President Joe Biden delivers remarks on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)
As President Joe Biden prepares to deliver his farewell address Wednesday evening, Democrats say his administration’s impact on Arizona stands as one of the most significant transformations in the state’s recent history, particularly in manufacturing and clean energy.
The numbers tell a compelling story: Arizona has emerged as a powerhouse in the clean energy economy, with private companies announcing $12.75 billion in new investments since Biden’s signature clean energy legislation passed in 2022. These investments have created or lait the groundwork for more than 18,700 jobs across 30 new projects, making Arizona ninth in the nation for clean energy job creation.
Perhaps most notably, the state is poised to become a hub for electric vehicle battery manufacturing. LG Energy Solutions’ $5.6 billion gigafactory in Queen Creek exemplifies this transformation, with plans to create 3,650 jobs. The project, which had initially been paused, moved forward specifically to take advantage of tax credits in Biden’s clean energy plan.
The clean energy boom has reached beyond urban centers. In Arizona’s disadvantaged communities, companies have announced $4.4 billion in investments creating 3,319 jobs, while rural communities have seen $2.2 billion in investments supporting 1,562 new positions.
Beyond clean energy, Arizona’s broader economic indicators show significant improvement under Biden’s tenure. The state’s unemployment rate has dropped from 6.4% when he took office to 3.7% as of November, with 383,000 jobs added during his administration.
Health care access has also expanded dramatically. Enrollment in Arizona’s Affordable Care Act Marketplace has nearly tripled to 410,000, up from 153,000 in 2020. More than 1.1 million Arizona seniors are benefiting from new caps on insulin costs and other prescription drug pricing reforms.
For higher education, 92,000 Arizonans have seen $3.4 billion in student debt canceled under Biden’s administration, while public infrastructure has received $18.8 billion in federal investment.
“As President Biden leaves office, Arizona is stronger than ever with low unemployment, new caps on prescription drug costs, and billions of dollars canceled in student loan debt across the state,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said in a statement. “The investment and commitment the Biden Administration made into Arizona will benefit the state for decades to come.”
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