Senate positions

Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Richard Lugar
Succeeded by	John Kerry
In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Jesse Helms
Succeeded by	Richard Lugar
In office January 3, 2001 – January 20, 2001
Preceded by	Jesse Helms
Succeeded by	Jesse Helms
Chair of the International Narcotics Control Caucus
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Chuck Grassley
Succeeded by	Dianne Feinstein
Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Strom Thurmond
Succeeded by	Orrin Hatch

Member of the New Castle County Council
from the 4th district

In office
January 5, 1971 – January 1, 1973

Preceded by

Lawrence T. Messick

Succeeded by

Francis Swift

Personal details

Born

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.

November 20, 1942 (age 82)
Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Political party

Democratic (since 1969)

Other political
affiliations

Independent (1968–1969)

Spouses

Neilia Hunter

(m. 1966; died 1972)

Jill Jacobs

(m. 1977)

Children

4, including Beau, Hunter, and Ashley

Relatives

Biden family

Education

University of Delaware (BA)
Syracuse University (JD)

Occupation

Politician
lawyer
author

Awards

Full list

Signature

Website

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who served as the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before his presidency, he was the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 under President Barack Obama. He also represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate from 1973 to 2009.

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden grew up in Delaware. After graduating from law school, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972, becoming one of the youngest senators in American history. As a senator, he was a leader on the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee. He helped pass important laws like the Violence Against Women Act.

In 2008, Barack Obama chose Biden to be his vice president. They won the election and served two terms together. As vice president, Biden was a close advisor to Obama. In the 2020 election, Biden defeated incumbent President Donald Trump. He became president with Kamala Harris as his vice president, the first woman to hold that office.

As president, Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. He also signed major laws to improve the country's roads and bridges (infrastructure) and to support technology and science (manufacturing). In foreign policy, he led the U.S. response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and ended the long war in Afghanistan.

Biden ran for reelection in 2024 but withdrew from the race in July of that year. His vice president, Kamala Harris, ran in his place but was defeated by Donald Trump. Biden's term ended on January 20, 2025.

Early Life and Education
Law School and Early Career
- Tragic Accident and Second Marriage
U.S. Senate Career (1973–2009)
- Key Senate Work
Vice Presidency (2009–2017)
2020 Presidential Campaign
Presidency (2021–2025)
Post-Presidency and Health
Political Positions
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was the oldest of four children in a Catholic family. His family later moved to Delaware.

In high school at Archmere Academy, Biden was a good athlete who played baseball and football. He was also class president. He went on to the University of Delaware, where he studied history and political science. He graduated in 1965.

Law School and Early Career

In 1966, Biden married Neilia Hunter. They had three children: Beau, Hunter, and Naomi.

Biden attended Syracuse University College of Law and earned his law degree in 1968. After law school, he worked as a lawyer in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1970, he was elected to the New Castle County Council.

Tragic Accident and Second Marriage

Neilia Hunter, Joe, Hunter, Naomi Christina and Beau Biden, around 1972

Just a few weeks after he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972, a terrible car accident took the lives of his wife, Neilia, and their one-year-old daughter, Naomi. His two sons, Beau and Hunter, were seriously injured but survived. Biden was devastated and thought about quitting the Senate, but he was encouraged to stay.

In 1975, Biden met a teacher named Jill Tracy Jacobs. They married in 1977. Jill helped raise Beau and Hunter, and together they had a daughter, Ashley. Biden has often said that Jill's support helped him rebuild his life and career. His son Beau later became the Attorney General of Delaware before passing away from brain cancer in 2015.

U.S. Senate Career (1973–2009)

Biden with President Jimmy Carter, 1978

Biden was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972 at the age of 30. He served for 36 years, representing the state of Delaware. He was known for taking the Amtrak train every day from his home in Delaware to Washington, D.C.

During his time in the Senate, Biden was a leader on many important issues. He was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Key Senate Work

As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Biden oversaw the confirmation hearings for several Supreme Court justices. These hearings decide if a person nominated by the president is qualified to be a judge on the nation's highest court. Some of these hearings, like those for Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas, were very intense and received a lot of public attention.

Biden also worked on laws to address crime. In 1994, he helped pass the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and the Violence Against Women Act. He has called the Violence Against Women Act one of his proudest achievements.

As chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Biden was a leading voice on how the United States should work with other countries. He was involved in U.S. policy during the wars in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. He voted against the first Gulf War in 1991 but voted to authorize the Iraq War in 2002, a vote he later said was a "mistake."

In 1988, Biden had two serious brain surgeries. He took seven months off from the Senate to recover.

