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135-548: The White House Internship Program was unpaid until 2022, when President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan spending bill that set aside $ 4.5 million to pay White House interns. Interns must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age, and must be either a current student, recent graduate, or veteran of the United States Armed Forces . Those selected for the program are able to work in one of sixteen available presidential departments . The White House Internship Program

270-495: A Fordham Law Review article with inadequate citations. He was required to repeat the course and passed with high marks. At Biden's request the Delaware Supreme Court's Board of Professional Responsibility reviewed the incident and concluded that he had violated no rules. Biden has made several false or exaggerated claims about his early life: that he had earned three degrees in college, that he attended law school on

405-496: A University of Oklahoma law school professor, had accused Thomas of making unwelcome sexual comments when they had worked together. Biden had known of some of these charges, but initially shared them only with the committee because Hill was then unwilling to testify. The committee hearing was reopened and Hill testified, but Biden did not permit testimony from other witnesses, such as a woman who had made similar charges and experts on harassment. The full Senate confirmed Thomas by

540-621: A fiscal year . A majority in the Senate Budget Committee would be needed to change this. On June 3, Senator Manchin advocated against using reconciliation, though other Democrats supported it. On June 16, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer met with the Democratic members of the Senate Budget Committee to discuss the option of passing a budget resolution using reconciliation. Democrats were reportedly considering such

675-479: A public defender and then at a law firm headed by a locally active Democrat, who named him to the Democratic Forum, a group trying to reform and revitalize the state party; Biden subsequently reregistered as a Democrat. He and another attorney also formed a law firm. Corporate law did not appeal to him, and criminal law did not pay well. He supplemented his income by managing properties. Biden ran for

810-654: A seminar on constitutional law at Widener University School of Law . He sometimes flew back from overseas to teach the class. Secretary of the Senate Francis R. Valeo swore Biden in at the Delaware Division of the Wilmington Medical Center in January 1973. Present were his sons Beau (whose leg was still in traction from the automobile accident) and Hunter and other family members. At age 30, he

945-512: A "mistake", but did not push for withdrawal. He supported the appropriations for the occupation, but argued that the war should be internationalized, that more soldiers were needed, and that the Bush administration should "level with the American people" about its cost and length. By late 2006, Biden's stance had shifted considerably. He opposed the troop surge of 2007 , saying General David Petraeus

1080-412: A $ 2.1 trillion compromise, but Manchin refused to budge above $ 1.5 trillion. The next day, Pelosi set a new deadline of October 31, having cited Biden's November trip to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference as a hopeful incentive. On October 3, Congressional Progressive Caucus chairwoman Pramila Jayapal rejected Manchin's suggested spending limit, as well as his insistence on including

1215-399: A 1976 passage by Hubert Humphrey . Biden responded that politicians often borrow from one another without giving credit, and that one of his rivals for the nomination, Jesse Jackson , had called him to point out that he (Jackson) had used the same material by Humphrey that Biden had used. A few days later, an incident was publicized in which, while in law school, Biden had taken text from

1350-496: A 220–207 vote. President Biden signed it into law on August 16. Analysts from the Tax Foundation , Tax Policy Center , Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and Moody's Analytics all agreed that the bill will cause a modest short-term increase in inflation and have a marginal impact over the long run. In early December, economist Alan Blinder wrote an opinion article for The Wall Street Journal in favor of passing

1485-800: A 52–48 vote, with Biden opposed. Liberal legal advocates and women's groups felt strongly that Biden had mishandled the hearings and not done enough to support Hill. In 2019, he told Hill he regretted his treatment of her, but Hill said afterward she remained unsatisfied. Biden was a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee . He became its ranking minority member in 1997 and chaired it from June 2001 to 2003 and 2007 to 2009. His positions were generally liberal internationalist . He collaborated effectively with Republicans and sometimes went against elements of his own party. During this time he met with at least 150 leaders from 60 countries and international organizations, becoming

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1620-422: A Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in history and political science in 1965. Biden had a stutter and has mitigated it since his early twenties. He has described his efforts to reduce it by reciting poetry before a mirror. Biden married Neilia Hunter , a student at Syracuse University , on August 27, 1966, after overcoming her parents' disinclination for her to wed a Catholic. Their wedding

1755-548: A December 16 statement by Biden on the stalled negotiations, which Manchin opposed because he thought it would bring unwanted attention to him and his family. He also blamed Democrats and activists for ignoring his point of view since July, specifically that the bill should only cost $ 1.5 trillion, as they need all 50 Senate votes to pass the bill. Manchin said he would not soon support a less expensive reconciliation bill, saying he would prefer it go through Senate committees, which could take months; he also stated his preference for

1890-694: A Democratic floor manager for the successful passage of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act in 1984. His supporters praised him for modifying some of the law's worst provisions, and it was his most important legislative accomplishment to that time. In 1994, Biden helped pass the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act , which included a ban on assault weapons , and the Violence Against Women Act , which he has called his most significant legislation. The 1994 crime law

2025-410: A Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey in early-August, voters narrowly opposed the bill 51%–49%. Shortly after the missed October 1 deadline to pass the reconciliation package, protestors separately confronted Senators Manchin and Sinema. A CBS News poll from October 10 showed support for the bill at 54%, with 46% opposed. A Data for Progress /Fighting Chance for Families poll found that support for making

2160-549: A House rule concerning the infrastructure and reconciliation bills, as well as the John Lewis Voting Rights Act , passed along party lines on August 24. On September 7, the administration proposed a stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown at the beginning of October. An initial stopgap bill, which included a provision to raise the debt ceiling , was passed by the House along party lines on September 21, but

2295-411: A bill around $ 6 trillion. In late June, Manchin said he was open to adjusting the 2017 tax bill and stated his support for a $ 2 trillion reconciliation bill. On June 24, a bipartisan group met with the president and reached a $ 1.2 trillion bipartisan deal focusing on physical infrastructure (such as roads, bridges, railways, water, sewage, broadband, and electric vehicles). Biden stipulated that

