The Biden-Harris administration protected the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) through the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  These laws prevented a premium spike for 13 million people and keep Americans from losing Medicaid coverage. [1]

The IRA also locks in lower monthly premiums — more than three-quarters of uninsured Black Americans had access to a monthly premium of $50 or less, and about two-thirds could find a plan for a $0-premium plan in 2021. It will also keep free or low-cost health insurance available — over half a million more Black Americans will have health coverage because of the IRA. [2] The Biden-Harris administration’s continuous support for the ACA and actions to make healthcare more accessible has led to a 40% decline in uninsured Black Americans under the age of 65. The IRA's initiative to reduce insulin costs for 38% of Black Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes is another immediate benefit of his efforts, giving hope for a more equitable healthcare system. [3]

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) also allowed the federal government to negotiate drug costs under Medicare.  These savings are expected to total $3 billion for Medicare recipients. This law also established a $35 cap on insulin for those on Medicare, which also provided leverage to the Biden-Harris administration to push drug manufacturers to adopt the $35 price cap for all Americans. [4]

Just in August 2024, the Biden-Harris administration announced they had reached agreements for new, lower prices for ten drugs for Medicare Part D – used to treat conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.  In addition, Medicare Part D enrollees will benefit from a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on their drug costs. [5]

Harris prioritizes maternal health, particularly Black maternal health. Recently, the Biden-Harris administration approved $200 million in funding to support women’s health research. The Department of Health and Human Services launched a new maternal mental health line, free for all new moms. The administration has called for more action to expand postpartum benefits and reduce maternal mortality, including the implementation of a “birthing-friendly” designation for hospitals that provide equitable maternal care. [6]

Harris announced a new proposal to create baseline standards for maternal health care in all hospitals. While in the Senate, Harris introduced the Maternal Care Access and Reducing Emergencies (CARE) Act, which aimed to reduce racial disparities in maternal mortality through grants and bias recognition training. Harris also introduced the first congressional resolution recognizing Black Maternal Health Week. [7]

Harris said she is “fully committed to addressing a maternal health crisis in which women across America – disproportionately Black women, Native women, and women in rural communities – are dying before, during, and after childbirth at higher rates than in any other developed nation.” [8]

Harris is particularly focused on extending postpartum Medicaid coverage, touting the administration’s success in securing one year of coverage nationwide. During her time as vice president, the number of states providing a full year of coverage increased from three to 47, all of which previously provided only two months. Harris also hosted the first White House Maternal Health Day of Action summit and issued a call to action to improve maternal health outcomes throughout the country. [9]

Harris has been a crucial voice in the White House for protecting reproductive rights. Leading up to the 2022 midterms, Harris took a central role in advocating for abortion rights, criticizing “extremist so-called leaders” for passing anti-choice policies at the state level. Harris became the first president or vice president ever to visit a clinic that provides abortion services, touring a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minnesota during her Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour. [10]

In the Senate, Harris used her position on the Judiciary Committee to vocally oppose the Supreme Court nominations of Brett Cavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, ensuring reproductive rights remained in the spotlight during their confirmation hearings. She fought to protect access to abortion by cosponsoring the Women’s Health Protection Act and requiring all insurance plans to cover reproductive care by cosponsoring the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage Act. [11]

Former President Trump tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and promised to do so again if re-elected. In 2017, he and Republicans tried to pass the American Health Care Act. It would have raised health insurance premiums, kicked millions off their health insurance, cut billions from Medicaid, and dismantled protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Trump also approved waivers from several states that worked to decrease ACA enrollments, including by adding work requirements, and in 2020, he asked the Supreme Court to overturn the ACA altogether. During his first year in office, as he worked to undercut the ACA, the number of uninsured Americans went up by more than three million. The most significant spikes in uninsured rates were among people who were younger, Black, Hispanic, and low-income. [1]

