Photo by Autumn Micketti
Editor’s note: this piece was written before Biden signed the recent stimulus bill.
February 21st, 2021 marks one entire month since President Joe Biden’s inauguration into office. In honor of this milestone, here are ten of the most important executive orders he has signed since he took a seat in the oval office, explained.
Let’s start from the top:
- Executive Order 14016: Revocation of Executive Order 13801
This order serves to revoke Trump’s executive order for apprenticeship expansion, which funneled taxpayer’s dollars away from federally funded education programs. This order refunds these programs and will counteract the apprenticeship expansion to strengthen federal education programs.
- Executive Order 14015: Establishment of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
This order aims to strengthen the relationship between the federal government and secular, as well as faith-based, community service organizations. That is to say, Biden has created funding and support for non-profit organizations that are helping their communities through the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Executive Order 14013: Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration
This order states that it is of the utmost importance to begin reuniting families who were separated by Trump-era immigration policies. The order strengthens the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and revokes Trump’s crackdown on visa screenings and deportation.
- Executive Order 14011: Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families
This order establishes the Interagency Task Force for the Reunification of Families, which will serve to identify all immigrant children separated from their families under Trump’s Zero-Tolerance policy. The chair of this task force is the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas. It should be noted, however, that Biden has opened an overflow center in Texas to house unaccompanied minors who have crossed the border. This center is similar to those seen in the Trump administration and essentially serves the same purpose.
- Executive Order 14009: Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act
This order serves to review and replace the budget towards Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, established by former President Obama. The effects of this executive order will reinstate millions of uninsured American’s access to healthcare and medical treatment.
- Executive Order 14006: Reforming Our Incarceration System To Eliminate the Use of Privately Operated Criminal Detention Facilities
This order marks the beginning of the federal government’s attempt at phasing out privately owned and operated prisons. The order aims at reducing the incarceration of people of color and prioritizes rehabilitation over punishment.
- Executive Order 14004: Enabling All Qualified Americans To Serve Their Country in Uniform
This order revokes Trump’s ban on transgender individuals joining the military. Anyone who is physically and psychologically able to join the Armed Forces is now allowed to without discrimination by law.
- Executive Order 13997: Improving and Expanding Access to Care and Treatments for COVID-19
This order promises Americans access to novel treatments and trials regarding COVID-19. The order prioritizes access to these treatments to rural areas, veterans, and underserved communities. This order also expands Medicaid and Medicare to cover the treatment of the COVID-19 virus.
- Executive Order 13990: Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis
This order revokes Trump-era policies on climate science and reinstates the federal government’s responsibility towards the fight against climate change. It will also force corporations to review and report their carbon footprint, and identify ways to minimize methane emissions.
- Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
This order directs the Office of Management and Budgets to review and collaborate with agencies on the best way to support marginalized communities “with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability,” financially and otherwise. This order is an attempt by Biden to aid communities negatively affected by the Trump administration.
In total, Biden has passed thirty-two executive orders, which can be found on this federal website in their entirety.
Readers can see all of the President Biden’s executive orders here
