President Joe Biden has signed more than two dozen executive orders since he took office on Jan. 20. His administration has taken steps to strengthen the nation’s economy, restore environmental protections, promote racial equality, undo a number of Trump’s immigration policies, toughen the federal coronavirus response and more.
Here are a few of Biden’s most important executive actions thus far.
Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis
Biden placed a temporary moratorium on oil and gas activity previously taking place in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, revoked the Keystone XL Pipeline permit, issued a review on all agency actions taken between Jan. 20, 2017, and Jan. 20, 2021 and pledged to “listen to the science” and “hold polluters accountable, including those who disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income communities”.
Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation
In his support to the LGBTQ+ community and efforts to kick off his inclusive agenda, Biden signed an executive order to extend federal nondiscrimination protections to members of the queer community. This expansion of protections prohibits the discrimination of individuals of any sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
Biden outlined numerous initiatives in this executive order where the “comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all” is at the forefront. The order specifically highlights the role of the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) in ensuring the removal of all systemic barriers to equal opportunities and access to underserved communities and promotes the equitable distribution of government benefits to all eligible individuals, revoking a former Trump executive order in which companies that received federal funding were banned from giving racial or social justice training.
Executive Order on Reforming Our Incarceration System to Eliminate the Use of Privately Operated Criminal Detention Facilities
As part of his racial equity agenda, Biden prevented the Justice Department from renewing contracts with private prisons in one executive order. The order acknowledges the disproportionate number of people of color incarcerated in the United States out of the total two million. Biden also stated that the federal government has a “responsibility to ensure the safe and humane treatment of those in the Federal criminal justice system.”
Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States
The memorandum issued Jan. 26 directs Health and Human Services to mitigate “racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic”, strengthen their relationship with the Asian American Pacific Islander community to prevent hate crimes and acknowledge the governments role in furthering xenophobic sentiments through the actions of political leaders, including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin.”
Under his new executive privileges, Biden begun taking action steps to expand protections to federal agencies and require a $15 minimum wage for contractors, rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, halt construction and funds going towards the border wall between the United States and Mexico, direct all executive agencies to address the economic crisis as a result of the pandemic and direct the Department of Homeland Security to preserve and fortify the status of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy (DACA).
Despite the multitude of orders signed, many are still displeased with the pace Biden is taking to fulfill many of the promises he and his administration made during their presidential campaign. For example, accounts dedicated to holding Biden accountable for canceling all student debt, an action he could fulfill by executive order, have been created. Grassroots organizers also remain devoted to the idea that while there is cause for celebration in welcoming a new, more progressive administration, a Biden-Harris White House is only one small step towards dismantling white supremacy in the United States.
