Biden caps big legislative wins at the one-year mark with Western swing

With Congress on vacation, President Joe Biden is taking time to visit the four corners.

Biden’s stops in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico this week included anniversary celebrations of 2022’s biggest legislative wins and fundraisers in places he doesn’t often visit.

INFLATION TICKED UP TO 3.2% IN JULY IN SETBACK FOR BIDEN AND FED

“America’s natural wonders are our nation’s heart and soul,” he said during the Arizona stop, made near the Grand Canyon. “That’s not hyperbole. That’s a fact. They unite us. They inspire us. A birthright we pass down from generation to generation.”

That appearance included designating nearly 1 million acres a national monument and controversially blocking uranium mining in the process.

In New Mexico, Biden showcased the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act, which passed with no Republican votes, mixing a celebration of its one-year anniversary with attacks on GOPers who opposed it.

“Like in Colorado, where CS Wind broke ground on what will be the world’s largest wind tower manufacturing plant. And coincidentally, CS Wind is congresswoman Lauren Boebert — you know, the very quiet Republican lady — it’s in her district,” Biden said, teasing the House Freedom Caucus member.

And in Utah, Biden celebrated the anniversary of the PACT Act, which expands veterans’ benefits. The president became emotional during his speech in Salt Lake City, as the bill stemmed in part from the death of his son Beau from cancer after returning from Iraq.

“The PACT Act is one of the most significant laws ever signed to help veterans exposed to toxic materials and to help their families recover as well as receive compensation,” Biden said.

Despite the crowing made a day earlier, he touted the burn pits legislation as a symbol of bipartisanship after it passed 84-14 in the Senate.

“Don’t tell me we can’t get things done when we work together,” Biden said.

He also released a statement to mark the anniversary of a third bill, the technology-focused CHIPS and Science Act, calling it “a key part of my Bidenomics agenda to bring investment and opportunity to every corner of the country.”

The anniversary speeches reflect the fact that Biden is unlikely to see many legislative wins this year thanks to a Republican-controlled House of Representatives. But they also serve as an opportunity to remind voters what the president has done for them, argues Democratic strategist Brad Bannon.

“One of the biggest factors in Biden’s reelection is whether or not he can make the sale on the benefits of his economic program,” Bannon said. “This is a good time to do that, and celebrating these anniversaries is an important way of reminding voters how much the president has been able to do.”

And while by definition, the bills are old news, making speeches about them can get the accomplishments back on voters’ minds during a relatively slow time in Washington.

“When I sit down and watch the national news tonight, my guess is there’s going to be national coverage of the president’s trip to the West, and people in Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Arizona will be watching the same national news report I am,” Bannon said.

After spending the last two weeks away from the White House, Biden will return to Washington and likely begin focusing more on the looming fiscal battles with Congress.

The White House will look to combat bad economic news as inflation ticked back up in July after nearly a full year of declines. That will present a new challenge as team Biden has made “Bidenomics” a key part of its messaging focus in recent weeks.

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Biden’s Western swing also included fundraising stops as he seeks reinforcements for his 2024 reelection bid.

The president returned to Washington late Thursday.