Vice Presidency (2009–2017)

Biden being sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens on January 20, 2009

In 2008, after an unsuccessful run for president, Biden was chosen by Barack Obama to be his vice-presidential running mate. The Obama-Biden ticket won the election, and Biden became the 47th vice president on January 20, 2009. They were reelected in 2012.

As vice president, Biden was a key advisor to President Obama. He was in charge of overseeing the spending from the 2009 economic stimulus package, which was designed to help the country recover from a major recession.

Biden was also deeply involved in foreign policy. He was the main person in the administration responsible for policy in Iraq, helping to manage the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2011. He also played a role in shaping the administration's policies in Afghanistan and other parts of the world.

Biden and Obama developed a close friendship during their eight years in the White House.

2020 Presidential Campaign

Biden at his presidential kickoff rally in Philadelphia, May 2019

After leaving the vice presidency in 2017, Biden taught at the University of Pennsylvania. In April 2019, he announced he was running for president.

Biden's campaign focused on uniting the country and restoring what he called "the soul of the nation." He won the Democratic nomination after strong performances in later primary elections.

In August 2020, he chose Senator Kamala Harris of California as his running mate. She was the first African American and first South Asian American person to be on a major party's presidential ticket. In the November 2020 election, Biden and Harris defeated President Donald Trump.

Presidency (2021–2025)

Biden takes the oath of office, becoming the 46th U.S. president on January 20, 2021.

Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president on January 20, 2021. At 78, he was the oldest person to become president.

Domestic Policy

One of his first major actions was signing the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This $1.9 trillion law provided economic relief to Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. It included direct payments to people, help for small businesses, and funding for vaccines.

In November 2021, Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This law provided over $1 trillion to repair and upgrade roads, bridges, airports, and public transit across the country.

In 2022, he signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This law aimed to lower healthcare costs, fight climate change by investing in clean energy, and reduce the national deficit. He also signed the CHIPS and Science Act to boost the manufacturing of computer chips in the U.S.

During his presidency, Biden appointed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. She is the first Black woman to serve on the court.

Foreign Policy

Biden and his national security team discussing the situation in Afghanistan, August 2021

On his first day in office, Biden had the United States rejoin the Paris Agreement, an international agreement to fight climate change.

In August 2021, Biden oversaw the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, ending America's longest war. The withdrawal was very difficult, as the Afghan government quickly fell to the Taliban.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Biden led the international response. The U.S. placed strong economic sanctions on Russia and provided billions of dollars in military aid to help Ukraine defend itself.

During the Gaza war that began in October 2023, Biden showed strong support for Israel's security. He also worked to get humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza and pushed for a ceasefire to end the fighting.

2024 Election and Withdrawal

Biden announced he would run for a second term in April 2023. However, after a presidential debate in June 2024, there were growing concerns about his age and health.

On July 21, 2024, Biden announced he was withdrawing from the presidential race. He said it was in the best interest of his party and the country. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to run in his place. In the November 2024 election, Harris was defeated by former President Donald Trump.

Post-Presidency and Health

Biden's term as president ended on January 20, 2025. After leaving office, he and his wife, Jill, returned to their home in Delaware.

In May 2025, it was announced that Biden had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. His doctors said the cancer had spread, and he began treatment.

Political Positions

Pope Francis (left) meets Joe Biden at the White House, September 2015

Throughout his career, Joe Biden has been seen as a moderate member of the Democratic Party. His political views are influenced by his Catholic faith.

He supports government action to help the economy and provide a social safety net. He is a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a law that expanded health insurance coverage.

On climate change, Biden believes strong action is needed. His goal was for the U.S. to have a carbon-free power sector by 2035 and to stop all emissions by 2050.

In foreign policy, he believes in working closely with allies. He has said that the U.S. must be tough on competitors like China while also working with them on global issues like climate change.

Images for kids

Biden in his 1968 law school yearbook.
Joe and Jill Biden in an early photo. They married in 1977.
Biden shaking hands with President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Biden speaking at the signing of the 1994 Crime Bill with President Bill Clinton.
Senator Biden with President Clinton on a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997.
Biden in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2004.
Biden speaks after being announced as Barack Obama's running mate in 2008.
Biden, Obama, and the national security team in the White House Situation Room during the mission to find Osama bin Laden in 2011.
Biden's official portrait as vice president in 2013.
Biden with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem in 2016.
Results of the 2020 presidential election. Biden won 306 electoral votes to Trump's 232.
Biden with his Cabinet in July 2021.
Biden and Ketanji Brown Jackson watch the Senate vote on her Supreme Court confirmation in April 2022.
Biden addressing the nation after withdrawing from the 2024 presidential election.