President Biden flew to a South Carolina island for a vacation with his family Thursday, a trip that is expected to last at least one week.
The Biden family will be staying at a private residence owned by a friend on Kiawah Island, a wealthy and secluded destination. The president’s son, Hunter Biden, accompanied Biden and first lady Jill Biden on the Air Force One flight from Washington. Biden’s daughter-in-law Melissa Cohen and grandson Beau also attended.
Late-summer vacations are common for U.S. presidents, but Biden’s comes as the House is expecting to vote on the massive “Inflation Reduction Act,” which is full of White House priorities.
The vacation will likely delay the bill’s signing, and the White House has not stated when the president will return to Washington.
VULNERABLE HOUSE DEMOCRATS WON’T SAY IF THEY PLAN TO VOTE FOR MANCHIN INFLATION REDUCTION ACT
Previous Presidents George W. Bush, Obama and Trump all took similar vacations throughout their time in office. Bush would often spend the time at his Texas ranch, while Obama and Trump both preferred golf resorts in New England.
While Biden’s trip may delay signing legislation, the hard work of negotiation is largely finished for the IRA, which was first introduced by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. The Senate passed the mammoth spending bill on Sunday, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says she plans to push for passing the bill through the Democrat-controlled House with no changes.
It is unclear when exactly the House will hold its vote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