Trump threatened to veto legislation to reduce prescription drug costs, even as drug prices were surging at five times the rate of inflation. He also opposed the Inflation Reduction Act, which lowers the cost of prescription drugs, caps the price of insulin for Medicare enrollees, and strengthens the Affordable Care Act, among other things—and he has threatened to gut the law if he wins another term. [2]

Research provided no clear stance on any efforts former President Trump took to address Black maternal healthcare.  When Trump was president, he pulled back federal support for the ACA, slashing the budget for advertising and for navigators.  This caused enrollment to decline during Trump’s presidency. [3] 

Many former administration officials from former President Trump’s first term are aligned and have worked on policy recommendations for a possible second Trump term as part of Project 25. Project 2025 policy recommendations remove the terms “abortion,” “reproductive rights,” and “reproductive health” from all rules and regulations. It would ban the CDC or any other government agency from viewing abortion as health care, collect extensive data on people who have abortions, and end federal funding to Planned Parenthood. This would devastate reproductive rights, especially for Black women who are disproportionately vulnerable to anti-abortion restrictions. If implemented, Project 2025 would only exacerbate the Black maternal mortality crisis. [4]

Trump has repeatedly highlighted publicly appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, a ruling that endangered access to reproductive healthcare for women across the country. Following that ruling, one in three women of reproductive age now live in a state that has banned abortion. [5]

Trump rolled back part of the Affordable Care Act that required employers to cover birth control, allowing virtually any employer with a religious or moral objection to birth control to deny coverage to their employees. [6]

See the above note in “Black Maternal Healthcare” about Project 2025. 

In August, Vice President Harris announced as part of her campaign policy agenda that if elected president, she would tackle price gouging. Presently, there is no federal ban on price gouging after a disaster, like an extreme weather event or a pandemic. [12] Also, as part of this agenda, she would extend the child tax credit up to $3,600 and for parents with a child in the first year of life -- $6,000; this plan also includes an earned income tax credit to cover people in lower-income jobs without children, which averages to about $1,500. [13]

The Biden-Harris-backed law, the American Rescue Plan, provided direct payments to individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden-Harris-backed law put more money in Americans’ pockets than the Trump-backed CARES Act. [14] The American Rescue Plan also increased SNAP benefits by 15% and funded partnerships with restaurants to feed American families and keep restaurant workers on the job.

Harris and Biden are broadly tackling price gouging and consumer costs through a new task force, targeting high prices across health care, groceries, and housing. Their accomplishments include saving consumers $2 billion by eliminating junk fees and $10 billion annually by capping credit card late fees. [15]

Harris and Biden took action to drive down fuel prices by releasing 180 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a federally-owned stockpile of crude oil, criticizing oil and gas companies for hoarding profits while consumers suffered. They also implemented a 10% rental increase cap for 2.6 million affordable housing units, fighting against rent gouging by landlords. They most recently proposed a nationwide 5% rent increase cap for two years on all landlords that own over 50 units. [16]

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that the Biden-Harris administration was able to get passed allocates $1 billion for infrastructure projects in communities and neighborhoods previously separated by highways, bridges, or other past construction. It also includes $105 billion to sustain, modernize, and expand rail and public transportation to connect people to jobs, grocery stores, and health services. It also invests $42.5 billion in expanding broadband accessibility, equity, and deployment in communities that are currently underserved, where 80% or more members of the community lack broadband access or adequate broadband speed. [17]

Former President Trump has not shared a plan to address the increased costs of everyday goods.  His policy plan focuses on extending the 2017 tax cuts, which overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy, cutting the corporate tax rate even further and hiking tariffs on imported goods – which countless studies have shown do not reduce prices since the tariff cost is not paid by the country producing the good, but rather the importing U.S. company that then passes the higher cost onto consumers. [7]

Economists say Trump has not proposed meaningful policies that would slow or reverse price increases. These policy proposals were solidified in the 2024 Republican party platform. [8]

Trump attacked legislation that boosted funding to help crack down on tax cheats and closed a loophole that allowed huge corporations to pay at a lower rate than they were required to. [9]

