Day One of Joe Biden’s presidency will kick off with a rash of executive orders. Covid-19 will overshadow everything else for the first 100 days but subsumed within will be efforts to push forward quick fixes on immigration, healthcare and a battered economy.
First up, on 20 January, Biden will sign “roughly a dozen actions” to combat four crises, according to his Chief of Staff Ron Klain. Based on Biden’s statements in recent days and a memo from Klain, here’s what the early days will look like, mostly via executive action.
Rejoining the Paris climate accord.
Rejoining the World Health Organisation.
Asking the Department of Education to extend the ongoing pause on student loan payments and interest for millions of Americans with federal student loans.
Declaring ethical standards and prohibiting interference in Justice Department operations from other arms of government.
Restoring 100 public health and environmental rules that the Obama administration created and President Donald Trump wrecked.
Ending restrictions on travellers from a variety of Muslim-majority countries.
Launching a “100 Day Masking Challenge” by issuing a mask mandate on federal property and inter-state travel.
Action to extend nationwide restrictions on evictions and foreclosures.
Beginning the process to rejoin the deal reining in Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
Protecting from deportation people who came to the country illegally as children.
Legislation proposing repeal of liability protections for gun manufacturers.
Immigration legislation offering a path to citizenship for 11 million people in the US illegally. Under the legislation, those living in the US as of Jan 1, 2021, without legal status would have a five-year path to temporary legal status if they pass background checks and fulfill other basic requirements including paying taxes. From there, it’s a three-year path to naturalisation.
Biden also wants Congress to approve a $1.9 trillion plan to combat the coronavirus.
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