First Day First Show: Biden Reverses Trump Policies On Climate, Health

Pic Credit: Al Jazeera

Washington DC: Shortly after being sworn in on Wednesday afternoon, new US President Joe Biden signed 15 executive actions to undo policies put in place by his predecessor, Donald Trump.

Signing several actions in front of reporters in the Oval Office, Biden said there was “no time to waste” in issuing the executive orders, memorandums and directives.

“Some of the executive actions I’m going to be signing today are going to help change the course of the Covid crisis, we’re going to combat climate change in a way that we haven’t done so far and advance racial equity and support other underserved communities,” he said, adding, “These are just all starting points.”

The President’s aides said the actions he signed included a mask mandate on federal property and for federal employees, an order to establish a new White House office coordinating the response to the coronavirus, and halting the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO), India Today reported.

Paris Climate Accord

Biden signed a document to begin the process of re-entering the Paris climate accord and issued a sweeping order tackling climate change, including revoking the presidential permit granted to the contentious Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Immigration

Among a raft of orders addressing immigration, Biden revoked Trump’s emergency declaration that helped fund the construction of the US-Mexico border wall and ended a travel ban on some 13 mostly Muslim-majority and African countries.

He also reversed a Trump order that prevented illegal migrants in the US from being counted for congressional districts.

Moratorium On Evictions

Biden has also asked the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention to extend a moratorium on evictions until the end of March, and the Department of Education to suspend student loan payments until the end of September.

Further Action Ahead

Further actions would include revoking the ban on military service by transgender Americans, and reversing a policy that blocks US funding for programs overseas linked to abortion.

Also Read: Joe Biden Sworn In, Pledges To Be A President For ‘All Americans’