Project 2025, aligned with many former administration officials from Trump’s first term, proposes eliminating "most deductions, credits and exclusions.” It would overhaul the tax system only to have two tax brackets, above and below $168,000. By imposing a 15% flat tax on the lower bracket, millions of working- and middle-class families would be hit with significantly higher taxes. [10]

The CARES Act, supported by Donald Trump, allowed for stimulus checks for individuals, couples, and dependents.  The CARES Act gave a lower amount to Americans -- $1,200 versus $1,400 in Biden-Harris American Rescue Plan (ARPA).  And a lower amount is for couples – and a much lower amount is for dependents. [11]

In responding to the pandemic, the first Trump administration faced barriers to effective response due to circumstances created by his administration that caused the loss of lives and jobs.  Unlike other advanced nations, the U.S. did not stockpile protective gear, lagged in testing for COVID, and because the Trump administration cut funding for the CDC’s epidemic prevention activities, this impacted the U.S. response to COVID. [12]

Harris and Biden have continuously fought for higher wages, including a $15/hour federal minimum wage, which is a testament to their commitment to economic equality. While in the Senate, Harris sponsored a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 and achieve parity for tipped workers. Legislation supported by Harris will benefit nearly 32 million Americans, including roughly a third of all Black workers and a quarter of all Latino workers. 

The administration’s executive order mandating a $15 minimum wage for all federal contractors and the updated prevailing wage requirements have already increased wages for over one million construction workers. The impact of this rule is significant, with 15% of those receiving a wage increase being Black contractors, 25% being Latino, and 54% women, underscoring the role of federal policies in promoting economic equality. Harris and Biden's achievement in securing the largest raise in 40 years for federal workers is a testament to the effectiveness of federal policies in improving the lives of American workers. [18]

Trump continually opposed efforts to raise the federal minimum wage. The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 per hour for over a decade while the cost of living has increased. [15] Trump claimed that raising the federal minimum wage would hurt small businesses. Trump also claimed that states should get to keep their minimum wage at $7.25 an hour. [16]

Trump rescinded a federal rule designed to help narrow pay inequities based on race and gender. The rule required large companies to be more transparent about how much they pay workers of different genders and races and allowed federal investigations into complaints about pay disparities and discrimination. [17]

Harris has been outspoken about making childcare more affordable since she first entered the vice president’s office. The American Rescue Plan included $37 billion for childcare, which benefited 220,000 childcare providers and 9.6 million children. Harris and Biden further attempted to help families pay for childcare through the Build Back Better plan, which would have established universal pre-K. [20]

Harris and Biden, along with bipartisan support, secured critical wins for Ohio in the 2024 government funding package. The bill provides a significant increase of $21 billion for childcare and early learning programs, including $8.7 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, a substantial increase of $725 million over the fiscal year 2023, and $12.27 billion for Head Start, a promising $275 million increase over the fiscal year 2023. [21]

Trump paid little attention to childcare while in office. His main proposal to increase affordability for families was to deduct childcare costs from their federal taxes. This would have done little to help many working families that do not make enough to pay federal income taxes. The Tax Policy Center found that 70% of the plan’s benefits would go to families making over $100,000. [20]

Trump’s 2017 tax cuts also disproportionately benefited wealthy families. The cuts denied the full child tax credit to over 26 million children whose families paid little to no federal income taxes, giving $75 or less to 11 million families. Additionally, over half of children of color received partial to no credit. [21]

As a result of Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, one in five childcare workers lost their job, and many providers were forced to shut down. [22]

Project 2025, which former first-term Trump administration officials helped write and advise on, recommends eliminating the Head Start program, which provides childcare for low-income families. [23]

In 2022, the Biden-Harris administration issued a sweeping police reform executive order, which banned chokeholds, restricted no-knock warrants, required body cameras, limited police militarization, and created a police misconduct database. Harris and Biden want to go even further, calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. [23]

Harris also launched the first-ever procedural justice and implicit bias training program for police officers, as well as the first criminal justice open data initiative. OpenJustice aimed to increase transparency in the criminal justice system and illuminate racial bias through data. 