2430-689: A class of 85 students. He was admitted to the Delaware bar in 1969. Biden clerked at a Wilmington law firm headed by prominent local Republican William Prickett in 1968 and, he later said, "thought of myself as a Republican". He disliked incumbent Democratic Delaware governor Charles L. Terry 's conservative racial politics and supported a more liberal Republican, Russell W. Peterson , who defeated Terry in 1968. Local Republicans attempted to recruit Biden, but he registered as an Independent because of his distaste for Republican presidential candidate Richard Nixon . In 1969, Biden practiced law, first as

2565-569: A cold day in hell" before another independent counsel would be granted similar powers. He voted to acquit during the impeachment of President Clinton . During the 2000s, Biden sponsored bankruptcy legislation sought by credit card issuers. Clinton vetoed the bill in 2000, but it passed in 2005 as the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act , with Biden being one of only 18 Democrats to vote for it, while leading Democrats and consumer rights organizations opposed it. As

2700-476: A full scholarship, that he had graduated in the top half of his class, and that he had marched in the civil rights movement . The limited amount of other news about the presidential race amplified these disclosures and on September 23, 1987, Biden withdrew his candidacy, saying it had been overrun by "the exaggerated shadow" of his past mistakes. After exploring the possibility of a run in several previous cycles, in January 2007, Biden declared his candidacy in

2835-466: A key moderate, stated her support. On October 28, the White House released a framework for the bill. Senate Democrats set a new deadline for around November 19, when the session recessed for Thanksgiving. On November 1, Manchin stated that he may not support the bill due to it allegedly costing more than claimed in the framework. Senate Budget Committee chairman Bernie Sanders argued that

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2970-480: A letter sent to eight Senate leaders, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada Chrystia Freeland and International Trade Minister Mary Ng detailed their concerns with the extra $ 4,500 EV tax credit for American-made (union-manufactured) vehicles and threatened that if it is passed, Canada would retaliate by launching a dispute settlement process under the USMCA along with tariffs targeting various American industries, including

3105-451: A memo to senators rebutting it as well as a Department of Labor report on the consumer price index indicating that inflation had reached its highest point in 40 years, which the White House attributes to supply-chain issues caused by the pandemic. Biden later said that he did not know if he could secure Manchin's support for the bill; the two held talks on December 13 with plans to continue negotiating. Earlier on that day, Manchin called

3240-563: A middle-class lifestyle. At Archmere Academy in Claymont, Biden played baseball and was a standout halfback and wide receiver on the high school football team. Though a poor student, he was class president in his junior and senior years. He graduated in 1961. At the University of Delaware in Newark , Biden briefly played freshman football, and, as an unexceptional student, received

3375-554: A point of not resigning from the Senate before he was sworn in for his seventh term in January 2009. He cast his last Senate vote on January 15, supporting the release of the second $ 350   billion for the Troubled Asset Relief Program , and resigned from the Senate later that day, after which Ted Kaufman took office as his successor. In October 2010, Biden said Obama had asked him to remain as his running mate for

3510-468: A proposed constitutional amendment banning busing entirely. Biden supported a 1976 measure forbidding the use of federal funds for transporting students beyond the school closest to them. He co-sponsored a 1977 amendment closing loopholes in that measure, which President Carter signed into law in 1978. Biden became ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1981. He was

3645-477: A report commissioned by Evergreen Action and the Natural Resources Defense Council . It found that the plan's Clean Electricity Payment Program was expected to create 7.7 million American jobs over the next decade, generate $ 907 billion in economic growth, and provide state and local governments over $ 154 billion in tax revenue. The House Natural Resources Committee 's $ 25.6 billion portion of

3780-435: A rule to advance both packages, though this did not immediately satisfy the group of moderates. On September 2, Manchin indicated that he only supported between $ 1–1.5 trillion of the reconciliation package, and called for a "strategic pause". This prompted Biden to state, "I think we can work something out," and Schumer to say, "We're moving full speed ahead." On September 12, Manchin confirmed that he would not yet support

3915-459: A senator, Biden strongly supported increased Amtrak funding and rail security. In February 1988, after several episodes of increasingly severe neck pain, Biden underwent surgery to correct a leaking intracranial berry aneurysm . While recuperating, he suffered a pulmonary embolism , a serious complication. After a second aneurysm was surgically repaired in May, his recuperation kept him away from

4050-455: A separate "human infrastructure" bill (such as child care , home care , and climate change) must also pass, whether through bipartisanship or reconciliation, but later walked back this position. White House officials stated on July 7 that legislative text was nearing completion. On July 14, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced an energy bill expected to be included in

4185-462: A separate House vote on the bipartisan bill, writing, "We will not consider voting for a budget resolution until the bipartisan [bill] passes the House and is signed into law." While reaffirming that the House would not take up the bipartisan bill before the reconciliation bill passes in the Senate, Pelosi announced that she had asked the House Rules Committee to consider the possibility of

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4320-421: A sister, Valerie , and two brothers, Francis and James . The Biden surname traces back to William Biden, an ancestor of his who emigrated from England to Maryland around 1820. Biden's father had been wealthy and the family purchased a home in the affluent Long Island suburb of Garden City in the fall of 1946, but he suffered business setbacks around the time Biden was seven years old, and for several years

4455-461: A spokesperson he only objected to the cost. The Census Bureau has published monthly survey data reporting that low-income families that receive the payments have reported using it mostly on necessities like food, utilities, clothing and education. By mid-December, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee had stripped a ban on all future offshore drilling from the House bill. Manchin,

4590-449: A time when most draftees were sent to the war. Based on a physical examination, he was given a conditional medical deferment in 1968; in 2008, a spokesperson for Biden said his having had " asthma as a teenager" was the reason for the deferment. Biden defeated Republican incumbent J. Caleb Boggs to become the junior U.S. senator from Delaware in 1972. He was the only Democrat willing to challenge Boggs and, with minimal campaign funds, he

4725-632: A well-known Democratic voice on foreign policy. Biden voted against authorization for the Gulf War in 1991, siding with 45 of the 55 Democratic senators. He said the U.S. was bearing almost all the burden in the anti-Iraq coalition . Biden became interested in the Yugoslav Wars after hearing about Serbian abuses during the Croatian War of Independence in 1991. Once the Bosnian War broke out, Biden

