Biden's Legislative Legacy: Laws Shaped By Senator Biden

During his time as a senator, Joe Biden introduced several pieces of legislation that became law. Here is a list of some of them:

- S.3605: Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2008

- S.3370: Libyan Claims Resolution Act

- S.3218: Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2008

- S.2565: Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008

- S.3061: William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008

- S.1738: PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008

The Violence Against Women Act

The Act creates and supports comprehensive, cost-effective responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Since its enactment, VAWA programs have dramatically improved federal, tribal, state, and local responses to these crimes. Administered by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, VAWA has been up for renewal every five years, with each reauthorization building on existing protections and programs to better meet the needs of survivors.

The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 was included in the fiscal year 2022 omnibus spending package signed by President Joe Biden on March 15, 2022. This bipartisan VAWA reauthorization includes groundbreaking provisions to strengthen and modernize the law. The law provides survivors, the thousands of local programs that serve them, and communities with much-needed resources for housing, legal assistance, alternatives to criminal responses, and prevention programming.

It also includes new economic justice provisions and bolsters access for survivors of all genders by strengthening non-discrimination laws and creating an LGBTQ services program. Additionally, the law restores tribal jurisdiction, allowing tribes to hold non-Native perpetrators accountable, improves existing housing protections, and increases access to emergency and short-term housing. It also creates dedicated investments in culturally specific service providers to ensure survivors of color are supported.

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act

Then-Senator Joe Biden of Delaware drafted the Senate version of the legislation in cooperation with the National Association of Police Organizations, also incorporating the Assault Weapons Ban and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Biden worked closely with law enforcement officials, especially the National Police Officers Association, due to his keenness to reduce crime and impose security and peace in the United States.

The Act expanded federal law in several ways. One of the most notable sections was the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which prohibited the manufacture, transfer, and possession of some types of automatic ghost firearms and high-velocity magazines for civilian use. The Act also provided for a greatly expanded federal death penalty, new classes of individuals banned from possessing firearms, and a variety of new crimes defined in statutes relating to hate crimes, sex crimes, and gang-related crime.

The bill initially met with bipartisan criticism as it made its way through Congress. Republicans argued that the bill would provide significant funding for crime prevention programs that purported to be social rehabilitation, while drug treatment programs and youth crime initiatives could be ineffective and costly. Despite the criticism, the bill was passed in the House by voice vote on November 3, 1993, and in the Senate on November 19 by a vote of 95-4.

The Comprehensive Crime Control Act

The Act included the following provisions:

• Bail Reform Act of 1984: This act revised the federal bail system to enhance public safety and judicial integrity. It allowed judges to determine if pre-trial detention would be enacted based on the assessment of whether the defendant would be a danger to the community and the likelihood of their appearance in court if released.
• Sentencing Reform Act of 1984: This act created the United States Sentencing Commission to develop consistent sentencing guidelines and address sentencing disparity. It also eliminated parole for federal prisoners convicted after November 1, 1987.
• Comprehensive Forfeiture Act of 1984: This act expanded the government's ability to seize assets connected to criminal activities, particularly drug trafficking.
• Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984: This act tightened the standards for the use of the insanity defense in federal trials by shifting the burden of proof to the defendant, who must show "clear and convincing evidence" of meeting the legal definition of insanity.
• Controlled Substances Penalties Amendments Act of 1984: This act enhanced penalties, including mandatory minimum sentences, for drug-related crimes.
• Amendments to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968: These amendments provided for federal grants and other support in the area of criminal justice, including grants to states for programs addressing critical problems of violent and serious crime.
• Amendments to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949: These amendments allowed for the transfer of surplus federal property to states or localities for law enforcement and criminal justice purposes.

The Controlled Substances Act

In October 2022, President Biden took steps towards decriminalising marijuana by pardoning all prior federal offences of simple marijuana possession. This move was intended to address the racial disparities in marijuana convictions and remove barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities for those with criminal records.

Biden also urged the Department of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to review the classification of marijuana under federal law. This review could potentially lead to marijuana being rescheduled, reducing the penalties associated with its use.

As of 2024, marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but individual states have moved towards legalising its use for recreational and medical purposes.

The Beagle Brigade Act

The National Detector Dog Training Center is responsible for training detector dogs and their handlers to identify prohibited agricultural items that could carry foreign pests and diseases into the country. The Center also collaborates with federal agencies and external stakeholders to safeguard domestic agricultural and natural resources.

The Center ensures the health and welfare of the dogs in their care and provides opportunities for their private adoption upon retirement or failure to complete the training program.

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