By: Tayhana Taylor, World-News Editor
President Biden signed 17 executive orders after being sworn in on January 20, 2021. These orders were aimed at reversing the previous administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, removing anti-immigration policies, tackling climate change issues, promoting racial and LGBTQ+ equality, and education.
So far, the President has mandated for social distancing and masks to be worn on all federal property. Biden has revoked the United States withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). A COVID-19 office has now been set-up that will report directly to the President, led by Jeff Zients, former Director of the National Economic Council. The National Security Council’s directorate for global health security and biodefense has also been reconstructed after previously being closed by former President Trump.
Foreclosures and eviction moratoriums have been extended through the end of March of this year. This is designed to protect millions of mortgage-paying homeowners from being evicted. Direct mortgage servicers are now required to stop all new foreclosure actions and will suspend any that are in progress for FHA-insured single-family properties.
For students who have federal student loan payments outstanding, Biden has directed the education department to freeze monthly payments and interest on most federal student loans until September 30, 2021.
Biden has reversed Trump’s orders to withdraw from The Paris Agreement. This is the administration’s efforts to alleviate climate change. Biden canceled the presidential permit for the $8 billion Keystone XL pipeline that would have transported fossil fuels from Canada across the United States. Rumors have sparked about the negative effect of President Biden signing this order.
A Facebook post claimed that “By revoking the Keystone pipeline permit, Biden is destroying 11,000 jobs and roughly $2 billion in wages,” This is not exactly the case. TC Energy stated that they have only laid off only 1000 workers in both the U.S and Canada because of this order. The jobs would have been temporary. The order further banned drilling in a multitude of national parks and national monuments while implementing more rigid emissions and fuel economy standards for vehicles.
As a step to reduce racial injustice Biden has revoked the Trump Administration’s 1766 Commissions project. The project was intended to reinforce a strictly conservative history curriculum in U.S. schools. Biden’s order also prompted federal agencies to create an action plan within the next 200 days to tackle unequal barriers to opportunity in agency policies and programs.
Undocumented immigrants will be included in the U.S Census as Biden has repealed Trump’s orders that excluded these groups of immigrants. Fears of deportation from Dreamers under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act have been soothed. Biden has ensured that these young immigrants have legal protection.
The ban on people entering the U.S. from Muslim countries has been removed. The State Department has been directed to restart visa processing for the countries affected by the ban. Both the construction of the Mexico-United States border wall and the Trump administration’s interior enforcement rule have been canceled. Deportation protections have been extended for Liberians.
With efforts to revive equality in the United States, Biden ordered a ban on LGBTQ+ discrimination in the workplace. The order further directs federal agencies to make certain existing laws banning sex discrimination also prohibit discrimination against gay, bisexual, and transgender workers. Biden also has plans to fully remove the ban on transgender people serving in the military.
An ethics pledge for all executive branch officials order has been signed to ensure that officials do not use their authority for their own personal gain. Trump’s “midnight” regulations have been frozen: this order blocks any Trump Administration regulation that is currently in process and prevents them from taking full effect.
Aside from the executive orders signed in Biden’s first week, he has much more action to take during his first 100 days in office.
So far, he has plans to boost the U.S. economy back and better to what it was pre-pandemic. Under the “American Rescue Plan,” which has a budget of approximately a trillion dollars, $1400 stimulus checks will be distributed to Americans who qualify in addition to the $600 stimulus checks issued in January before Biden took office. Billions will also be spent on small business economic relief, state-level support, federal nutrition programs, and support for childcare providers.
Proposals have been made for minimum wage being raised to $15.00. A senior economic-analyst, Mark Hamrick, approved this minimum wage notion by saying, “If the federal minimum wage were to be raised, it would provide a much-needed financial shot in the arm for many of those still in a position of financial fragility.”
Biden aims to create 5 million jobs and to enforce his “Made in America” Plan, which would invest billions of dollars into manufacturing, research, and development.
Switching gear from economic recovery, the Biden Administration has plans to execute their “clean energy plan” that is anticipated to get the U.S. to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The country still awaits to hear more about Biden’s plans for healthcare and education.
