On March 1st of 2022, President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address. The State of the Union Address is an annual address presented by the president of the United States to a joint session of Congress near the start of each calendar year on the current state of the nation. 

After two years of a pandemic, President Biden announced additional initiatives to help people resume routine activities in a safe manner. Biden used his State of the Union address to announce that his government would initiate a new effort, “Now we’re launching the ‘Test to Treat’ initiative so people can get tested at a pharmacy and, if they prove positive, receive the antiviral pills on the spot at no cost.” In his speech, he stated that his administration would allow people in the United States to order another round of free tests from the government in addition to launching the new antiviral campaign. “It’s time for Americans to get back to work,” President  Biden declared. Beginning next week, Biden said, the administration will make four more free tests available to American homes through COVIDTests.gov. 

Biden called for global solidarity with the Ukrainian people in response to Russia’s continued invasion of Ukrainian territory. Biden used his State of the Union address to speak at length about the European conflict. As Congress prepared $10 billion in humanitarian and military aid, he promised to help Kyiv. The President also emphasized Washington’s collaboration with Europe in enacting broad penalties against Russia for invading Ukraine, sanctions that administration officials have admitted might have global ramifications. All in attendance gave the Ukrainian ambassador a standing ovation at one point, with some politicians holding the flag of Ukraine. “We are inflicting pain on Russia and supporting the people of Ukraine. Putin is now isolated from the world more than ever,” Biden said. 

Biden talked about fighting inflation by keeping wages high and cracking down on inflated corporate profits, among other things. He stated that he will reduce energy expenses, prescription medicine prices, and childcare costs in the United States while encouraging competition among businesses. “We have a choice. One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I think I have a better idea to fight inflation: Lower your costs, not your wages. Make more cars and semiconductors in America. More infrastructure and innovation in America” Biden urged Congress to support a number of economic initiatives, including efforts to provide monthly tax payments to families with children, policies to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for the elderly, and legislation to raise the minimum wage for millions of employees. “When we invest in our workers, when we build the economy from the bottom up and the middle out together, we can do something we haven’t done in a long time: Build a Better America,” Biden said.