Trump has a history of urging police to use excessive force. During the Black Lives Matter protests, Trump suggested looters should be shot and earlier told police “don’t be too nice” with protesters. He also encouraged this behavior by eliminating a ban on police militarization. [24]

Trump’s few actions on criminal justice reform failed to go far enough. His executive order during the Black Lives Matter protests only “encouraged” police reform through grants and refused to address police racism. After signing his First Step Act, Trump underfunded its programs, and his Department of Justice actively worked against its sentencing goals. [25]

Harris opposes vouchers for “school choice” programs, which would divert funds from public schools. Under Harris and Biden, new charter schools must ensure that proposed schools would not negatively affect desegregation efforts in prospective communities. [25]

The Biden-Harris agenda prioritizes underfunded schools and communities. The America Rescue Plan sent $130 billion in funding focusing on underserved schools and secured $1.5 billion for Head Start. They also expanded support for “Full-Service Community Schools,” institutions that play a crucial role in providing comprehensive support for at-risk youth by leveraging public and private partnerships to offer health and nutritional services. [26]

Trump wants to shut down the Department of Education, which administers federal funding to K-12 schools and colleges and sets accountability standards for higher education. He also wants to expand “school choice” and has proposed a $20 billion federal program for vouchers. [27]

He blamed protests against police brutality on “left-wing indoctrination in our nation’s schools” and called his followers to “lay down their very lives” to get “critical race theory out of our schools.” He claims that banning Critical Race Theory “must be done to save our country from destruction” and that teaching it borders on “psychological abuse.” Trump also supported banning books with a critical perspective of U.S. history, such as narratives involving slavery or racism. [28]

As part of Harris’s economic agenda, if elected president, she is proposing a $25,000 in down payment help for certain first-time homebuyers and tax incentives for starter home builders. [27]

The Biden-Harris American Rescue Plan included billions of dollars in emergency rental assistance and public housing vouchers. They continued this rental assistance by placing a 10% rental increase cap on 2.6 million rental units, aiming to stop “rent gouging” by landlords. [28]

The administration recently began an effort to promote affordable housing for new homebuyers and those looking to upgrade to larger homes. They proposed two $10,000 credits for buying and selling houses that would help over six million families. They also proposed $20 billion to help local governments build affordable rental units. Harris and Biden are cutting red tape so more builders can get federal financing to build and renovate 2 million affordable homes to bring rents down.

Trump bragged about pushing low-income housing out of suburban areas, tweeting that voters living in these communities will no longer be “bothered” by low-income housing. His administration also rescinded an Obama-era rule meant to combat housing discrimination against racial minorities. [30]

Trump’s budgets as president routinely pushed for policies that would have created a housing crisis for low-income families. For example, his 2018 budget proposed deep cuts in rental assistance for families in the country’s poorest areas, which would have decreased the supply of affordable housing and increased homelessness. [31]

Trump’s secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Ben Carson, proposed a rule to make it harder to sue landlords, lenders, and insurers for discrimination. Carson also proposed tripling rent for the poorest Americans receiving federal housing subsidies and making it easier for housing authorities to establish work requirements. Federal, state, and local governments should do all they can to ensure all renters know their rights and to protect renters from unlawful discrimination and exclusion from housing. [32]

The Trump administration gave tax breaks to Wall Street profiteers looking to exploit distressed neighborhoods. Under Trump’s 2017 tax cut bill, HUD established more than 8,000 new “eviction zones” that disproportionately put Black, Hispanic, and immigrant communities at risk. [33]

Project 2025, closely aligned and developed by officials from Trump’s first Presidential administration, recommends reducing housing assistance and discrimination protections. It would end fair housing regulations for affordable housing units and encourage the sale of public housing units for “greater economic use,” exacerbating the homelessness crisis. [34]

