Joe Biden: A Comprehensive Biography, Family, Policies and Facts
The United States of America is set to be getting a new President in the upcoming election, Joe Biden. Biden has had a long political career that over four decades, transforming from Senator to Vice-President to a strong contender for the 2020 Presidential Election. To get a better understanding of Joe Biden, let’s dive into his biography, family, policies and some of the historical facts surrounding his life.
Biography
Joe Biden was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on November 20, 1942, the oldest of four children born to Joseph Robinette and Catherine Eugenia (Finnegan) Biden. His great-grandfather, Edward Francis Blewitt, was an Irish immigrant who worked in the local coal mines.
At the age of 10, Biden moved with his family to Wilmington, Delaware. It was there that Biden attended the Archmere Academy, a private Catholic high school. He went on to the University of Delaware and then graduated from Syracuse University Law School in 1968.
His early political career began in 1972 when he was first elected to the United States Senate, representing the state of Delaware. In January of 2009 Joe Biden took office as Vice-President of the United States, serving for two terms in office under President Barack Obama.
Family
Joe Biden is married to Dr. Jill Jacobs, a college professor and social worker. The couple has been married since 1977 and together they have one daughter, Ashley Blazer, who is a former White House staff member. Biden’s son, Joseph Robinette Biden IV, is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and served in the Iraq War.
Biden’s first wife, Neilia Hunter, and daughter, Naomi, tragically died in a motor vehicle accident in 1972, just weeks after he won his first election to the Senate. He has two surviving sons with Hunter, Beau and Hunter Biden.
Policies and Issues
Joe Biden has a wide range of policy proposals and objectives he wants to pursue while in office, ranging from healthcare and the economy to foreign policy and rights for women and minorities. He plans to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, build on the Obama administration’s environmental policies, and close tax loopholes for the wealthy.
Biden also wants to implement policies that would increase affordable housing, offer free college tuition for all Americans, and provide a $15 minimum wage across the United States. When it comes to foreign policy, Biden plans to repair the damage done to America’s relationships with its allies and to restore the deal that was negotiated with Iran to keep them from developing a nuclear weapon.
Facts and Notable Achievements
Joe Biden has had a long and noteworthy political career, with a number of accomplishments as a U.S. Senator, Vice President and now as a Presidential contender. Here are a few facts and notable achievements associated with Biden:
• Biden was elected to the Senate in 1972, at age 30, making him the sixth-youngest senator in U.S. history.
• Biden chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee for 17 years, the longest a senator has chaired the committee, which handled confirmation hearings for Supreme Court justices.
• Biden was the first Senator from Delaware to be elected to a fourth term since 1867.
• He was elected as the nation’s 47th Vice President in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012.
• Biden was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2009 for his persistent display of political courage.
• He is a member of the International Parliamentary Union and an honorary member of the Ukrainian Parliament.
• Biden is the first presidential contender to support same-sex marriage.
• Biden authored the Violence Against Women Act and the National Obama-Biden Cancer Moon Shot initiative.
• Biden was named the Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient in 2017, in recognition of his long career in government.
Joe Biden has had an eventful life – from being a Senator and Vice President to establishing a number of policies that have changed the course of U.S. history. A summary of his life, family, policies and notable achievements is only part of the story – Joe Biden has established himself as an upstanding public figure who has the potential to be the 46th President of the United States of America. Whether or not he is elected, Biden will always be remembered for his tremendous success in politics and the positive difference he has made in the lives of Americans.
