President Biden had an unpopular presidency. His positions on world events, such as the Russo-Ukrainian and Israel-Hamas wars, along with his mental acuity have all been points of contention. Despite taking a beating from all sides, Biden has more accomplishments than most presidents in the last century, many of which the public does not appreciate.

Biden is not given enough credit for the work he has done for our country. He picked up the pieces of a government decimated by former president Trump and built policies that will positively affect America decades into the future.

One of Biden’s greatest achievements during his four years as president was the number of bipartisan deals passed. Though Congress was heavily polarized after Trump’s presidency, Biden overcame this handicap, causing 70% of bills to pass with bipartisan support — the highest percentage since 2004, according to Quorum. Such bills include the Investing in America bill, which funds roadwork and public transportation, and Safer Communities Act, which extended restrictions on gun ownership. These bills all garnered significant Republican support, according to Newsweek, demonstrating Biden’s ability to negotiate and pass proposals that benefit all Americans.

This is significant because, in recent years, the Republican Party has maintained a strategy of non-cooperation to hurt Democratic presidents’ ratings, according to MSNBC. However, Biden not only gained their support on bipartisan bills but also convinced them to back positions they historically opposed. These bills benefit everyone, no matter who they support.

Cooperation is the bedrock of democracy, and without it, the government would come to a standstill. Biden negotiated — a term often forgotten in today’s politics — to help Americans, regardless of their political views.

Biden once again demonstrated his ability to negotiate with both sides during the prisoner swap with Russia on Aug. 1. The 24 prisoner swap freed 16 American citizens, according to Associated Press News. Biden did whatever it took to protect US citizens.

Biden’s contributions to the United States only continue. He inherited a rising homicide rate but managed to reduce it by 11.8%, one of the sharpest drops on record, according to AH Datalytics. This occurred because of his 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, which helped make communities safer by funding de-escalation training for law enforcement. Biden also took a step toward protecting the future by committing $303 billion to climate change initiatives, double of what was spent in 2020, according to Bloomberg.

Biden is not ignoring the climate threat or handing the responsibility to the next generation; he is taking active steps to stop climate change head on.

However, Biden had one last thing to give to America: his humility. After pressure from both inside and outside the Democratic Party, Biden stepped down from the presidential race and gave his endorsement to vice president Kamala Harris. Biden realized he would not be able to beat Trump and gave up his chance at power for the good of Americans.

At 81 years old, Biden is the oldest president of the United States, but his years of experience have served him and the American people well. The work he did may not take effect immediately, but future generations will reap the benefits of Biden’s policies. Though some of his positions are still controversial, he did what he thought was best for Americans. A true president does not focus on themself. They focus on the people, and for that, Biden deserves to be remembered as one of America’s best presidents.