President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris joined a slew of high-profile fellow lawmakers on Tuesday evening for the annual Democratic National Committee holiday celebration. 

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris joined a slew of high-profile fellow lawmakers on Tuesday evening for the annual Democratic National Committee holiday celebration

  • Both Biden and Harris touted a number of their administration's achievements, like successfully passing COVID-19 relief, a bipartisan infrastructure law and more

  • The president delivered his DNC address on the heels of a meeting with a group of newly-elected mayors from across the country

  • Biden’s legislative agenda is being put to the test on Capitol Hill after the Senate narrowly voted in favor of increasing the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion

Biden and Harris were joined by their spouses, first lady Dr. Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, for Tuesday’s celebrations, and were introduced by new DNC chair Jaime Harrison upon arrival. 

The night served largely as a self-pat-on-the-back for Democrats, with Harrison commending the Biden-Harris administration for successfully passing COVID-19 relief, infrastructure laws and more.

“I'm not exaggerating when I say the Biden-Harris administration has delivered one of the most consequential first years of any presidential administration ever,” he said in part.

The nation’s two top political leaders also offered highlights of their near-complete first year in office during their respective remarks. 

“I told you all I ran for one reason: Not to do anything other than what I thought was the right thing to do, come hell or high water,” Biden said, going on to tout the country’s low unemployment rate and job growth. 

Biden also used the opportunity to call on lawmakers to support his Build Back Better bill, a sweeping proposal that includes funding for climate change, overhaul the Medicare system and historic funding to address childhood poverty.

“As Democrats, we stand for the people,” Harris said in her own remarks. “And we will fight for the people.”

The president delivered his DNC address on the heels of a meeting with a group of newly-elected mayors from across the country, where the group discussed how to work together on issues like infrastructure, Biden’s Build Back Better agenda and the ongoing fight against COVID-19. 

Both Biden and Harris praised DNC staff for their work in both past and future elections, saying there will be much work to do in preparation for the 2022 midterm elections.

“Part of the reason we are here today is to remind you of how grateful we are for your endless ability to know what is possible and to work to achieve that,” the vice president said, later adding: “We must not doubt, we cannot doubt. You just got to do the work.” 

Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, Biden’s legislative agenda was being put to the test after the Senate narrowly voted in favor of increasing the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion, sending the bill back to the House of Representatives for a final vote that could come as early as Tuesday evening. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who briefly attended the DNC holiday party, left early in order to vote on a number of bills up for consideration on the House floor. In addition to a bill to raise the debt ceiling, lawmakers are considering whether to recommend contempt charges for former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, as well as a bill to combat Islamophobia.