Press Release

Today marks the one year anniversary of President Biden’s inauguration as president of the United States.

In response, Minnesota DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement highlighting the progress President Biden and Democrats have made:

“In just one year, President Biden and congressional Democrats have saved lives by getting vaccine shots in arms, helped create millions of jobs, and made infrastructure investments that are critical to America’s future. They made all of this progress no thanks to obstructionist Republicans in Congress. There’s no question: Minnesotans are better off now than they were a year ago thanks to President Joe Biden.”

Since his inauguration on January 20, 2021, President Biden and Democrats have delivered for working people. They have:

Got Shots in Arms & Saved Lives: President Biden set up a historic vaccination program that resulted in more than 200 million Americans fully vaccinated this year: almost 75% of all adults, including 77% in Minnesota. Millions of teenagers and children are now vaccinated, and tens of millions of Americans have gotten booster shots. And this month, more than 95% of schools are open in person. All these steps have and continue to save countless lives.

Got People Back to Work: Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, the economy has grown faster than it has in decades, with an added 6.4 million jobs — more in one calendar year than ever on record. Recent average weekly unemployment claims are down near a level not seen in decades. Economic growth last year was the strongest in two generations.

Passed Laws to Create Jobs & Rebuild Crumbling Infrastructure: President Biden got the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed — the most impactful legislative agenda for a first year president. The American Rescue Plan led to what experts estimate will be the lowest child poverty rate on record and the unemployment rate is down to 3.9% nationally. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create jobs, provide clean drinking water, upgrade our roads, airports, and rail, and is a critical first step towards a clean energy future – and for the first time in 20 years, U.S. infrastructure investments will grow faster than China’s this year.

FAST FACTS: RECORD FIRSTS IN THE FIRST YEAR

• Jobs: President Biden’s first year was the greatest year of job creation in American history, with more than 6 million jobs created.
• Unemployment Rate: The unemployment rate dropped from 6.2% when Biden took office to 3.9%, the biggest single year drop in American history.
• Unemployment Claims: The average number of Americans filing for unemployment has been near its lowest level since 1969. When the President took office, over 18 million were receiving unemployment benefits, today only 2 million are—also the biggest single year drop in history.
• Economic Legislation Passed: Most significant by economic impact of any first-year president.
• Child Poverty: Experts estimate the lowest child poverty rate ever in 2021.
• Expanded Access to Health Care: Nearly 5 million Americans have newly gained health insurance coverage.
• Reduced Hunger: The number of households reporting that they sometimes or often did not have enough dropped by 32%.
• Cabinet: first majority non-white Cabinet in history, with most women in the Cabinet, including first woman Treasury Secretary, first LGBTQ+ and Native American Cabinet officials, and first woman Director of National Intelligence.
• Climate Investments: Largest investments ever in the power grid, electric vehicle chargers, and climate resilience.
• Clean Water: Largest investment and national, bipartisan plan to get safe and clean drinking water to all Americans.
• Cleaner Cars: Strongest vehicle emissions standards ever to save drivers money at the pump and reduce pollution.
• Wind: First-ever approvals of large-scale offshore wind projects.
• Personnel: Most diverse Administration in history – most women, people of color, disability, LGBTQ+, first generation American, and first-generation college graduates.