Covid Czar, Global Health Directorate, Masks Make Biden’s Day One Orders
Saying "there's no time to waste," newly inaugurated President Joe Biden signed 17 executive orders Wednesday afternoon, many of which kicked off a new covid response or addressed the financial strain the pandemic has caused and the gaps in U.S. health protections it has exposed.
CBS News:
Biden Signs Executive Actions On COVID, Climate Change, Immigration And More
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed more than a dozen executive actions, some of which reverse decisions made by his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. Several executive actions will make changes to the U.S. response to COVID-19 and try to ease some of the financial strain on Americans resulting from the pandemic. Other executive actions directly target and undo Mr. Trump's actions on the environment, immigration, the U.S. census, and regulatory changes. (Erickson, 1/21)
The Washington Post:
Biden's First Executive Orders Will Reverse Trump Policies
The most pressing of his priorities are measures to combat the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Biden signed executive actions to require masks on all federal grounds and asked agencies to extend moratoriums on evictions and on federal student loan payments. He urged Americans to don face coverings for 100 days, while reviving a global health unit in the National Security Council — allowed to go dormant during the Trump administration — to oversee pandemic preparedness and response. Biden also began to reverse several steps taken by President Donald Trump by embracing the World Health Organization, revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and rejoining the Paris climate agreement. (Min Kim, 1/20)
The New York Times:
President Biden's 17 Executive Orders In Detail
Despite an inaugural address that called for unity and compromise, Mr. Biden’s first actions as president are sharply aimed at sweeping aside former President Donald J. Trump’s pandemic response, reversing his environmental agenda, tearing down his anti-immigration policies, bolstering the teetering economic recovery and restoring federal efforts to promote diversity. Here’s a look at what the measures aim to accomplish. (Kavi, 1/20)
The New York Times:
On Day 1, Biden Moves to Undo Trump’s Legacy
One of Mr. Biden’s first acts was to sign an executive order making Mr. [Jeff] Zients the government’s official Covid-19 response coordinator, reporting to the president. The order also restored the directorate for global health security and biodefense at the National Security Council, a group that Mr. Trump had disbanded. (Shear, 1/20)
The Wall Street Journal:
Biden Extends Student Loan Payments Pause, Moratorium On Evictions
On his first day in office, President Biden signed a range of executive actions including two that will affect the financial lives of millions of Americans. One directs the Education Department to extend the pause on federal student loan payments, and the other directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to extend the federal eviction moratorium. Both measures were put in place last year in response to economic hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. (Lam, 1/20)
The Hill:
Biden Inauguration Marks Shift In Scattered COVID-19 Response
“With the state of the nation today, there’s no time to waste,” Biden said from the Oval Office before signing several orders. “Some of the executive actions I’m signing today will help change the course of the COVID crisis.” (Hellmann, 1/20)