4860-540: A willingness to continue negotiating with Manchin, but said if he was done negotiating this would represent "a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position" and a "breach of his commitments" to the president and Democratic lawmakers. Biden called Manchin the night of the announcement and discussed reengaging in negotiations in 2022. Among others, Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Madeleine Dean criticized Manchin for not negotiating in good faith, and both Pressley and Representative Tom Malinowski suggested that he

4995-471: Is Biden gonna say something stupid?", he asked. Obama campaign staffers called Biden's blunders "Joe bombs" and kept Biden uninformed about strategy discussions, which in turn irked Biden. Relations between the two campaigns became strained for a month, until Biden apologized on a call to Obama and the two built a stronger partnership. As the 2007–2008 financial crisis reached a peak in September 2008, and

5130-582: Is an American politician who has been the 46th and current president of the United States since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party , he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 under President Barack Obama and represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate from 1973 to 2009. Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania , Biden moved with his family to Delaware in 1953. He received a Bachelor of Arts from

5265-723: Is split into three semester seasons: summer, fall, and spring. In addition to the opportunity to work in the Executive Office of the President , the White House Internship Program also includes a speaker series, tours to sites around Washington, D.C. , opportunities to volunteer in the community, and attendance at special events. Official website Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. ( / ˈ r ɒ b ɪ n ɪ t ˈ b aɪ d ən / ROB -in-it BY -dən ; born November 20, 1942)

5400-421: The 2012 presidential election , but with Obama's popularity on the decline, White House Chief of Staff William M. Daley conducted some secret polling and focus group research in late 2011 on the idea of replacing Biden on the ticket with Hillary Clinton. The notion was dropped when the results showed no appreciable improvement for Obama, and White House officials later said Obama himself had never entertained

5535-578: The Defense of Marriage Act , which prohibited the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages, thereby barring individuals in such marriages from equal protection under federal law and allowing states to do the same. In 2015, the act was ruled unconstitutional in Obergefell ;v. Hodges . Biden was critical of Independent Counsel Ken Starr during the 1990s Whitewater controversy and Lewinsky scandal investigations, saying "it's going to be

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5670-528: The Democratic primaries , became the party's presumptive nominee in the 2024 presidential election . Concerns about Biden's age and health persisted throughout his first term, with renewed scrutiny after his performance during the first presidential debate on June 27. On July 21, he withdrew his candidacy , becoming the first U.S. president to decline to seek reelection after securing enough delegates to win renomination. Biden endorsed Vice President Harris to be

5805-556: The House Ways and Means Committee signed a letter to the president asking him to prioritize enhanced unemployment insurance (UI) and direct payments (in the style of those included in response to COVID-19 and the related recession) in the AFP. The letter cited Biden's promise to include the former adjusted to "economic conditions", but further that the latter also "served as [a lifeline] to families and workers that have had their lives upended by

5940-465: The Hyde Amendment in an expansion to Medicaid. Biden subsequently reaffirmed a target of about $ 2 trillion, which Manchin signaled being open to. Over the next few weeks, Democratic lawmakers reworked the bill to target the lower cost. Pelosi stated on October 25 that over 90% of its contents had been agreed to. On October 26, legislation for a 15% corporate minimum tax was unveiled; Sinema,

6075-435: The U.S. invasion of Iraq . As chair of the committee, he assembled a series of witnesses to testify in favor of the authorization. They gave testimony grossly misrepresenting the intent, history, and status of Saddam and his secular government, which was an avowed enemy of al-Qaeda , and touted Iraq's fictional possession of weapons of mass destruction . Biden eventually became a critic of the war and called his vote and role

6210-470: The University of Delaware in 1965 and a Juris Doctor from Syracuse University in 1968. He was elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970 and the U.S. Senate in 1972 . As a senator , Biden drafted and led the effort to pass the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and the Violence Against Women Act . He also oversaw six U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings, including

6345-472: The corporate tax rate from 21% to 25%, instead of the 28% Biden originally called for. On May 25, Republican senators Pat Toomey and Roger Wicker indicated a lack of support within their caucus to change aspects of the 2017 tax act , and suggested repurposing unspent COVID-19 relief funds. On May 28, Biden released details of a $ 6 trillion budget proposal for the fiscal year of 2022, which would raise taxes on corporations and millionaires to pay for both

6480-797: The oldest president in U.S. history and the first to serve with a female vice president. As president, Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recession . He signed bipartisan bills on infrastructure and manufacturing . He proposed the Build Back Better Act , which failed in Congress, but aspects of which were incorporated into the Inflation Reduction Act that he signed into law in 2022. Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to

6615-537: The 2008 elections . During his campaign, Biden focused on the Iraq War , his record as chairman of major Senate committees, and his foreign-policy experience. Biden was noted for his one-liners during the campaign; in one debate he said of Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani , "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, and a verb and 9/11 ." Biden had difficulty raising funds, struggled to draw people to his rallies, and failed to gain traction against

6750-437: The 4th district seat on the New Castle County Council in 1970 on a liberal platform that included support for public housing in the suburbs. The seat had been held by Republican Henry R. Folsom, who was running in the 5th District following a reapportionment of council districts. Biden won the general election, defeating Republican Lawrence T. Messick, and took office on January 5, 1971. He served until January 1, 1973, and

6885-533: The AJP and the American Families Plan (AFP) over 15 years. On June 3, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced a tweaked AJP proposal that would not increase taxes on corporations, in exchange for closing loopholes and requiring them to pay at least 15%. On June 5, finance ministers from Group of Seven announced that they would support a global 15% corporate tax minimum. On May 17, seven Democrats on

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7020-818: The Brandywine in Greenville, Delaware . In 1981, the couple had a daughter, Ashley Biden . She is a social worker and married to physician Howard Krein . Jill helped raise her stepsons, Hunter and Beau, who were seven and eight respectively at the time of her marriage. Hunter has worked as a Washington lobbyist and investment adviser; his business dealings, personal life , and legal troubles have come under significant scrutiny during his father's presidency. Beau became an Army judge-advocate in Iraq and later Delaware attorney general ; he died of brain cancer in 2015. From 1991 to 2008, as an adjunct professor , Biden co-taught

