M Mushfiqul Fazal
Soon after he was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden got straight down to work signing 30 executive actions on issues ranging from the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.
A large part of Biden’s Day 1 agenda involved reversing some of the major foreign policy and national security decisions introduced by the Trump administration. Biden halted the US’ withdrawal from the World Health Organisation and also signed an executive order to rejoin the Paris agreement on climate change.
The 30 executive actions Biden has taken in the first days of his administration include halting funding for the construction of Trump's border wall, reversing Trump's travel ban targeting largely Muslim countries, imposing a mask mandate on federal property, ramping up vaccination supplies and requiring international travelers to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test prior to traveling to the US.Several of his executive moves were also focused on grappling with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy and the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
With over 24.6 million Covid-19 cases and more than 4.1 lakh deaths so far, the US is presently reporting the highest coronavirus caseload and death toll in the world.
Here is a list of the executive actions Biden has signed so far:
Re-engage with World Health Organization, Create position of COVID-19 response coordinator, Rejoin Paris climate agreement, Revoke permit for Keystone XL pipeline, pause energy leasing in ANWR, Ask agencies to extend eviction, Ask Education Dept. to extend student-loan pause, Launch an initiative to advance racial equity, end "1776 Commission", Revoke order that aims to exclude undocumented immigrants from census , Preserve/fortify DACA, which helps "Dreamers”, Require masks/distancing on all federal property and by federal workers, Reverse travel ban targeting primarily Muslim countries, Stop construction of border wall, Combat discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, Require ethics pledge for executive-branch personnel, Modernize and improve regulatory review, End "harsh and extreme immigration enforcement", Extend protection from deportation for Liberians in U.S., Revoke certain executive orders concerning federal regulation, Freeze any new or pending regulations, Fill supply shortfalls in fight vs. COVID-19 with Defense Production Act, other measures and Increase FEMA reimbursement to states for National Guard.
Biden's executive actions also include: PPE Memorandum, Establish “COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board,” expand testing, Bolster access to COVID-19 treatments and clinical care, Improve collection/analysis of COVID-related data, Mount vaccination campaign amid goals such as 100 million shots in 100 days, Provide guidance on safely reopening schools, OSHA guidance for keeping workers safe from COVID-19, Require face masks at airports, other modes of transportation, Establish a “COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force”, Support international response to COVID-19, “restore U.S. global leadership”, Ask agencies to boost food aid, improve delivery of stimulus checks and Restore collective bargaining power for federal workers.
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