By Jacolyn Marshall, Newsletter Editor for Democrats of Oro Valley.
When someone asks you, “What has President Biden accomplished?” – here are 39 good examples of how Biden made America a better place.
Health & Safety
• US broadened availability of abortion pills to more drug stores and online pharmacies.
• US imposed new Covid testing requirements for all travelers from China in response to the surge of infections.
• CDC encouraged US families to immunize their children with new educational materials for doctors and parents.
• Omicron-specific booster kept 81% of seniors out of hospitals, greater than the CDC had predicted.
• Dept of Transportation announced 50 businesses & nonprofits pledged millions to stem a crisis in road fatalities.
• Dept of Agriculture announced new rules limiting sugar & salt in meals served to school children.
• FDA merged existing programs & regulatory authorities to effectively oversee 80% of foods Americans eat.
• US allocated $930M to mitigate wildfire dangers in 10 western states.
Economy
• US inflation continues to drop month after month along with food and gas prices and unemployment benefits.
• US added 517K jobs in January, pay rose 4.4%, & unemployment rate dropped to 3.4%, the lowest since 1969.
Environment & Climate Change
• Dept of Energy announced a $700 M loan to mine lithium in Nevada for electric vehicle batteries.
• Dept of Treasury makes more electric vehicles eligible for tax credits up to $7,500, including higher prices cars.
Immigration
• US accepts only those who arrive legally, have eligible sponsors, and pass background checks.
• Mexico agrees to accept more migrants expelled by US rather than returning to hostile, dangerous homelands.
• US launches online appointment system for asylum seekers at seven crossing points from Texas to California.
• Migrants who report labor abuses gain access to streamlined requests for protection from deportation.
Social Justice
• DOJ requires CA bank to pay $31M for refusing to underwrite mortgages in Black & Latino neighborhoods.
• 15 Native American tribes get $580M in water rights settlement for pipelines, pumping stations, and canals.
• FDA eases rules to allow gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships to donate blood.
Justice
• DOJ secures convictions of four Oath Keepers for sedition in Jan 6 attack which carries up to 20 years in prison.
• DOJ & eight states file an antitrust lawsuit against Google for its dominance in digital advertising.
• US expects $4.7B in fraud penalties from insurance companies for improper charges by Medicare Advantage.
Government
• US shot down suspected Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic to prevent undue risks to people on the ground.
• US Navy retrieved the balloon’s shell and divers gathered debris for analysis.
• Dept of Treasury took extraordinary accounting measures to avoid defaulting on our national debt.
• Biden highlighted record job creation, rebuilding the economy & US resilience in State of the Union address.
International Relations
• US reopens Solomon Islands Embassy to counter China’s increasing assertiveness in the Pacific.
• Visa services resume at US Embassy in Havana as thousands of Cubans are desperate to flee its failing economy.
• Biden visits Mexico to discuss migration, drug trafficking, and electric car manufacturing.
• US, Canada, and Mexico participated in North America Summit on migration, trade, and climate change.
• US and Japan increase military and security cooperation to confront rising threats from North Korea and China.
• US struck deals with 2 Pacific Island nations, Marshall Islands and Palau, to maintain US influence in the region.
• US approved a $10B arms sale to Poland to bolster their defensive capabilities and maintain political stability.
• Treasury Secretary met with counterparts in three African nations, crucial to the global economy due to growing population and natural resources.
• US deploys fighter jets and bombers to South Korea to counter North Korea’s nuclear threat.
• US gains access to four more Philippine military camps to counter future confrontations over Taiwan by China.
International Relations: Ukraine
• Biden announced PM of Netherlands pledged to aid Ukraine in war effort by sending Patriot systems.
• US and Germany send battle tanks and dozens of heavy weapons to Ukraine to break combat stalemates in Kyiv.
• Dept of Treasury imposes more sanctions on Russia’s private military company that is aiding the war in Ukraine.
The mission of Democrats of Oro Valley is to be a viable force for progressive leadership in Oro Valley, Arizona, and the Greater Northwest Tucson area. We encourage our fellow citizens to participate in democracy and honor the strengths and diversity of our unique and historical environment.