7155-591: The Build Back Better Act earlier in the year, Democrats attempted to pass key provisions of the bill more in line with Manchin's demands. According to Kaine, who is close to Manchin, his party was aiming to pass pieces of the legislation during the spring, preferably by Memorial Day, or before the congressional recess in August 2022. Manchin's spokesperson Sam Runyon said that Manchin had expressed willingness to reengage in negotiations. Progressive Democrats signaled

7290-452: The CBO, the third effort would have granted temporary amnesty to about 6.5 million non-U.S. nationals, and many of them and others would have become lawful permanent residents . Some Senate Democrats affirmed that they would seek to include immigration measures regardless of the ruling, with Elizabeth Warren arguing that "The reconciliation bill has included immigration provisions multiple times in

7425-415: The Democratic presidential nominee. Harris lost the presidential election to Trump. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born on November 20, 1942, at St. Mary's Hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania , to Catherine Eugenia "Jean" Biden ( née  Finnegan ; 1917–2010) and Joseph Robinette Biden Sr. (1915–2002) The oldest child in a Catholic family of mostly Irish descent, along with English and French; he has

7560-519: The SALT cap from $ 10,000 to $ 80,000 "a $ 275 billion tax giveaway to millionaires and the wealthy". The Senate is expected to revise the bill before sending it back to the House for a final vote. The Senate parliamentarian's review was expected to last through the week of December 7, after which Schumer hopes to bring the bill to a vote—probably the week before Christmas after negotiations with Manchin and Sinema. Manchin has voiced concerns about

7695-405: The SALT cap. On December 10, the CBO released a revised score at the request of senator Lindsey Graham and congressman Jason Smith to view the cost of the bill if certain provisions were extended for the full ten years, although they are not actually set to. The CBO reported that a 10-year extension of the bill would hypothetically increase the bill's gross cost to $ 4.9 trillion and increase

7830-607: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's objections. He received considerable attention when he excoriated Secretary of State George Shultz at a Senate hearing for the Reagan administration's support of South Africa despite its continued policy of apartheid . In a congressional hearing in 1984, he objected to the Strategic Defense Initiative plan to construct autonomous systems of ICBM defense. In

7965-529: The Senate for seven months. Biden was a longtime member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary . He chaired it from 1987 to 1995 and was a ranking minority member from 1981 to 1987 and again from 1995 to 1997. As chair, Biden presided over two highly contentious U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings. When Robert Bork was nominated in 1988, Biden reversed his approval‍—‌given in an interview

8100-435: The Senate reconvened on January 3, 2022, Axios reported that Manchin was willing to resume negotiations if the enhanced child tax credit was struck or modified to significantly lower the income caps governing eligibility. That day, Schumer said that voting legislation would take immediate precedence. On January 4, Manchin affirmed that "There is no negotiation going on at this time." Some Democrats called to separately pass

8235-424: The Senate released a framework, which included most of the provisions of the AFP. On August 1, Manchin restated his opinion that the bipartisan and reconciliation bills should remain separate, citing concerns about the latter including how it would be paid for and uncertainty regarding whether it would pass. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded by claiming that enough House Democrats would vote to block

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8370-496: The Senate, but the idea failed to gain traction. Biden formally declared his candidacy for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination on June 9, 1987. He was considered a strong candidate because of his moderate image, his speaking ability, his high profile as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the upcoming Robert Bork Supreme Court nomination hearings, and his appeal to Baby Boomers ; he would have been

8505-616: The Supreme Court . He worked with congressional Republicans to resolve the 2023 debt-ceiling crisis by negotiating a deal to raise the debt ceiling . In his foreign policy , Biden restored America's membership in the Paris Agreement . He oversaw the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan that ended the war in Afghanistan , leading to the collapse of the Afghan government and

8640-762: The Taliban seizing control . He responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine by imposing sanctions on Russia and authorizing civilian and military aid to Ukraine . During the Israel–Hamas war , Biden condemned the actions of Hamas as terrorism, announced military support for Israel and sent humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip . His administration brokered a ceasefire agreement in the Israel–Hezbollah conflict . In April 2023, Biden announced his reelection campaign and, after

8775-452: The United States, among older adults who can benefit from hearing aids, only 1 in 3 reported ever using them. This is in-part attributable to the lack of treatment access and amount of out of pocket spending required, which is averaged at $ 914. As such, adding coverage for hearing services would help Medicare beneficiaries who otherwise would not be able to afford treatment, receive the care they need and improve health outcomes. According to

8910-468: The White House and both houses of Congress had reached an agreement concerning a bill payment framework, which he described as a "menu of options". The House Budget Committee advanced the bill in a markup session on September 25; it was next expected be reviewed by the House Rules Committee. On September 30, Politico reported that Manchin and Schumer secretly signed an agreement proposed by

9045-450: The auto sector and dairy. Mexico also threatened retaliation if the extra $ 4,500 EV tax credit is passed. An additional letter expressing concerns over the proposed EV tax credit structure, signed by 29 ambassadors, was sent to Speaker Pelosi, Senator Schumer, Senator McConnell, and Congressman McCarthy on October 29, 2021. The letter was signed by the ambassadors of the EU, Germany, Poland,

9180-422: The bill allotted $ 2.5 billion to deal with port congestion and $ 1 billion to reduce aviation-caused carbon emissions. The bill was expected to generate $ 1.5 trillion in revenue from corporations and the wealthy. In September, it was reported that House Democrats hoped to increase the corporate tax rate to 26.5% (between Biden's original 28% and Senator Manchin's suggested 25%) as part of the reconciliation bill;

9315-415: The bill in a statement and dismissed the dire status of negotiations. On January 19, Biden acknowledged that it would be better to pass "big chunks" of the bill and try to negotiate other aspects later. He said he thought the provisions for clean energy and early education could pass, but expressed doubt about the child tax credit and college tuition aid. On January 20, Pelosi acknowledged that she expected

