Work as a Senator
After his presidential failure, Biden returned to active service in the Senate, and became a leading legislator of the 1990s. Biden led efforts to pass the 1994 Crime Bill, which included an assault weapons ban, expanded use of the death penalty, and created new provisions protecting women from acts of violence. The bill was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
Although Biden was praised for his role in the creation of the womens’ provision, he would later be criticized for his role in the broader crime bill. Critics charged that the bill led to racist policing practices and over-incarceration. (Consolidated News Pictures, Editorial Use)