Harris is a strong supporter of legislation to expand voting rights. She has repeatedly called on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore the full strength of the Voting Rights Act. Harris and Biden support ending the Senate filibuster to ensure this legislation can pass. Biden signed the Electoral Count Reform Act, which reformed the electoral vote counting process to ensure January 6th cannot be repeated. [30]

The Biden-Harris administration issued an executive order to expand voter registration and combat election misinformation. They have spoken out against many efforts to suppress voters, including voter ID requirements, Georgia’s voter suppression law, and efforts to limit mail-in voting. [31]

Trump has an extensive and explosive history of fueling election misinformation, supporting voter suppression, and attempting to dismantle democratic processes. He has been indicted on four counts of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election. [35]

Trump has consistently claimed that the 2020 election was “rigged” and rife with “fraud.” He pushed state-level audits to find evidence of fraud and then refused to accept the results when none was found. He insisted on audits even in states he handily won, like Texas. This rhetoric has directly led to voter suppression by encouraging states to reduce voting rights in the name of preventing “fraud.” [36]

Trump has repeatedly fought against efforts to expand voter access, a stance that has sparked controversy. He has labeled mail-in and early voting as “totally corrupt” and expressed his desire to “get rid of” these methods. Trump is a proponent of voter ID laws and the use of poll watchers. The Trump campaign and RNC have announced a plan to mobilize an army of over 100,000 poll watchers in 2024. [37]

1 Politico, 3/5/2024; AFL-CIO, 8/10/2022; The Hill, 11/9/2023; Politico, 3/28/2024.

2 The White House, 9/12/2022; The White House, 8/16/2022.

3 Democratic National Committee, 2/20/2024; AARP, 2/25/2022; The Root, 8/17/2022.

4 NPR, 8/7/2022; CNN, 2/1/2024; CNBC, 8/16/2022; CNN, 1/2/2024; WGBH, 3/8/2024; Salon, 8/7/2022.

5 US Department of Health and Human Services, 8/15/2024

6 Washington Informer, 4/11/2023; CNN, 3/18/2024; The Hill, 6/24/2022; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 5/6/2022; White House, 4/13/2022.

7 Senator Kamala Harris, 8/22/2018; Dallas Morning News, 7/10/2024; NBC News, 4/15/2022.

8 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7/10/2024.

9 Chief Healthcare Executive, 7/22/2024; American Presidency Project, 12/8/2021.

10 The Week, 7/24/2024.

11 Planned Parenthood, 7/23/2024.

12 BBC, 8/16/2024

13 PBS, 8/16/2024

14 Newsweek, 3/7/2021

15 CNBC, 3/5/2024; Politico, 3/5/2024; CNN, 10/11/2023; Associated Press, 3/5/2024.

16 White House, 10/18/2022; ABC News, 10/19/2022; CNBC, 4/3/2024; CNBC, 3/19/2024; Housing Wire, 7/22/2024.

17 Center for American Progress, 2/17/2022.

18 White House, 1/20/2021; CBS News, 3/5/2021; New York Times, 4/27/2021; USA Today, 8/8/2023; The Well News, 12/22/2023; CNN, 1/26/2021; Economic Policy Institute, 1/26/2021; U.S. Department of Labor, accessed 6/27/2024; Senator Kamala Harris, 4/26/2017.