9450-569: The bill included a repeal of a 2017 law requiring the government to lease land at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling , and would have banned offshore drilling in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico . A CCC jobs program would have been created. Money was to have been raised via an increase on royalties paid by fossil fuel companies to drill on federal lands and waters, as well as

9585-602: The bill including its potential effect on inflation and whether it can pass by Christmas; he has called for changes to some of the tax provisions and cutting measures including paid family leave (which costs over $ 200 billion), a methane fee on energy producer emissions, a Medicare expansion to include hearing costs, and the enhanced child tax credit. Manchin has been negotiating with Tom Carper over methane fees and how it would interact with Environmental Protection Agency methane regulations. Senators Sanders, Jon Tester and Bob Menendez have met to consider options to revise

9720-468: The bill is estimated to cost approximately $ 2.2 trillion. The White House's legislative framework, the costs of which were disputed by nonpartisan estimates, includes: Specifics of the bill include: The pending payment methods are: On July 13, the Democrats of the Senate Budget Committee reached a reconciliation budget limit agreement of $ 3.5 trillion in spending over the next decade. The next day,

9855-530: The bill over the procedural tactics used. Continued negotiations between Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer eventually resulted in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 , which incorporated some of the Build Back Better Act's climate change, healthcare, and tax reform proposals while excluding its social safety net proposals. Before the bill was spun off from the American Jobs Plan (AJP), on April 5, 2021, Senator Joe Manchin proposed raising

9990-489: The bill to be scaled down and rebranded to continue negotiations. She asserted that the bill's provisions related to combatting climate change, expanding health care coverage, and lowering prescription drug costs should remain, but also expressed doubt on universal preschool and the child tax credit. Manchin reiterated that he had pulled support for his compromise bill and that future negotiations would start "from scratch". He maintained that any future bill would have to deal with

10125-533: The bill would increase the budget deficit by $ 367 billion over ten years and that an estimated $ 127 billion would be offset by revenue generated through increased IRS tax enforcement (differing from the Treasury Department 's estimate of $ 400 billion). The same day, the House voted along party lines to advance the bill. On November 19, the bill was passed 220–213 by the House; only one Democrat, Jared Golden of Maine, voted against it, calling an increase in

10260-650: The bill, citing several factors including the bill's structure, high inflation, the national debt , the severe spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant , and "geopolitical uncertainty as tensions rise with both Russia and China." He added that many programs, specifically naming the child tax credit, would be extended year after year for a decade, inflating the bill's true cost. The White House, surprised and angered at Manchin's sudden reversal after months of negotiations, unsuccessfully tried to contact him before his announcement. White House Press Secretary Psaki announced

10395-421: The bill, stating, "We don't have the need to rush into this". Biden subsequently held meetings with Senators Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to discuss their objections to the package. Both House Majority Whip James Clyburn and House Budget Committee chairman John Yarmuth suggested that the bill could be reduced from $ 3.5 trillion and still meet the president's goals. On September 23, Schumer announced that

10530-752: The bill. The passage of the Build Back Better Act would help expand Medicare services for older adults with sensory impairments. The initial proposal of this bill aims to address gaps in Medicare such as dental, vision and hearing coverage–however both dental and vision benefits were removed following objections from Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Currently, Medicare only covers limited hearing services such as cochlear implantation. The Build Back Better Act would add hearing services subject to Medicare Part B deductible and 20% coinsurance from 2023; these services include hearing aids for moderately severe to profound hearing loss and services offered by audiologists. In

10665-830: The bill. Goldman Sachs cut its economic forecast for the U.S. after Manchin rejected the bill, lowering its GDP growth forecasts in the first three quarters of 2022. It further noted that upcoming inflation and the Omicron variant's spread would further discourage support for the bill as a priority. Moody's Analytics was also likely to downgrade its U.S. economic forecast in the days after Manchin's announcement. The bill's clean energy provisions, especially its $ 320 billion investment in clean energy and electric vehicle tax credits, are expected to fulfill Biden's goal of cutting emissions by 50% by 2030. Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal called for executive action on those provisions in light of Manchin expressing his opposition to

10800-427: The bill. In July, Senate Democrats reached an agreement to end a tax loophole to extend the solvency of Medicare , lower prescription drug prices and raise at least $ 250 billion in revenue. Manchin opposed sending direct payments to companies that generate clean energy for consumer use and capped energy spending at around $ 300 billion. On July 27, Manchin and Schumer announced the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 ,

10935-440: The bipartisan bill, which Manchin helped negotiate, ran up to a $ 250 billion deficit, while the reconciliation bill was fully paid for. On November 5, the House Rules Committee approved a rule, which if adopted, would kick off debate on the bill. Several moderate Democrats requested a score from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) before lending their support. The score was released on November 18, finding that

11070-401: The bipartisan package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi similarly stated that the House would not vote on the physical infrastructure bill until the larger bill passes in the Senate, but later walked back this position as well, as the physical infrastructure package passed the House on November 5 and was signed into law before the larger bill had received a vote. The original version of the bill

11205-447: The child tax credit permanent (which the bill is only set to continue for a year) was about 50%. A Monmouth University poll from early December showed 61% support for the legislation. An online poll by Rasmussen Reports in the same month indicates most Americans do not support the bill. The Biden administration faces a decline in approval ratings as they try to cut portions of the bill to gain support of Senators Manchin and Sinema. In

11340-454: The child tax credit, which earned criticism from his GOP colleagues as "welfare assistance". On January 8, 2022, after a collapse in negotiations, Manchin pulled support for the alternative proposal he had presented to the White House in December 2021. He said he was no longer involved in White House discussions and privately signaled that he was no longer interested in supporting any form of

11475-634: The climate provisions of the bill after Manchin expressed support on a climate change and clean energy agreement, though he had strong objections to some energy measures he considered punitive to his home state. Manchin had entered discussions with those seeking to gain his support, among them Counselor to the President Steve Ricchetti , Donald Trump's National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow , and Senator Mitt Romney ; they declined to discuss their conversations to reporters. In February 2021 Romney had offered an alternative proposal for

