catholic background.