What things did Joe Biden pass to help the economy and society when he was president
Executive summary
Joe Biden’s presidency enacted large economic and social initiatives including the American Rescue Plan, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and expanded health and drug-cost measures; his administration claims millions of jobs added and lower unemployment (unemployment 4% when he left office) and expansions in ACA enrollment to about 24 million [1] [2] [3] [4]. Critics point to higher inflation, large deficits (about $1.8 trillion in 2024) and partisan attacks over spending and regulatory reach [5] [6] [2].
1. Major laws and spending that reshaped the economy
Biden’s signature early stimulus, the 2021 American Rescue Plan, is credited by the White House and Treasury analyses with fueling the strong post‑pandemic recovery; the administration argues those investments helped growth, employment and reduced deficits as a share of GDP [7] [8]. Other landmark laws cited by sources include the CHIPS and Science Act to boost domestic semiconductor production and the Inflation Reduction Act that directed large investments in climate, health and tax changes [1] [4].
2. “Bidenomics”: politics and the middle‑out framing
The administration branded its approach “Bidenomics,” centered on public investment, strengthening the middle class and pro‑competition policies rather than tax cuts for the wealthy. Analysts and the administration say the agenda focused on manufacturing investment, care economy supports and competition policy to rebuild domestic capacity [9] [10].
3. Health and prescription drug changes that affected households
The administration expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies and established Medicare drug‑price tools and caps — including a $2,000 cap on Part D out‑of‑pocket spending and an insulin $35 cap for Medicare beneficiaries — which the White House and public‑health scholars say lowered costs and boosted ACA enrollment to record levels (about 24 million) [4] [11].
4. Tax and budget proposals and disputes over fiscal effects
Biden’s budgets proposed higher taxes on corporations and high earners — including proposals for a 25% minimum tax on the very wealthy and partial rollbacks of the 2017 corporate tax cuts — aimed at paying for investments and expanding credits like a renewed Child Tax Credit [12] [13]. Republicans and some conservative analysts criticized the administration for “reckless spending,” citing large deficits and debt increases as central objections [6] [5].
5. Jobs, growth and the politics of perception
Administration and many independent counts credit the presidency with a substantial jobs recovery — millions of jobs added since pandemic lows and unemployment reported at about 4% when he left office — and a soft landing as inflation eased over time, according to Treasury and CEA reporting [2] [8] [14]. But public sentiment often lagged: inflation’s hit to household budgets dominated perceptions, which opponents used to argue the administration’s positives were outweighed by cost pressures [5] [2].
6. Regulatory and executive actions that shaped sectors
Beyond statutes, the administration used executive orders and regulatory rulemaking across health, labor, environment and technology; Brookings and federal tracking show a brisk regulatory agenda and many final or proposed rules affecting energy, education and workforce policy [15] [16]. Some rules — for example on student loan and higher‑education regulations — faced legal and implementation delays, leaving mixed results [17].
7. Accomplishments contested — where sources disagree
Official White House and Treasury releases present a narrative of “historic recovery” and a soft landing [8] [10]. FactCheck.org and other watchdogs caution that some public comparisons circulated on social media distorted numbers and that headline statistics can be revised; they note updated job totals and GDP figures that complicate simple claims about “best ever” performance [2] [3]. Congressional Republicans framed the record as fiscal mismanagement and inflationary [6] [18].
8. Limitations and open questions in the record
Available sources document major laws, regulatory efforts, and budget proposals but also show contested outcomes: inflation effects on real wages, long‑run budget implications, and revisions to employment data remain debated [3] [5] [19]. Available sources do not mention every program or local impact; detailed distributional impacts and long‑term growth effects are assessed differently by independent models like Penn Wharton and by partisan analyses [19] [20].
Conclusion — Biden left a policy legacy that reshaped health, climate, industrial policy and social supports and that proponents say delivered recovery and middle‑out growth; critics emphasize inflation, deficits and regulatory costs. The record is a mix of enacted statutes, executive actions, contested statistics and ongoing legal and political disputes documented in the cited reporting [8] [4] [5].