11610-406: The committee's chairman, also sought to raise onshore drilling royalty rates for the federal oil and gas leasing program to only 16.7% (from 12.5%), instead of the House bill's 18.75%. On December 16, Biden acknowledged that negotiations with Manchin and both parliamentary and procedural steps regarding reconciliation would delay the bill to 2022 but relayed his optimism that it would pass, as well as

11745-548: The competing priority of voting rights legislation. Following meetings with Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough to make sure all of the provisions comply with the Byrd Rule necessary for passing a bill via reconciliation, Senate Democrats will need to make changes to a negotiated prescription drug pricing provision in the House bill which MacDonough found as violating the rule. MacDonough also ruled against three separate Democratic proposals to reform immigration. According to

11880-561: The contentious hearings for Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas . Biden ran unsuccessfully for the 1988 and 2008 Democratic presidential nominations . In 2008, Obama chose Biden as his running mate, and he was a close counselor to Obama during his two terms as vice president. In the 2020 presidential election , the Democratic Party nominated Biden for president. He selected Kamala Harris as his running mate, and they defeated Republican incumbents Donald Trump and Mike Pence . He became

12015-428: The debate overall. On November 4, Obama and Biden were elected with 53% of the popular vote and 365 electoral votes to McCain and Palin's 173. At the same time Biden was running for vice president, he was also running for reelection to the Senate, as permitted by Delaware law. On November   4, he was reelected to the Senate, defeating Republican Christine O'Donnell . Having won both races, Biden made

12150-456: The deficit by $ 3 trillion over a decade, assuming that the extensions would not be paid for. Republicans rebuked the bill in light of the adjusted score, with Graham later stating that Manchin was "stunned" by it. Democrats quickly denounced the report. National Economic Council Director Brian Deese clarified that the revised score is of a "hypothetical future bill" that Biden would not support, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen issued

12285-500: The election, Biden trailed Boggs by almost thirty percentage points, but his energy, attractive young family, and ability to connect with voters' emotions worked to his advantage, and he won with 50.5% of the vote. A few weeks after Biden was elected senator, his wife Neilia and one-year-old daughter Naomi were killed in an automobile accident while Christmas shopping in Hockessin, Delaware , on December 18, 1972. Neilia's station wagon

12420-523: The establishment of a royalty payment for hard-rock mining . The House Science Committee 's $ 45.51 billion portion included over $ 4 billion for NASA (although not for human space exploration ). Democrats of the House Transportation Committee proposed $ 10 billion for transit support, $ 10 billion for high-speed rail, $ 4 billion to lower carbon emissions and $ 4 billion to address the division of communities by highways. Additionally,

12555-508: The family lived with Biden's maternal grandparents in Scranton. Scranton fell into economic decline during the 1950s and Biden's father could not find steady work. Beginning in 1953 when Biden was ten, the family lived in an apartment in Claymont, Delaware , before moving to a house in nearby Mayfield, Delaware . Biden Sr. later became a successful used-car salesman , maintaining the family in

12690-402: The final result of these negotiations, surprising other congressional Democrats. The bill, which includes provisions on tax, health care, and climate and energy spending, was introduced in the Senate as an amendment to the Build Back Better Act. On August 7, the Senate passed the bill on a 50–50 vote with Vice President Harris breaking the tie. On August 12, 2022, the House passed the bill on

12825-484: The former in July to limit the total cost of the reconciliation bill to $ 1.5 trillion. In the text of the agreement, Manchin outlined his conditions for the bill and did not guarantee that he would vote for the final legislation if it exceeded his demands. A spokesperson for Schumer said that that he had "merely acknowledged" Manchin's stance on the bill and would try to dissuade him from some of his demands. A procedural vote on

12960-400: The formulation on previous occasions, but did not on two occasions in late August. Kinnock himself was more forgiving; the two men met in 1988, forming an enduring friendship. Earlier that year, Biden had also used passages from a 1967 speech by Robert F. Kennedy (for which his aides took blame) and a short phrase from John F. Kennedy's inaugural address ; two years earlier he had used

13095-465: The high-profile candidacies of Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton . He never rose above single digits in national polls of the Democratic candidates . In the first contest on January 3, 2008, Biden placed fifth in the Iowa caucuses , garnering slightly less than one percent of the state delegates. He withdrew from the race that evening. Despite its lack of success, Biden's 2008 campaign raised his stature in

13230-519: The idea. Build Back Better Act The Build Back Better Act was a bill introduced in the 117th Congress to fulfill aspects of President Joe Biden 's Build Back Better Plan . It was spun off from the American Jobs Plan , alongside the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act , as a $ 3.5 trillion Democratic reconciliation package that included provisions related to climate change and social policy . Following negotiations,

13365-446: The legislation unless Democrats fundamentally change the bill on his terms. Some Democratic strategists argued in favor of continuing to negotiate with Manchin to craft a new version of the bill. On January 16, Senator Tim Kaine said that although the full package was effectively dead, he still believed that lawmakers would "find the core of the bill and pass it". The White House subsequently touted its accomplishments and support for

13500-600: The mid-1970s, Biden was one of the Senate's strongest opponents of race-integration busing . His Delaware constituents strongly opposed it, and such opposition nationwide later led his party to mostly abandon school integration policies. In his first Senate campaign, Biden had expressed support for busing to remedy de jure segregation , as in the South, but opposed its use to remedy de facto segregation arising from racial patterns of neighborhood residency, as in Delaware; he opposed

13635-594: The mid-1990s his "proudest moment in public life" related to foreign policy. In 1999, during the Kosovo War , Biden supported the 1999 NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia . He and Senator John McCain co-sponsored the McCain-Biden Kosovo Resolution, which called on Clinton to use all necessary force, including ground troops, to confront Milošević over Yugoslav actions toward ethnic Albanians in Kosovo . Biden

13770-427: The modified CBO score "very sobering" and further objected to the bill's reliance on temporary programs amid high inflation as the major reasons he had not yet backed the bill. Manchin has repeatedly voiced numerous concerns with extending the child tax credit, which is expected to expire. Senate Democrats defended the enhanced child tax credit, arguing that it has greatly reduced child poverty . As of December 2021,