19 The White House, 8/3/2021.

20 Center for American Progress, 3/6/2023; CNN, 7/11/2023; Vox, 10/28/2021.

21 Child Care Aware of America, 3/21/2024; Reuters, 3/23/2024.

22 The White House, 11/7/2023; Tax Policy Center, January 2024; The White House, March 2021.

23 California Department of Justice, 11/17/2015; California Department of Justice, 9/2/2015. 

24 Politico, 9/12/2019; White House, 10/6/2022; AP News, 12/22/2023; Politico, 5/16/2024; USA Today, 7/22/2024.

25 Twitter, @JoeBiden, 1/22/2020; White House, 5/17/2024; NEA, 7/24/2024.

26 White House, 5/17/2024; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accessed 6/25/2024

27 PBS, 8/16/2024

28 AFL-CIO, 3/11/2021; CNBC, 4/3/2024; CNBC, 3/19/2024.

29 Axios, 3/11/2024; CBS News, 3/11/2024.

30 White House,3/7/2021; CBS News,7/24/2014; CNN,3/25/2021; AP News,6/13/2024.

31 The Hill,3/7/2024; NBC News,1/11/2022; Democracy Docket,1/3/2023.

1 Vox, 1/19/2021; The Atlantic, 6/23/2017; Associated Press, 11/27/2023; Washington Post, 6/26/2020; CNBC, 1/16/2018.

2 Executive Office of the President, 12/10/2019; CBS News, 7/1/2019; C-SPAN, 8/5/2022; Center for American Progress, 8/12/2022; Financial Times, 11/23/2023.

3 Brookings, 10/9/2020.

4 The 19th, 7/16/2024; Capital B, 4/25/2024.

5 Health News Florida, 2/5/2024.

6 Politico, 10/6/2017.

7 CAP20, 5/8/2024; Newsweek, 8/18/2024.

8 New York Times, 2/27/2024; American Presidency Project, 7/8/2024.

9 C-SPAN, 8/5/2022; Vox, 7/28/2022.

10 CBS News, 7/12/2024.

11 Newsweek, 3/7/2021.

12 CAP20, 6/3/2020.

13 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2/12/2018; Bloomberg, 11/16/2020.

14 Politico, 7/28/2021; U.S. Congress, HR 3684, Roll Call #370, 11/5/2021; U.S. Congress, HR 3684, 8/10/2021; Georgetown University, accessed 4/18/2024; WhiteHouse.gov, 8/3/2021.

15 CNBC, 7/18/2019; Washington Post, 8/3/2016; Washington Post, 8/3/2016.

16 Washington Post, 10/23/2020; Vox, 7/2/2019; Healthcare.gov, accessed 4/16/2024.; The Hill, 12/26/2023.

17 NBC News, 8/31/2017.

18 The Hill, 4/15/2024; Center for Economic and Policy Research, 4/24/2024.

19 AFL-CIO, accessed 7/19/2024.

20 CNN, 2/28/2017.

21 Center for American Progress, 9/14/2020; [CNN, 9/5/2021; The 19th, 10/29/2020.

22 Center for American Progress, 9/14/2020.

23 The 19th, 7/16/2024.

24 Politico, 5/29/2020; Center for American Progress, 6/15/2020; USA Today, 8/27/2017.

25 Vox, 6/16/2020; CNN, 6/16/2020; Washington Post, 11/10/2019; The Marshall Project, 3/12/2019.

26 Reason, 5/3/2024; Center for American Progress, 6/15/2020.

27 CNN, 8/13/2023; Los Angeles Magazine, 4/8/2024; The Hill, 4/2/24; NPR, 9/25/2016.

28 The Hill, 4/2/24; The Nation, 2/1/2023; Washington Post, 9/17/2020; Los Angeles Magazine, 4/8/2024; Vanity Fair, 3/14/2022; USA Today, 3/13/2023; Forbes, 6/18/2021.

29 American Presidency Project, 7/8/2024.

30 CNBC, 7/29/2020.

31 The New Republic, 2/21/2024; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/23/2017.

32 Washington Post, 8/16/2019; Washington Post, 4/25/2018.

33 Jacobin, 9/14/2019.

34 The Nation, 6/6/2024.

35 NPR,8/1/2023.

36 NPR,12/23/2021; AP News,9/24/2021; Texas Tribune,9/23/2021; CNN,3/26/2021.

37 ABC News,4/12/2024; Axios,5/2/2024; NPR,1/18/2024; ABC News,8/4/2018; NPR, 9/30/2020; Republican National Committee,4/19/2024.