Joe Biden

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Joseph R. Biden (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.

46th President of the United States
(January 20, 2021 to Present)

Nicknames: None listed

Born: November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Father: Joseph Robinette Biden, Sr.
Mother: Catherine Eugenia “Jean” Biden
Married: Jill Tracy Biden (1951– ), on June 17, 1977; Neilia Hunter Biden (1942–72), on August 27, 1966
Children: Joseph Robinette “Beau” Biden III (1969–2015) [Served as Delaware’s Attorney General from 2007 to 2015]; Robert Hunter Biden (1970– ); Naomi Christina Biden (1971–72);
Ashley Blazer Biden (1981– )
Religion: Roman Catholic
Education: Attended Archmere Academy; Graduated from the University of Delaware (1965); Graduated from the College of Law – Syracuse University (1968)
Occupation: Lawyer
Political Party: Democratic
Other Government Positions:

  • United States Senator, 1973–2009
  • Vice President, 2009–17 (under tiny U.S. flag Barack Obama)

Presidential Salary: $400,000/year + $50,000 expense account

Coming to the White House in the middle of a global pandemic, President Joe Biden’s main concerns lay in mitigating its effects and controlling it, and in stemming the downslide of the economy. Within the first 100 days of his presidency, he had signed the most number of executive orders for a president within that period. Most of them were aimed at controlling the coronavirus pandemic and at reversing several policies of the previous administrations. 

His running mate and vice president, Kamala Harris, is the highest ranking female official in a presidential administration in US history. Joe Biden’s cabinet also includes more women than in any other previous administration. 

The 46th POTUS had himself previously served as the vice president under tiny U.S. flag Barack Obama and, before that, as the senator for Delaware for 36 years. During his time as senator, he was a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1997 and was its chairman from 2001 to 2003 and from 2007 up until his election to the vice president’s office. He thus has extensive experience in foreign policy, which he brought into force during his years as the VP.

Presidential Election Results:
YearPopular VotesElectoral Votes
2020Joseph R. Biden, Jr81,286,365306
tiny U.S. flag Donald J. Trump74,225,845232

Vice President: Kamala Harris (2021– ) [The first African-American, first Asian-American, and first female vice president of the US]

Cabinet:

Secretary of State
Antony Blinken (2021– )
Secretary of the Treasury
Dr. Janet Yellen (2021– ) [The first woman to hold this position]
Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Austin (2021– ) [The first African-American to hold this position]
Attorney General
Merrick Garland (2021 )
Secretary of the Interior
Deb Haaland (2021 ) [The first Native American US cabinet secretary]
Secretary of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack (2021 )
Secretary of Commerce
Gina M. Raimondo (2021 )
Secretary of Labor
Julie A. Su (2023– )
Marty Walsh (20212023)
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Xavier Becerra (2021 )
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Marcia Fudge (2021 )
Secretary of Transportation
Pete Buttigeig (2021– ) [The first openly gay member of the US cabinet]
Secretary of Energy
Jennifer M. Granholm (2021 )
Secretary of Education
Dr. Miguel Cardona (2021 )
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Denis McDonough (2021– )
Secretary of Homeland Security
Alejandro Mayorkas (2021– ) [The first immigrant to hold this position. He was born in Cuba.]

Supreme Court Appointments:

Associate Justice
Ketanji Brown Jackson (2022 )

Notable Events:

