After months and months of a long drawn out election process, the 46th president of the United States has just been inaugurated into office. In this article, we will be looking at Biden’s first week as president and the steps he will be taking and has taken already. Biden has signed 42 executive orders in his first week as president, some smaller, and some could change the way America is. He has signed more executive orders than any other president in their first week of the presidency. The executive orders he has signed are structured to slow the spread of coronavirus, help stop climate change, and help those financially struggling during the pandemic. It is important that we examine these executive orders closely, as they may be affecting all of us in some way.
First, Biden has signed a mask mandate executive order for the next 100 days. National health officials are even recommending wearing two masks now. Biden claims that this order will help slow the spread of COVID-19 and help save lives.
The second important executive order that Biden has signed is the US’ rejoining in the Paris Climate Agreement. After President Trump left this agreement in 2017, Biden has just rejoined this agreement. The problem of climate change is on Biden’s high-priority list. According to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), “The Paris Agreement works on a 5- year cycle of increasingly ambitious climate action carried out by countries.” Biden plans to take further action on climate change, this is merely one of his first steps.
Another executive order we will be looking at in this article is Biden’s executive order on strengthening Medicaid and the affordable healthcare act. Biden is trying to model Obama’s healthcare plan (Obamacare), by laying out a plan to provide free healthcare to everyone. Biden claims this is “undoing the damage that Trump has done.” Free healthcare was one of the many promises that the Biden campaign promised. This is only the beginning of the change of the free healthcare industry and will likely forever change the way that healthcare in America is.
The economy is another field where Biden is taking swift action, especially with the economic repercussions on the economy, after the national lockdown left many without work. Biden has signed five total executive orders on the economy, and we will be looking at the three biggest ones. Firstly, Biden has extended the pause on all student loan payments, taking off a huge financial burden for many Americans. This order will go through September this year.
The second economic executive order that Biden has signed this week is the 'Extend Eviction and Foreclosure Moratoriums.' Biden proposed a 30 billion dollar bill that will give American renters assistance in paying loans. This order will also prevent landlords from evicting their renters during the pandemic until at least March 31st.
The final executive order of Biden’s that we will be looking at is the executive order signed by President Joe Biden, Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This order was signed to call for assistance to those in need during the pandemic. Biden claims this order will give assistance to those who are unemployed, missed out on stimulus checks, or those who are struggling to buy food because of the pandemic.
As we have seen across this article, Biden has signed many major executive orders, that could affect every American in one way or another. He signed bills that he claims will slow the spread of COVID-19, help the environment, and mainly, those who are struggling financially during this time of the pandemic. These are just a few of the orders he has signed and we are expecting many more across the next 4+ years of Biden’s presidency.