President Biden’s First 24 Hours in Office

A Run Down

Photo Courtesy of New York Times

The Biden Administration has begun it’s first 24 hours with a flurry of executive orders and actions.

Linsey Towles, The Scroll, Co-Editor and Chief

After a historic couple of weeks leading up to his inauguration, President Joe Biden has hit the ground running and begun his first 24 hours in the presidency with at least 17 executive orders as well as immediate actions that undo the legacy of his predecessor.

Here is everything he has done so far:

COVID-19:

  • President Biden announced the United States’ return to the World Health Organization after it’s separation earlier last year by former President Donald Trump. Dr. Anthony Fauci is also set to serve as the head of the U.S. delegation. 
  • The federal government has extended that nationwide eviction and foreclosure moratorium until at least the end of March, which protects renters and homeowners from eviction on COVID-19 related financial struggles.
  • The White House announced new executive orders for school and business reopening plans, as well as expanding COVID-19 testing. 
  • A new presidential appointee role, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, has been created to assist with national vaccine distribution efforts.
  • Biden has launched the “100 Days Mask Challenge,” which includes an executive order mandating masks on federal grounds and encouraging citizens to wear a mask for the next 100 days.
  • A new Covid-19 national strategy has been proposed.  

CLIMATE:

  • The United States has rejoined the Paris Climate Accord due to an executive order. 
  • A moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been placed.
  • The White House announced the cancellation of the construction of Keystone XL oil pipeline, a pipeline that would have encroached on sacred lands of Native American reservations.
  • An interagency group on societal impact of carbon pollution has been established.
  • Biden has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately reconsider methane regulations.

IMMIGRATION:

  • The construction of new border security installations along the US-Mexico border has been halted. 
  • President Biden has ordered the inclusion of non-U.S. citizens in the U.S. Census.
  • The Biden administration has ended the former administration’s travel restrictions on several Muslim majoirty countries. 
  • The government has extended work authorizations and deportation deferrals for select immigrants until at least June 2022
  • Parts of immigration enforcement expansion authorized by former President Trump have been rolled back via executive order.
  • Biden ended the Trump administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols Policy, known as the Remain in Mexico policy.
  • The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has been strengthened via executive order.
  • A comprehensive immigration bill has been sent to Congress.

INCLUSIVITY:

  • Joe Biden signed an executive order preventing workplace discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
  • The White House announced the intention to revoke the transgender military ban.
  • Gender-neutral pronoun options have been added to the online White House contact form.
  • The White House website has been redesigned to be more inclusive, with language translations and additional accessibility options.
  • Avril Haines has been confirmed as the first woman to lead USCI as the new director of national intelligence.

ABORTION:

  • Plans have been made to overturn Trump administration abortion policies restricting funding for overseas abortion providers.

STUDENT LOANS:

  • Student loans payments and interest on all federal student loans has been paused until at least the end of September by the federal government. 

RACIAL JUSTICE:

  • The 1776 Commission established by the Trump administration to help reshape how public schools teach the history of slavery has been rescinded by the Biden administration. 
  • Domestic Policy Council Susan Rice has been designated to spearhead “robust, interagency” efforts towards “rooting out systemic racism” in federal agencies.