13905-418: The next month, it was reported that the corporate tax rate was unlikely to be increased in the bill due to opposition from Senator Sinema. Progressive lawmakers pushed in early versions of the bill for funding numerous programs such as the child tax credit , earned income tax credit , and Affordable Care Act subsidies permanently or to 2025, hoping that funding would be renewed. The revised version of

14040-560: The pandemic". Previously, on March 31, 21 Senate Democrats sent Biden a letter in favor of further stimulus payments and UI, and in April, the Economic Security Project reported that two additional direct payments could keep 12 million Americans out of poverty . On May 28, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough indicated that the current rules dictate that the reconciliation process should not be used more than once during

14175-486: The pandemic, inflation, the national debt, and prescription drug prices to earn his support. Later in the day, several House Democrats said they would only support a bill if it included an increase to the SALT cap. On February 1, Manchin said that he was not in discussions over the bill, calling it "dead", and mentioned inflation, COVID-19 and the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian crisis as more important priorities. Sanders strongly criticized his comments. After failing to pass

14310-450: The passage of the bipartisan bill to force the approval of the incomplete reconciliation bill, citing the possibility of "a lot of corporate lobbyist giveaways" being hidden in the former. On August 10, the Senate voted along party lines to begin debating a $ 3.5 trillion budget resolution. Early the next morning, the resolution passed along party lines. In August, a group of several moderate Democratic representatives urged Pelosi to hold

14445-613: The past." On December 14, Manchin quietly presented the White House with an alternate proposal of a scope closer to $ 1.75 trillion. Manchin's proposal included universal pre-K funded for 10 years, expanded ACA subsidies, and climate change mitigation efforts, but notably excluded an extension of the child tax credit for which he has repeatedly voiced fiscal concerns. It excluded funding for housing and racial equity initiatives, and included proposed tax hikes that Sinema had already opposed. On December 19, Manchin announced on both Fox News Sunday and his website that he would not support

14580-455: The payments reduced child poverty by 30–40% and food insecurity among low-income families by 25%. He has demanded that the child tax credit be narrowly tailored with work requirements, which Biden did not agree to. Manchin argued that Democrats are relying on multiple temporary programs such as the child tax credit that are intended to be extended yearly without funding, and called for the White House to be transparent on its funding in light of

14715-473: The political world. In particular, it changed the relationship between Biden and Obama. Although they had served together on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , they had not been close: Biden resented Obama's quick rise to political stardom, while Obama viewed Biden as garrulous and patronizing. Having gotten to know each other during 2007, Obama appreciated Biden's campaign style and appeal to working-class voters, and Biden said he became convinced Obama

14850-563: The possibility of a deal with Manchin, but some expressed concern. Manchin said he would not write a partisan bill, believing the White House or Senate Majority Leader Schumer should write it for him to sign off on should it meet his requirements. After missing the Memorial Day deadline, Senator Ron Wyden said that the new deadline was August 1, 2022, when Congress goes into recess. Manchin said that, besides what he will accept, he wanted efforts to combat inflation as an important priority in

14985-452: The press devoted far more coverage to the Republican nominee, Alaska governor Sarah Palin . Under instructions from the campaign, Biden kept his speeches succinct and tried to avoid offhand remarks, such as one he made about Obama's being tested by a foreign power soon after taking office, which had attracted negative attention. Privately, Biden's remarks frustrated Obama. "How many times

15120-468: The previous year‍—‌of a hypothetical Bork nomination. Conservatives were angered, but at the hearings' close Biden was praised for his fairness, humor, and courage. Rejecting the arguments of some Bork opponents, Biden framed his objections to Bork in terms of the conflict between Bork's strong originalism and the view that the U.S. Constitution provides rights to liberty and privacy beyond those explicitly enumerated in its text. Bork's nomination

15255-551: The price was lowered to approximately $ 2.2 trillion. The bill was passed 220–213 by the House of Representatives on November 19, 2021. During negotiations, Senator Joe Manchin publicly pulled his support from the bill for not matching his envisioned cost of about $ 1.75 trillion due to provisions that lasted for less than ten years. After renegotiating the reduction of the Build Back Better Act's size, scope, and cost with Biden and Democratic congressional leaders, Manchin ultimately rejected

15390-474: The proposed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 became a major factor in the campaign, Biden voted for the $ 700   billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 , which passed in the Senate, 74–25. On October 2, he participated in the vice-presidential debate with Palin at Washington University in St. Louis . Post-debate polls found that while Palin exceeded many voters' expectations, Biden had won

15525-617: The revised CBO score and extend it for 10 years instead of one, which would cost $ 1.6 trillion. Such an extension would likely force out other priorities in the bill. When Manchin was confronted by reporters on news that he wanted to "zero ... out" the child tax credit from the package, he angrily denied wanting to cut it from the bill, calling them "bullshit". Manchin also privately raised concerns that parents would use their child tax credit payments to buy drugs and abuse paid leave to go hunting during deer season, which shocked his colleagues. He denied he made those concerns and stated through

15660-467: The second-youngest person elected president, after John F. Kennedy . He raised more in the first quarter of 1987 than any other candidate. By August his campaign's messaging had become confused due to staff rivalries, and in September, he was accused of plagiarizing a speech by British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock . Biden's speech had similar lines about being the first person in his family to attend university. Biden had credited Kinnock with

15795-476: The standard legislative process, which would require the support of at least 10 Republicans. Pelosi vowed that her caucus would not give up, expressing optimism that Manchin would come around. Schumer announced that the Senate would vote on the bill in January 2022 to make public each senator's position. On December 21, Biden insisted that the bill would fight inflation and address medical costs, expressing optimism he could get Manchin to agree. One day before

15930-480: The strategy behind the choice reflected a desire to fill out the ticket with someone with foreign policy and national security experience. Others pointed out Biden's appeal to middle-class and blue-collar voters. Biden was officially nominated for vice president on August 27 by voice vote at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver . Biden's vice-presidential campaigning gained little media attention, as

16065-413: Was "dead, flat wrong" in believing the surge could work. Biden instead advocated dividing Iraq into a loose federation of three ethnic states. Rather than continue the existing approach or withdrawing, the plan called for "a third way": federalizing Iraq and giving Kurds , Shiites , and Sunnis "breathing room" in their own regions. In September 2007, a non-binding resolution endorsing the plan passed

