JOE BIDEN

JOE BIDEN

World Famous People - Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the first of four children of Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden and Joseph Robinette Biden, Sr. In 1953, the Biden family moved to Claymont, Delaware. President Biden graduated from the University of Delaware and Syracuse Law Schools and served on the New Castle County Council. President Joe Biden represented Delaware for 36 years in the US Senate before becoming the 47th Vice President of the United States, when President of the United States was Barack Obama.

Joe Biden Family

At 29 years old, President Biden became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. Just weeks after his Senate election, tragedy struck the Biden family when his wife Neilia and daughter Naomi were killed, and his sons Hunter and Beau were seriously injured, in a car accident.

Biden was sworn into the US Senate at his son's hospital bedside and began traveling from Wilmington to Washington every day, first by car, and then by train, to be with his family. He would continue to do so throughout his tenure in the Senate.

Biden married Jill Jacobs in 1977, and in 1980, their family was complete with the birth of Ashley Blazer Biden. A lifelong educator, Jill earned a doctorate in education and returned to teaching as an English professor at a community college in Virginia.

Beau Biden, Attorney General of Delaware and Joe Biden's oldest son, died in 2015 after battling brain cancer with the same integrity, courage and strength he demonstrated every day of his life. Beau's battle with cancer inspired President Biden's life's mission – to end cancer as we know it.

As a Senator from Delaware for 36 years, President Biden established himself as a leader in confronting some of our country's most important domestic and international challenges. As Chair or Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee for 16 years, Biden is widely recognized for his work in writing and spearheading the Violence Against Women Act – landmark legislation that strengthened penalties for violence against women, creating unprecedented resources for survivors assault. As Chairman or Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for 12 years, Biden played an important role in shaping US foreign policy. He was at the forefront of issues and legislation related to terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, post-Cold War Europe, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and ending apartheid.

“America is an idea. An
idea stronger than any army, greater than any ocean, stronger than any dictator or tyrant. It gives hope to the most hopeless people on earth, it ensures that everyone
is treated with dignity and provides no safe haven for hatred. This instills the belief in everyone in this country that wherever you start in life, there is nothing
you cannot achieve if you put in the work. That's what we believe.” Joe Biden, April 25, 2019


47th Vice President of the United States

As Vice President, Biden continues his leadership on important issues facing the nation and represents our country abroad. Vice President Biden convenes sessions of the President's Cabinet, leads interagency efforts, and works with Congress in his fight to raise the standard of living for middle class Americans, reduce gun violence, address violence against women, and end cancer as we know it.

Biden helped President Obama pass and then oversaw the implementation of the Recovery Act — the biggest economic recovery plan in the history of the nation and our biggest and strongest commitment to clean energy. The President’s plan prevented another Great Depression, created and saved millions of jobs, and led to 75 uninterrupted months of job growth by the end of the administration. And Biden did it all with less than 1% in waste, abuse, or fraud — the most efficient government program in our country’s history.

President Obama and Vice President Biden also secured the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which reduced the number of uninsured Americans by 20 million by the time they left office and banned insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

He served as the point person for U.S. diplomacy throughout the Western Hemisphere, strengthened relationships with our allies both in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, and led the effort to bring 150,000 troops home from Iraq.

In a ceremony at the White House, President Obama awarded Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction — the nation’s highest civilian honor. A New Chapter

After leaving the White House, the Bidens continued their efforts to expand opportunity for every American with the creation of the Biden Foundation, the Biden Cancer Initiative, the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, and the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware.

On April 25, 2019, Biden announced his candidacy for President of the United States. Biden’s candidacy was built from the beginning around 3 pillars: the battle for the soul of our nation, the need to rebuild our middle class — the backbone of our country, and a call for unity, to act as One America. It was a message that would only gain more resonance in 2020 as we confront a pandemic, an economic crisis, urgent calls for racial justice, and the existential threat of climate change.