On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed several executive actions, some of which overturned the decisions of his predecessor, former President Donald Trump.
The executive actions will change the US response to COVID-19 and try to ease the financial pressure on Americans as a result of the pandemic. But other executive actions target and undo directly Trump’s actions on the environment, immigration, the U.S. census and regulatory changes.
Mr. Biden has signed three executive orders in the presence of reporters – implementing a masked mandate on federal property, increasing support for underserved communities and again at the Paris climate agreement.
‘I thought there was no time to wait. Go to work immediately, ‘he told reporters.
Evan Vucci / AP
Mr. Biden mentions the letter that Mr. Trump left for him, very “generous”, but said he would not disclose the content because it was “private”.
Incoming top advisers from the White House of Biden outlined and described the actions during a press call on Tuesday night. Biden assistants also promised that more would come.
“In the coming days and weeks, we will announce additional executive actions that address these challenges and fulfill the promises of the President-elect to the American people, including the repeal of the ban on military service by transgender Americans and the reversal of policy. of Mexico City, “White House incoming press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.
Below is CBS News’ breakdown of Biden’s first 15 executive orders and the two executive actions he is expected to sign on Wednesday:
COVID-19 reaction
Start a “100 Day Mask Challenge” calls for a nationwide face mask and a social distancing mandate in federal buildings, on federal lands and by federal employees and contractors.
Restructuring federal government coordination following the COVID-19 pandemic. The White House of Biden brings back a position of the Obama era, called the “Directorate of World Health Safety and Biodefence,” which was organized after the Ebola epidemic in 2014 with additional staff within the National Security Council. This board office was spread to other roles during the Trump administration, but Biden and his campaign advisers argued that the move diminished the federal government’s readiness for the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Biden will also formally implement a “response coordinator” who will report to the president on the production, supply and distribution of vaccines, testing and personal protective equipment. Mr. Biden hired Jeff Zients, who oversaw the COVID-19 team of Mr. Pray for the presidential transition.
Re-join the World Health Organization (WHO), which the Trump administration was leaving. Mr. Biden also wants to relocate the US as an active leader at the WHO.
Financial relief for Americans
Extend moratoriums on expulsion and negative. To do so, Biden will call on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reinstate the moratorium already completed and extend it to at least March 31st. The new president will also appeal to the departments of agriculture, housing and urban development and veterans. Matters to extend the moratoriums for negative for their federally backed mortgages. “These emergency measures are important,” he said. Biden’s leading economic adviser, Brian Deese, said during the call with reporters: “There are more than 11 million mortgages guaranteed by the VA, Department of Agriculture and HUD, which will be extended.”
Continue with the “break” of the student loan until 30 September. Biden advisers continue to claim that Biden continues to support its promise to cancel $ 10,000 of $ student loans, but it will take time because it has to go through Congress.
Environment
Joins Paris climate agreement. The climate negotiations in Paris took place under the Obama administration and were led by incoming Tsar John Kerry of climate change when he was secretary of state. It will take thirty days to take effect.
End the Keystone XL pipeline and withdraw oil and gas development at national wildlife monuments. To do so, Bina’s climate adviser, Gina McCarthy, explained that Biden’s government will throw away or overdo more than 100 “harmful” presidential proclamations, memoranda or permits signed by the Trump administration. considered detrimental.
The revocation of permits will effectively abandon the Keystone pipeline. Mr. Biden will also discuss the Trump administration’s 2020 decision to land development at the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah and the Northeast Gorges and Seamounts Marine Monuments in New England, set aside for wildlife stop. protection by former President Obama in 2016. Other changes include requiring agencies to “review economic fuel and emissions standards” and put in place federal working groups to deal with greenhouse gases, according to a statement of executive orders.
Human rights
Steps to promote racial equity by the federal government. Inbound Home Policy Adviser Susan Rice explained that President Biden wants every federal agency to consider equality in their programs and actions. With this executive action, for example, the Office of Management and Budget will analyze whether federal money is distributed fairly in color communities and other needs, the executive action outline said. Rice also said that Trump’s “harmful” 1776 commission, the 18-member council he formulated in September, would be discontinued. The purpose of the commission was to study the president’s concern that the American education system is pursuing an overly liberal approach to American history.
Count non-citizens in the U.S. census again. This reverses President Trump’s order in July 2020 not to count undocumented Americans, which will affect the federal allocation of money and federal representation. Rice said in a press release on Wednesday that Trump is an “approach that violates the Constitution and the Census Act and is contrary to the history of our country and our commitment to representative democracy.” The Biden team’s outline of the executive order said that Biden “will ensure that the Census Bureau has time to complete an accurate population census for each state” and that it then submits to a Congress that is fair and accurate, so that federal resources are efficient. and fairly distributed for the next decade. ‘
Strengthen the protection against discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity. At agencies, it broadens federal protection against gender discrimination to LGBTQ Americans.
Immigration
Defend the “Dreamers” program for undocumented young Americans. Mr. Biden calls on Congress to grant permanent status and a path to citizenship to Dreamers – nearly a million undocumented young people who were brought to the country as children and protected by President Obama from deportation. The Trump administration has challenged the law, but the Supreme Court has upheld it.
End the so-called ‘Muslim travel ban’. which restricted travel and immigration to the US from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen in 2017, before adding Eritrea, Nigeria, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan and Tanzania in 2020. The Department of Foreign Affairs is also instructed to restart visa applications. for these countries.
Change Trump’s arrest priorities for immigration and customs enforcement (ICE ). This executive order will amend the amendments that Mr. Trump in the first week of his presidency in 2017, recalled to make domestic immigration enforcement much stricter. Few details are listed in the outline of the executive order, but the incoming Biden-White House team has stated that the Department of Homeland Security, in partnership with other agencies, will draw up a policy for maintaining civilian immigration that the American people best protected and in line with our values and priorities. ‘
Stop building boundary walls. Mr. Biden will end the national emergency quote quoted by the Trump administration to direct money to the building of the southern wall.
Protect a group of Liberians in the country. Liberians who have been in the United States for many years will be able to stay longer. Their ‘delayed enforcement deviation’ will be extended for an additional year until June 30, 2022. President Trump briefly considered ending this postponement before finally extending the program.
Regulation
Freezing last-minute Trump administrative regulations. Technically, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain will be charged for its execution, and a presidential memorandum will formally state the regulations to be frozen.
Ethics
Formulate doctrines about the executive branch. Mr. Biden wants every nominated person to sign an ethical promise. The promise also demands that federal employees promise ‘to maintain the independence of the Department of Justice’, the executive order reads.