16200-419: Was "the real deal". Shortly after Biden withdrew from the presidential race, Obama privately told him he was interested in finding an important place for Biden in his administration. In early August, Obama and Biden met in secret to discuss the possibility, and developed a strong personal rapport. On August 22, 2008, Obama announced that Biden would be his running mate . The New York Times reported that

16335-509: Was a strong supporter of the War in Afghanistan , saying, "Whatever it takes, we should do it." As head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he said in 2002 that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was a threat to national security and there was no other option than to "eliminate" that threat. In October 2002, he voted in favor of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq , approving

16470-465: Was among the first to call for the " lift and strike " policy. The George H. W. Bush administration and Clinton administration were both reluctant to implement the policy, fearing Balkan entanglement. In April 1993, Biden held a tense three-hour meeting with Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević . Biden worked on several versions of legislative language urging the U.S. toward greater involvement. Biden has called his role in affecting Balkan policy in

16605-554: Was derailing Biden's agenda before the 2022 midterm elections . Several senators called for a floor vote to force Manchin to publicly vote against the bill. Some Democrats called for a piecemeal approach to the bill's contents to sway Manchin and party leaders back into negotiations. Republicans commended Manchin for rejecting the bill. On December 20, Manchin said that the bill lacked "accountability" measures to taper its benefits and criticized White House staff for their handling of negotiations; this including being singled out in

16740-704: Was estimated to cost $ 3.5 trillion. It may have increased the state and local tax deduction (SALT) deduction limit (which was set at $ 10,000 in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017). It was also expected to include the Protecting the Right to Organize Act labor bill, set a clean electricity standard called the Clean Energy Performance Program, and reform immigration to the extent allowed by reconciliation rules. On September 9, 2021, Analysis Group published

16875-655: Was filled with anger and religious doubt. He wrote that he "felt God had played a horrible trick" on him and had trouble focusing on work. Biden met teacher Jill Tracy Jacobs in 1975 on a blind date . They married at the United Nations chapel in New York on June 17, 1977, and spent their honeymoon at Lake Balaton in the Hungarian People's Republic . Biden credits her with the renewal of his interest in politics and life. The couple attends Mass at St. Joseph's on

17010-501: Was first elected in 1970, until Roth was defeated in 2000. As of 2024 , he was the 19th-longest-serving senator in U.S. history. During his early years in the Senate, Biden focused on consumer protection and environmental issues and called for greater government accountability. In a 1974 interview, he described himself as liberal on civil rights and liberties, senior citizens' concerns and healthcare, but conservative on other issues, including abortion and military conscription . Biden

17145-526: Was held in a Catholic church in Skaneateles, New York . They had three children: Joseph R. "Beau" Biden III , Robert Hunter Biden , and Naomi Christina "Amy" Biden. Biden earned a Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law in 1968. In his first year of law school, he failed a course because he plagiarized a law review article for a paper he wrote, but the failing grade was later stricken. His grades were relatively poor, and he graduated 76th in

17280-446: Was hit by a semi-trailer truck as she pulled out from an intersection. Their sons Beau (aged 3) and Hunter (aged 2) were in the car and were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Beau with a broken leg and other wounds and Hunter with a minor skull fracture and other head injuries. Biden considered resigning to care for them, but Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield persuaded him not to. Biden contemplated suicide and

17415-409: Was rejected in the committee by a 5–9 vote and then in the full Senate, 42–58. During Clarence Thomas's nomination hearings in 1991, Biden's questions on constitutional issues were often convoluted to the point that Thomas sometimes lost track of them, and Thomas later wrote that Biden's questions were akin to " beanballs ". After the committee hearing closed, the public learned that Anita Hill ,

17550-470: Was subsequently blocked along party lines in the Senate. On September 30, a stopgap bill was passed to keep the government open until December 3, prolonging infrastructure negotiations. In early December, a bill was passed to continue funding the government at existing levels through mid-February. A prospective deadline for the House to advance both the reconciliation and bipartisan bill passed on October 1. On that date, Democratic leaders floated

17685-540: Was succeeded by Democrat Francis R. Swift. During his time on the county council, Biden opposed large highway projects, which he argued might disrupt Wilmington neighborhoods. Biden had not openly supported or opposed the Vietnam War until he ran for Senate and opposed Richard Nixon's conduct of the war. While studying at the University of Delaware and Syracuse University, Biden obtained five student draft deferments at

17820-421: Was the seventh-youngest senator in U.S. history . To see his sons, Biden traveled by train between his Delaware home and D.C. —74 minutes each way—and maintained this habit throughout his 36 years in the Senate. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972 , Biden was reelected in 1978 , 1984 , 1990 , 1996 , 2002 , and 2008 , regularly receiving about 60% of the vote. He was junior senator to William Roth , who

17955-592: Was the first U.S. senator to endorse Jimmy Carter for president in the 1976 Democratic primary . Carter went on to win the Democratic nomination and defeat incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 election . Biden also worked on arms control . After Congress failed to ratify the SALT II Treaty signed in 1979 by Soviet general secretary Leonid Brezhnev and President Jimmy Carter, Biden met with Soviet foreign minister Andrei Gromyko to communicate American concerns and secured changes that addressed

18090-559: Was thought to have no chance of winning. Family members managed and staffed the campaign, which relied on meeting voters face-to-face and hand-distributing position papers, an approach made feasible by Delaware's small size. He received help from the AFL-CIO and Democratic pollster Patrick Caddell . His platform focused on the environment, withdrawal from Vietnam, civil rights, mass transit, equitable taxation, health care and public dissatisfaction with "politics as usual". A few months before

18225-428: Was unpopular among progressives and criticized for resulting in mass incarceration; in 2019, Biden called his role in passing the bill a "big mistake", citing its policy on crack cocaine and saying that the bill "trapped an entire generation". Biden voted for a 1993 provision that deemed homosexuality incompatible with military life, thereby banning gay people from serving in the armed forces. In 1996, he voted for

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