President-elect Joe Biden (Photo by Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)
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President-elect Joe Biden plans to sign these five executive orders when he becomes president.
Here’s what you need to know—and it how it could impact you.
Executive Orders
On January 20, 2021, Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. As soon as his first day in office, Biden plans to sign at least five executive orders that could reverse several of President Donald Trump’s policies. He’ll also focus on addressing the Covid-19 pandemic, improving the economy and providing financial stimulus. These executive orders may include:
1. Paris Climate Accord
- Biden wants the U.S. to rejoin the Paris climate accord.
- Biden said he would build upon President Barack Obama’s efforts to fight climate change.
- As part of his plan, Biden proposed $2 trillion in clean energy and infrastructure spending. Biden also wants net zero emissions by 2050.
2. World Health Organization
- Biden wants the U.S. to rejoin the World Health Organization.
- Coronavirus will remain at top of Biden’s agenda in 2021.
- Biden is forming a Coronavirus task force to address the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Biden would undo Trump’s action to withdraw the U.S.’s membership from the WHO, and rejoin the WHO as a global health leader.
3. Travel Ban: Muslim Countries
- Biden plans to repeal the travel ban from many Muslim countries.
- Trump, through executive action, instituted a travel ban from Muslim countries such as Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.
- The ban, which Trump has said is in the best interest of national security, included at least some immigrants, refugees and visa holders from entering the U.S.
4. DREAMers
- Biden plans to reinstate the DREAMers program, which allows children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S.
- This would constitute a direct reversal of Trump’s immigration policies.
- Biden would ensure that DACA—the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—would continue to allow these immigrants to live and work in the U.S. without threat of being deported.
5. Military Ban
- Biden plans to repeal the transgender military ban.
- While Trump banned the practice through executive order in 2017, Biden would undo Trump’s policy.
- Specifically, Biden, as commander in chief, would allow a transgender individual to serve openly in the U.S. military.
Who will control the Senate?
It’s still uncertain which party—Democrats or Republicans—will control the U.S. Senate in 2021. If Republicans control the Senate, that means that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will remain as Senate Majority Leader and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will remain as Senate Minority Leader. If Democrats win, then expect McConnell and Schumer to swap positions. If Republicans remain in control, expect Biden increasingly to use executive orders. Although Biden, a former U.S. senator, is a legislative expert, a Republican-led Senate may serve as an impediment to his policy goals. As such, Biden may resort to executive action—when feasible—to implement his policy agenda. These five executive orders may only be the tip of the iceberg. Biden also may take executive action on policy areas such as nuclear weapons, financial stimulus and student loans.
