Following the State of the Union, Voters Strongly Support Biden’s Legislative Agenda
By Abby Springs, Alvin Gunnion, Carly Berke, Danielle Deiseroth, Devi Ruia, Evangel Penumaka, Grace Adcox, Lew Blank, and Sabrina Jacobs
In his 2023 State of the Union Address, President Biden marked a new era in his presidency by celebrating Democrats’ legislative achievements, criticizing Republicans for extremist policies, and calling on Congress to “finish the job” by delivering new progress for the American people.
Over the last two years, Democrats leveraged their legislative trifecta to pass historic legislation, including the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act. These bills — which are all extremely popular with the American people — will spur massive investments into American jobs and manufacturing, while hastening the transition to a clean energy economy.
Now facing a Republican-controlled House, Biden called out Republicans for their extreme proposals, including plans to cut Social Security and Medicare and further restrict abortion rights. The data are clear: Americans across party lines want to see legislators deliver for them, not roll back long-standing programs and rights that our nation has upheld for generations.
Biden has set his legislative agenda for the new Congress, one that will build on previous progress by lowering costs, holding corporations accountable, addressing gun violence, and reducing racial discrimination in policing. New polling from Data for Progress finds widespread support for these proposals, including among Independents and Republicans.
As major investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act begin to be rolled out for infrastructure projects at the federal, state, and local levels, Biden announced new guidance to ensure construction materials used in these infrastructure projects will be American-made. We find voters are widely supportive of this announcement, with 84 percent of voters in support of requiring all construction materials used in federally funded infrastructure projects to be made in America. Eighty-seven percent of Democrats, 79 percent of Independents, and 83 percent of Republicans support this proposal, demonstrating strong consensus across party lines.
Voters are also supportive of continued action by Biden and Democrats in Congress to lower the price of prescription drugs for patients, such as waiving patents on expensive name-brand drugs. Even when presented with common arguments from opponents — that patents are needed for innovation and to protect manufacturers while they research new drugs — Data for Progress polling finds 67 percent of voters believe that Americans are paying too much for prescription drugs and that Biden should move forward with changing patent laws to make them more affordable. This holds strong bipartisan support, with 79 percent of Democrats, 65 percent of Independents, and 56 percent of Republicans in agreement.
Amid concerns about the growing power of Big Tech, Data for Progress finds that 64 percent of voters support breaking up large tech companies into smaller ones in order to foster competition and prevent monopolies. This move enjoys bipartisan support, with 72 percent of Democrats, 62 percent of Independents, and 56 percent of Republicans showing approval.
Between the Ticketmaster crash during Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour sale and Southwest Airlines’ cancellations during the holiday season, excessive junk fees have reached national prominence. Junk fees are nearly unavoidable in consumer transactions ranging from booking hotels and flights, to canceling cellphone plans and buying concert tickets, but at the State of the Union, Biden called to end the practice.
The Junk Fees Prevention Act, which would ban various junk fees, is supported by 79 percent of voters. This includes 85 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of Independents, and 74 percent of Republicans.
With the recent high-profile police killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, voters also want to see action on police reform. In line with previous Data for Progress polling, we find the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act enjoys the support of a strong majority of voters (69 percent), including an overwhelming majority of Democrats (89 percent), 69 percent of Independents, and a plurality of Republican voters (49 percent).
The Inflation Reduction Act introduced a 1 percent tax on corporate stock buybacks. During the State of the Union, Biden urged Congress to increase this tax to 4 percent. Data for Progress finds 58 percent of voters support this proposal, including 76 percent of Democrats, 53 percent of Independents, and 42 percent of Republicans.
During his speech, Biden directed special attention toward the actions of certain Republican lawmakers who have proposed cutting funding for programs like Social Security and Medicare to address the national deficit. Data for Progress finds that voters reject this proposal: Voters overwhelmingly agree that we should increase funding for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid at 86 percent, 84 percent, and 71 percent, respectively.
Across partisanship, 90 percent of Democrats, 85 percent of Independents, and 83 percent of Republicans think we should increase funding for Social Security. Eighty-nine percent of Democrats, 83 percent of Independents, and 78 percent of Republicans think we should increase funding for Medicare, and 82 percent of Democrats, 72 percent of Independents, and 59 percent of Republicans think we should increase Medicaid funding.
In 2023, the United States has already witnessed more than 50 mass shootings, such as the tragedies in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park. At the State of the Union, Biden called for an end to the senseless violence by enacting a new national ban on assault weapons. The 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban prohibited 19 specific weapons that have the features of guns used by the military, but it expired in 2004 and has yet to be renewed.
Data for Progress finds a majority of voters (65 percent) support a new ban on assault weapons, including 91 percent of Democrats, 59 percent of Independents, and 43 percent of Republicans.
Additionally, Data for Progress finds 60 percent of voters support Biden’s call to codify abortion and reproductive health protections, previously guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, into federal law. This effort is supported by 83 percent of Democrats, 60 percent of Independents, and 37 percent of Republicans.
At the State of the Union, Biden laid out his plans to expand his legislative agenda — and it’s clear that voters strongly support it. For the first two years of the Biden Administration, Democrats held a legislative trifecta that enabled them to pass bold, bipartisan legislation that is wildly popular with voters across the country. Now, as Biden has announced his legislative agenda for 2023, it’s clear that many of his policies hold broad, bipartisan support. Though Republicans in the House will make it harder for Democrats to legislate, voters have also made clear that they oppose the will of certain congressional Republicans who wish to cut Social Security and Medicare. Republicans in Congress should listen to the will of the voters and focus on passing the legislation that voters actually want, instead of trying to cut programs that voters strongly support. Democrats should spend the next two years fighting hard for the president’s agenda, bolstered by the strength of the majority of American voters on their side.
Abby Springs (@abby_springs) is the Press Assistant at Data for Progress.
Alvin Gunnion (@alvingunnion) is a communications intern at Data for Progress.
Carly Berke (@carlyberke) is the Political Manager at Data for Progress.
Danielle Deiseroth (@danielledeis) is the Interim Executive Director at Data for Progress.
Devi Ruia (@DeviRuia) is the Press Secretary at Data for Progress.
Evangel Penumaka (@evangelpenumaka) is the Polling Principal and Research Director at Data for Progress.
Grace Adcox (@GraceAdcox) is a polling analyst at Data for Progress.
Lew Blank (@LewBlank) is a polling analyst at Data for Progress.
Sabrina Jacobs (@Bri_jacobs) is a staff writer at Data for Progress.