KANSAS CITY – Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of President Biden’s inauguration as president of the United States.
The Missouri Democratic Party Chair Michael Butler released the following statement highlighting the progress President Biden and Democrats have made to build back better and to help working families in Missouri over the last year:
“President Biden and congressional Democrats took office amid some of the worst crises many of us have seen in our lifetimes, and they got to work delivering results. In just one year, they have gotten millions of vaccines in arms, saved lives, put people back to work, and made infrastructure investments that are critical to America’s future. And they made all of this progress no thanks to obstructionist Republicans in Congress. There’s no question: Missourians are better off now than they were a year ago. We still have a lot to do and look forward to expanding on these efforts here in Missouri,” said Chair Michael Butler.
Since his inauguration on January 20, 2021, President Biden and Democrats have delivered for working people.
They have:
- Got shots in arms and saved lives: President Biden set up a historic vaccination program that resulted in more than 200 million Americans fully vaccinated this year -almost 75 percent of all adults, including 53.7 percent fully vaccinated individuals in Missouri.
Millions of teenagers and children are now vaccinated, and tens of millions of Americans have gotten booster shots.
The disastrous policies and lawsuits from Missouri AG Schmitt have closed many schools once again across the state despite successful school year starts this summer.
In just the past few days, the Biden Administration has announced four free COVID tests per household and free N-95 masks available at select pharmacies as the government ups their production.
- 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 percent nationally.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide Missouri with $6.5 billion for highway repairs, $484 million for bridge replacement and repairs, $674 million to improve public transportation options across the state, $99 million for the expansion of EV chargers across the state, $100 million for broadband expansion, $866 million to improve water infrastructure, including lead pipe replacement and $246 million for airport development.