  • 2023
    • Supporters of defeated Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro storm the Brazilian Congress on January 8 in an occurrence reminiscent of the US Capitol attack of 2021.
    • Classified documents from his previous term as vice president are found in President Biden’s Delaware residence.
    • Biden announces that all COVID-19 emergency declarations will cease to be in action on May 11.
    • President Biden makes a surprise visit to embattled Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv.
    • On April 13, President Biden addresses the Irish parliament. He is the fourth US president to do so.
    • Joe Biden formally announces his reelection campaign on April 25.
  • 2022
    • The Supreme Court blocks a vaccine-or-test mandate announced by the president in September 2021 for companies and organizations with 100 or more employees.
    • Two Democrat-proposed voting rights bills—the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act—fail in the Senate.
    • Russia invades Ukraine on February 24.
    • President Biden nominates Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first female African-American Supreme Court judge, to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.
    • President Biden delivers his first State of the Union address.
    • Sanctions against Russian oil imports into the US are imposed.
    • At various points, the US pledges financial and military aid to Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
    • Former President Barack Obama visits the White House for the first time since leaving office in 2017 to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
    • President Biden signs the Ukraine Defense Land-Lease Act of 2022.
    • A mass shooting takes place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24.
    • Executive Order 14074 replaces the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It is aimed at reforming police policies to address police misconduct.
    • Massively popular K-pop band BTS visits the White House on May 31.
    • SCOTUS overturns Roe v. Wade on June 24.
    • On July 8, President Biden partially restores abortion rights.
    • President tests positive for COVID-19 on July 21 for the first time and remains in isolation until a negative test on the 27th. At the end of the month, he tests positive for a second time and remains in isolation until August 6.
    • Finland and Sweden join NATO on August 9.
    • UK’s Queen Elizabeth II, the country’s longest-reigning monarch, dies on September 8. King Charles III ascends to the throne.
    • Midterm elections held on November 8 give Republicans control of the House of Representatives, while Democrats retain the Senate.
    • Former President Trump announces his candidacy for the 2024 presidential elections.
  • 2021
    • The US rejoins the Paris Climate Agreement on February 19.
    • US support for Saudi Arabia’s bombing campaign against Yemen is brought to an end.
    • The American Rescue Plan Act is signed into law.
    • The president reiterates the US’s support for Israel as protests sweep the world decrying Israeli bombing of the Gaza strip in May. Progressive Democrats in Congress urge censure of Israel as well.
    • A US House Select Committee is formed to investigate the January 6 attacks on the US Capitol during the election certification process.
    • The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act becomes law, establishing June 19 (Juneteenth) as a federal holiday.
    • The trial of the murderer of George Floyd, former police officer Derek Chauvin, ends in conviction for second-degree murder. He is sentenced to 22 years and 6 months.
    • The Supreme Court upholds limits placed by Arizona on ballot collection, setting a precedent that allows states to set up voting restrictions.
    • Several European countries experience heavy flooding in summer. Germany declares it among the greatest natural disasters it has ever faced.
    • Anti-government protests sweep Cuba in light of its worst economic crisis since the 1990s, rising COVID cases, and shortages of basic amenities. The government blames the crisis on the decades-long trade embargo imposed against the country by the US.
    • A Texas federal court rules the DACA program to be illegal and halts further approvals of applications under it. President Biden announces the Department of Justice’s intention to appeal the decision.
    • The Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus spreads rapidly, causing a drastic increase in rates of infection and hospitalization.
    • The worst wildfires in Turkey’s history—attributed to a heatwave—scour the country’s Mediterranean region and pass into neighboring Greece.
    • The June jobs report records an addition of 850,000 jobs to the US economy over the course of the month.
    • The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change releases its Sixth Assessment Report. It links extreme weather conditions around the world to high emissions and climate change, and calls for extreme measures to be enacted to ensure that global warming is limited to 1.2 degrees by 2100 rather than by 2040.
    • A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hits Haiti; it is the worst natural disaster the island has faced since the earthquake of 2010.
    • The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is completed on August 30, one day before the deadline set by President Biden, bringing the 20-year war to an end. The evacuations had begun earlier in the month. At the same time, the Taliban launched an offensive that took over the majority of Afghanistan, with Kabul coming under its control on August 15 after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.
    • Hurricane Ida makes landfall in Louisiana, becoming the second worst storm to hit the state since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Lasting from August 26 to September 4, the hurricane lashes neighboring states as well, while also causing torrential rains and flooding along the Northeastern coast.
    • The US marks the twentieth anniversary of 9/11.
    • The 5th Women’s March protests a Texas law upheld by the US Supreme Court, and in effect since September 1, that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
    • The US, UK, and Australia sign the AUKUS security agreement on September 15, according to which the former two states promise to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines. 
    • President Biden restores environmental protections to three national monuments—Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine.
    • Joe Biden refuses former president Donald Trump’s request to invoke executive privilege in order to block the release of White House documents regarding the January 6 attacks that had been demanded by the House select committee investigating the event.
    • The presidential tour of Europe begins with a meeting between Joe Biden and the Pope in Vatican City.
    • The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (often referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill) is signed into law by POTUS.
    • The US announces a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on December 7, citing human rights abuses by China, such as the Uyghur genocide. US athletes, however, will participate.
    • The US virtually hosts the Summit for Democracy on December 9 to 10.
    • Tensions between the US and Russia begin to rise with reports of Russian troop buildup at the Ukrainian border.
    • Vehicle mileage standards are raised in order to meet climate goals.
    • The Omicron variant of Covid-19 rapidly spreads across the US and several other countries.

Internet Biographies:

Joe Biden — from The Presidents of the United States of America
Compiled by the White House.
Joe Biden — from U.S. Presidents
From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.

Historical Documents:

Inaugural Address (2021)

Media Resources:

Other Internet Resources:

Points of Interest:

  • Taking office at the age of 78, Joe Biden is the oldest president in American history.
  • He represented Delaware for 36 years in the United States Senate.
  • Joe Biden and Richard Nixon are the only two non-incumbent vice presidents to be elected to the White House.
  • Joe Biden’s popular vote count, exceeding 81 million, is the highest received by any US president.
  • Within two days of taking office, President Joe Biden had signed 17 executive orders, more than most presidents signed in their first 100 days.
  • Joe Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris is the US’s first female Vice President and the first woman of color to hold that post.
  • The Biden administration named Amanda Gorman the first National Youth Poet Laureate. 

FAQs:

  • When was Biden elected?

President Joe Biden was elected in November 2021. After a hotly contested race, Biden secured 306 electoral votes, winning the election.

  • What state is Biden from?

Since he was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the Keystone State is often regarded as his home state. However, at the age of 11, his family moved to Delaware. And it is this state that Biden represented for 36 years in the Senate.

  • How many people voted for Joe Biden?

According to the final results of the 2020 presidential elections, 81,286,365 people voted for Joe Biden. This was 51.3% of the popular vote. From the Electoral College, he received 306 out of 538 votes.

  • What is Biden’s Build Back Better plan?

The Build Back Better plan was a part of the Biden campaign’s agenda when he was running for election. It proposed funding for infrastructure and social services, as well as to tackle COVID-19 and climate change. 

Since coming to office, two bills have been passed that cover some of the plan’s areas. The American Rescue Plan Act passed in March 2021 was a COVID-19 relief package. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that became law in November 2021 addressed funding for infrastructure. 

The other aspects of the plan were incorporated in the Build Back Better Act bill which was passed by the House of Representatives in November 2021. However, the legislation is now officially considered to be dead following the public withdrawal of support for it by Democratic Senator Manchin, whose vote was regarded as necessary for the bill to pass the Senate.

Related Resources:


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