Joe Biden has been president for 24 hours. Here is everything he’s done so far
New president and his White House begin a new day in America with at least 50 new policy actions, including executive orders and key changes to undo his predecessor’s legacy
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Your support makes all the difference.President Joe Biden’s first 24 hours in the White House featured a dizzying wave of executive orders and immediate actions on everything from Covid-19 to climate change as the new administration immediately got to work following the Inauguration Day ceremonies.
The festivities had not yet ended by Wednesday night as the new president was swearing in his White house staff during a televised event, demanding his appointees help “restore the soul of this country” by leading with respect for others and warning of the consequences if they don’t: “I will fire you on the spot.”
Whereas some had assumed a Biden administration would bring a swift and boring return to normalcy, the White House hit the ground running with at least 17 executive orders and a range of new domestic and international policies — all of which were announced before a massive fireworks display lit up Washington in celebration of the new president, who watched from the White House balcony alongside First Lady Dr Jill Biden.
Read more: Follow live updates and news on Biden’s first days in office
Work within the West Wing continued late into the night and early in the morning as Mr Biden’s staff sought to have the new policy priorities immediately implemented, from a mask mandate requiring those on federal grounds observe the coronavirus safety measure to the overturning of former President Donald Trump’s legacy.
It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours since the president was sworn in on the footsteps of the US Capitol. Here are some of the most notable actions Mr Biden and his administration have taken since:
- Rejoined the World Health Organization and announced Dr. Anthony Fauci would serve as the head of the US delegation
- Ended the previous administration’s travel restrictions on several Muslim majority countries
- Swore in nearly 1,000 new administration appointees via Zoom
- Cancelled permits for the Keystone XL oil pipeline
- Created a new presidential appointee role, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator to assist with national vaccine distribution efforts
- Launched the “100 Days Mask Challenge,” including an executive order mandating mask wearing on federal grounds and encouraging Americans to wear masks for 100 days
- Extended the nationwide eviction and foreclosure moratorium until at least the end of March
- Strengthened the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program via executive order
- Avril Haines confirmed as the first woman to lead USIC as the new director of national intelligence
- Rescinded the 1776 Commission, created under the Trump administration to help reshape how public schools teach the history of slavery
- Rejoined the Paris Climate Accord via executive order
- Reversed components of immigration enforcement expansion under previous administration via executive order
- Paused student loans payments and the accruing of interest on all federal student loans until at least the end of September
- Ordered a regulatory review at the Office of Management and Budget to undo the previous administration’s regulatory approval process
- Halted the construction of new border security installations along the US-Mexico border
- Announced new executive orders for school and business reopening plans
- Ordered the inclusion of non-US citizens in the Census
- Implemented new ethics pledges for executive branch employees
- Signed executive order preventing workplace discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation
- Extended work authorizations and deportation deferrals for select immigrants until at least June 2022
- Attended the Virtual Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service alongside the first lady, vice president and second gentleman
- Held the first White House press briefing led by Press Secretary Jen Psaki
- Announced new executive orders to expand Covid-19 testing
- Renovated the Oval Office, replacing interior decorations and adding a bust of Latino civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, as well as a portrait of Benjamin Franklin
- Implemented White House Covid-19 precautions including mask wearing, frequent testing and new social distancing measures.
- Transportation Secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg began nomination hearings with the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee
- Delivered additional calls for national unity with speeches by president and vice president at inauguration night concert
- Created plans to host congressional leaders this week from both parties at the White House
- Scheduled themed days for the next week to focus on specific policy priorities, including “economic relief,” “Buy America,” “Equity,” “Climate,” “Health Care,” “Immigration” and “Restoring America’s Place in the World.”
- Prepared plans to overturn key Trump administration abortion policy restricting funding for overseas abortion providers
- Redesigned the White House website to be more inclusive, with language translations and additional accessibility options
- Ended the Trump administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols Policy, otherwise known as the Remain in Mexico policy
- Sent a comprehensive immigration bill to Congress to further undo the previous administration’s legacy
- Placed a moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
- Added gender-neutral pronoun options to the online White House contact form
- Fired Trump-appointed labor board general Peter Robb
- Established interagency group on societal impact of carbon pollution
- Asked Environmental Protection Agency to immediately reconsider methane regulations
- Announced intention to revoke transgender military ban
- Designated Domestic Policy Council Susan Rice to spearhead “robust, interagency” effort towards “rooting out systemic racism” in federal agencies.
- Proposed new Covid-19 national strategy
- Encouraged Congress to grant special waiver for Defense Secretary nominee Lloyd J. Austin III
- Named acting Cabinet members until nominees slate can ben confirmed
- Withdrew previous administration’s order limiting diversity trainings
- Ordered federal agencies to develop plans to address “barriers to equal opportunity” in the next 200 days
- Suspended all gas development projects at national wildlife monuments
- Restructured immigration arrest priorities for ICE
- Re-examine federal funding to ensure equitable distribution in communities of color and low income areas.
- Directed agencies to “consider revising vehicle fuel economic and emissions standards”
- Froze all last-minute regulatory actions taken by the previous administration
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