March 11 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden visited Philadelphia on Friday and spoke at a retreat of the House Democratic Caucus, where he touched on economic achievements and rallied lawmakers gearing up for this fall's midterm elections.
Biden arrived in the city late Friday morning, not long after he asked Congress to suspend normal trade relations with Russia for its war in Ukraine.
He noted that support for Ukraine will include weapons deliveries, but again committed to not send forces into Ukraine to confront Russia.
"We're going to make sure Ukraine continues to get weapons to resist the invasion," he said.
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Part of the reason for Biden's visit Friday was to support fellow Democrats in Congress and pushed them for a strong campaign season in the run up to midterm elections on Nov. 8.
Biden has faced several crises over the past year and is now grappling with rising inflation and the effects of Russia's war in Ukraine. Among other things, he told lawmakers at the retreat to stay true to Democratic values and support measures that help American families.
He noted that the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act has powered historic job creation -- more than 7 million -- since he took office and the U.S. economy is seeing its best economic growth in four decades.
Additionally, he noted historic levels of COVID-19 vaccinations and a reduction in the federal deficit by more than $1 trillion over the past year.
"And we did it alone without a single Republican vote," Biden said.
Biden acknowledged the serious challenges ahead for a party that's expected to see losses in Congress on Election Day, barring a turnaround between now and then.
"This may be the most important off-year election in modern history," he said, noting that if Democrats lose control of both the House and the Senate, the only thing he'll have to fight Republicans with is his "veto pen."
Biden also hailed the bipartisan infrastructure law, which he says has created 4,000 projects nationwide this year, along with repairs or construction for 1,500 U.S. bridges.
"We have a record to be proud of," he said.
