Since the inauguration, members of the Biden-Harris Administration have been hard at work in the White House. Biden has passed a total of twenty-eight executive orders in under a month, seventeen of which he signed on his first day in office. Eighteen out of the twenty-eight orders reverse a policy put in place by the Trump administration, the majority of which regarded immigration, the coronavirus, equity, and the economy. He has also passed several acts regarding climate change, health care, and national security.
Here is a summary of some important orders Biden has signed so far...
On Covid-19
Created the position of Covid-19 Response Coordinator
Rejoined the World Health Organization with Dr. Fauci as head of the delegation to the organization
Required masks and social distancing on all federal property
Launched a “100 Days Masking Challenge” to encourage all Americans to wear masks for 100 days
Created a Covid-19 Health Equity Task Force to ensure an equitable response to and recovery from the pandemic
Made it mandatory to wear masks in airports and on other modes of public transportation, including trains, airplanes, boats, and buses
Called for clear guidelines on Covid-19 and required worker health and safety requirements to be enforced
Ordered the Department of Education to provide guidelines on how to reopen schools safely and keep them functioning
Created community vaccination centers
Expanded the US testing capacity
Sped up manufacturing and delivery of PPE and supplies for vaccines
On Equity
Prevented discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation in the workplace
Revokes Trump’s 1776 Commission; all agencies must review their actions to ensure racial equity
Reversed Trump’s ban on transgender Americans in the military
Ordered the government to not renew federal contracts with private prisons
Acknowledged the increase of discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and directs Health and Human Services to provide support and prevent hate crimes and harassment
Ordered federal agencies to have regular and meaningful meetings with Tribal governments
Reviewed Trump’s housing regulations and amended them to fit with the Fair Housing Act
On Immigration
Blocked the deportations of Liberians who have been living in the US through 2022
Stopped Trump’s construction of the border wall
Reversed Trump’s increased immigration enforcement in the US, which prioritized the deportation of criminals, including undocumented immigrants
Reversed Trump’s immigration ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries
Reinforced DACA, an organization that protects immigrants who were brought to the US as children from being deported
Undid Trump’s order requiring immigrants to repay the government if they receive public benefits
Revoked Trump’s order justifying separating children from their parents at the border
Created a task force to reunite families separated at the border
Created organizations to protect asylum seekers and ensure that Central American asylum seekers have legal access to the US
Directed agencies to ensure LGBTQI+ refugees and asylum seekers have equal access to protection
Expanded the US Refugee Admissions Program that Trump had decreased in size
On Climate Change
Rejoined the Paris Climate Accord
Canceled Trump’s Keystone XL pipeline
Forced agencies to reverse more than 100 of Trump’s environmental action guidelines
Ordered scientific integrity across all federal agencies
Reestablished the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
Made climate change an essential priority/focus? of US foreign policy
Ordered the development of a new emissions reduction target
In addition to these acts, Biden has also named his cabinet members. Here are the individuals he selected for each position.
We will continue to provide updates on the Biden-Harris Administration in upcoming issues, but if you would like to learn more, visit the official White House website. It is updated daily, and provides more detailed information about Biden’s executive actions and his staff. It is said that a president’s first 100 days in office are his most influential ones, so keep an eye out for what Biden does next!
