A Summary of Joe Biden’s First Week’s Executive Orders

In the first week of his Presidency, Joe Biden has signed more executive orders than Donald Trump did in almost two months in office. In this time President Biden has passed 17 executive orders, an unprecedented number in recent history. A summary of these orders can be viewed below, with full details available on the White House website.

Day One - 20/01/2021

Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government

This order scraps Trump’s 1776 Commission, which sought to teach history in a manner that ‘debunks’ the view that the United States is systematically racist. The Commission was described as promoting a ‘patriotic education’.

The order also states:

“[The order] will include efforts to remove systemic barriers to and provide equal access to opportunities and benefits, identify communities the Federal Government has underserved, and develop policies designed to advance equity for those communities.”

Ensuring a Lawful and Accurate Enumeration and Apportionment Pursuant to the Decennial Census

This order reverses an Executive Order and other Trump policies and requires non-citizens to be counted in the 2020 census - for the purpose of both enumeration and determining congressional apportionment.  

Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID-19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security

The Education Department will extend a pause on federal student loan payments and collections until the end of September 2021 - interests for repayments will be kept at zero. The order also extends a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures until the end of March. It formalises Biden’s intention to rejoin the World Health Organisation, which the Trump administration was in the process of leaving. The order also establishes the positions of Coordinator of the Covid-19 Response and a Counsellor to the President.

Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation

This order mandates that the heads of government agencies review policies and regulations that prevent discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel

President Biden requires every executive branch appointment to sign an ethics pledge "to uphold the independence of the Department of Justice".

Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis

The US is to rejoin the Paris Climate accords - the move comes into effect in 30 days. This order also revokes the permit for the construction of the Keystone pipeline and also barred any oil and gas developments at national wildlife monuments.

Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing

To begin the “100 Day Masking Challenge” mandating the wearing of face masks and abiding by social distancing in federal buildings, federal lands, and by all federal employees and contractors. 

Revocation of Certain Executive Orders Concerning Federal Regulation

This order freezes last-minute Trump administration regulatory actions.

Revision of Civil Immigration Enforcement Policies and Priorities

This order will end the “Muslim travel ban” to the United States from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Eritrea, Nigeria, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, and Tanzania. 

Funds will also be diverted from the construction of the southern border wall alongside the easing of rules for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The order also allows a path to citizenship for up to a million undocumented young people who were raised in the country. 

Day Two - 21/01/2021

Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats

The heads of all executive departments are to collect data in relation to COVID-19 to assist in the response to the virus. There is to be an increase in the coordination of data collection between departments.

Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery

This order seeks to “address the disproportionate and severe impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on communities of color and other underserved populations”. It also establishes a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force within the Department of Health and Human Services, which is to coordinate with executive departments with the aim of promoting ‘equitable’ actions.

Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats

This order establishes a COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board, chaired by the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (positions created by Biden a day prior). The Testing Board is “to support the implementation and oversight” of COVID-19 testing.

Improving and Expanding Access to Care and Treatments for COVID-19

This order seeks to expand the capacity of the national healthcare system, promote affordability and to promote the development of novel treatments to COVID-19. 

Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel

This order requires masks to be worn on domestic modes of transportation. Those arriving internationally are to provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test prior to entry and to comply with CDC guidelines concerning periods of self-quarantine upon entering the United States. 

Protecting Worker Health and Safety

This order restructures the bureaucratic processes under the Secretary of Labor in relation to COVID-19.

Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers

This order seeks to keep schools open during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides new guidelines to do so.

A Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain

This order ensures a stable supply chain of critical materials to the federal government as part of the COVID-19 response.

Day Three - 22/01/2021

Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

This order directs all government departments and agencies to "promptly identify actions they can take within existing authorities to address the current economic crisis resulting from the pandemic." 

It aims to expand the food assistance program Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to around 12 million Americans - a 15% increase. The order also pauses federal collections on overpayments and debts from about 2 million veterans. 

Protecting the Federal Workforce

This order revokes regulations implemented during the Trump administration which made it easier to hire and fire civil servants who work on policy. It also calls upon officials to provide Biden with a report laying out suggestions to promote a $15 per hour minimum wage policy for federal workers. 

Day six - 25/01/2021

Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers

This order seeks to compel federal institutions to “maximize the use of goods, products, and materials produced in, and services offered in, the United States.”

Enabling All Qualified Americans to Serve Their Country in Uniform

Gender identity can no longer prevent an individual from military service. This order has been signed with a particular focus on transgender individuals.