During the State of the Union Address (2022), President Joe Biden established what he hoped to accomplish in the next year of his presidency.
Biden declared he planned to continue to support Ukraine strongly, create more jobs for Americans, modernize infrastructure, and combat climate change. As well as work to reduce inflation, lower the cost of child care, take measures to reduce gun violence, get Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed to the supreme court, and support veterans.
“This is our moment to meet and overcome the challenges of our time. And we will, as one people, one America—the United States of America,” Biden said in the 2022 State of the Union Address.
On Feb. 25, 2022, Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, and the U.S. Senate confirmed her on April 7, 2022. Jackson’s experience includes serving on the D.C. Circuit court, the United States district court for D.C., and serving as a law clerk for Justice Breyer, whose seat she filled on the Supreme Court.
“I was really happy to see Judge Jackson confirmed, and I think she is a great addition to the supreme court,” Thomas S. Wootton High School junior Maria Sofronas said.
After Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, the Biden-Harris administration quickly assisted Ukraine. In 2022, the United States directed nearly $50 billion to Ukraine for financial, military, and humanitarian support.
“We’ll continue to aid the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and help ease their suffering,” Biden said in the State of the Union Address.
On June 25, 2022, Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into action. The bill includes a clarified definition of “federally licensed firearms dealer,” support for state crisis intervention orders, protections for victims of domestic violence, an enhanced review process for firearm buyers under 21, violence interruption funding, and a significant investment in mental health services.
Biden called on congress in his 2022 State of the Union Address to pass a law that supported veterans devastated by toxic exposure. He was successful on Aug. 10, 2022, when he signed the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act into law. The PACT act expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances.
On Aug. 16, 2022, Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which will make a historic down payment on the deficit reduction to fight inflation. This legislation will lower prescription drug costs, energy, and carbon emissions and close tax loopholes used by wealthy corporations.
Lynn Mehler, head of the pharmaceutical regulatory practice at Hogan Lovells law firm, recognizes “the IRA has a complicated and lengthy implementation timeline, so it will take several years to see any drug prices impacted.” But believes the IRA will be “likely to hinder the development of innovative treatments, as pharmaceutical companies are forced to make strategic decisions on where to invest their resources.”
On Dec. 13, 2022, Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, protecting same-sex and interracial marriages. The Respect for Marriage Act ensures that states recognize same-sex marriages across state lines and that same-sex and interracial couples have the right to the same federal benefits as all married couples. But it does not require that all states allow the performance of same-sex marriages.
The Biden-Harris administration enters its third year of the presidency with a historically low unemployment rate of 3.4% and an inflation rate of 6.5% as of Dec. 2022. Biden has an overall job approval rating of 40%, nearly the lowest of his presidency, highly attributed to the reporting of classified documents in his Delaware home.
American citizens will see how Biden plans to improve public perception and what he wants to accomplish this year in his third State of the Union Address, coming up on February 7th.
Written by Elizabeth Mehler of Thomas S. Wootton High School
Photo courtesy of PBS