President Joe Biden hit the ground running his first week in the White House, rolling out the core pillars of his policy agenda — from ending the coronavirus pandemic to overturning his predecessor’s legacy — while beginning to swear in his Cabinet, the most diverse in American history.
The new administration immediately unveiled a suite of 17 executive orders on Mr Biden’s first night in the Oval Office, then proceeded to send major proposals on immigration reform and coronavirus relief to Congress. By the end of his first week, the president signed over 30 memorandums and actions.
Read more: Joe Biden’s first 48 hours as president
The Independent has tracked the new president’s first days in office, highlighting his significant policy reversals, announcements and new actions taken by the administration. The following list will be updated throughout his first 100 days in office.
Here are some of the most notable actions taken by the new White House:
- Rejoined the World Health Organization and announced Dr Anthony Fauci would serve as the head of the US delegation
- Ended the previous administration’s travel restrictions on several Muslim majority countries
- Swore in nearly 1,000 new administration appointees via Zoom
- Cancelled permits for the Keystone XL oil pipeline
- Created a new presidential appointee role, the Covid-19 Response Coordinator to assist with national vaccine distribution efforts
- Launched the “100 Days Mask Challenge”, including an executive order mandating mask wearing on federal grounds and encouraging Americans to wear masks for 100 days
- Extended the nationwide eviction and foreclosure moratorium until at least the end of March
- Strengthened the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program via executive order
- Avril Haines confirmed as the first woman to lead USIC as the new director of national intelligence
- Rescinded the 1776 Commission, created under the Trump administration to help reshape how public schools teach the history of slavery
- Rejoined the Paris Climate Accord via executive order
- Reversed components of immigration enforcement expansion under previous administration via executive order
- Paused student loans payments and the accruing of interest on all federal student loans until at least the end of September
- Ordered a regulatory review at the Office of Management and Budget to undo the previous administration’s regulatory approval process
- Halted the construction of new border security installations along the US-Mexico border
- Announced new executive orders for school and business reopening plans
- Ordered the inclusion of non-US citizens in the Census
- Implemented new ethics pledges for executive branch employees
- Signed executive order preventing workplace discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation
- Extended work authorizations and deportation deferrals for select immigrants until at least June 2022
- Attended the Virtual Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service alongside the first lady, vice president and second gentleman
- Held the first White House press briefing led by the press secretary, Jen Psaki
- Announced new executive orders to expand Covid-19 testing
- Renovated the Oval Office, replacing interior decorations and adding a bust of Latino civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, as well as a portrait of Benjamin Franklin
- Implemented White House Covid-19 precautions including mask wearing, frequent testing and new social distancing measures.
- Transportation Secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg began nomination hearings with the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee
- Delivered additional calls for national unity with speeches by president and vice president at inauguration night concert
- Created plans to host congressional leaders this week from both parties at the White House
- Scheduled themed days for the next week to focus on specific policy priorities, including “economic relief”, “Buy America”, “Equity”, “Climate”, “Health Care”, “Immigration” and “Restoring America’s Place in the World”.
- Prepared plans to overturn key Trump administration abortion policy restricting funding for overseas abortion providers
- Redesigned the White House website to be more inclusive, with language translations and additional accessibility options
- Ended the Trump administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols Policy, otherwise known as the Remain in Mexico policy
- Sent a comprehensive immigration bill to Congress to further undo the previous administration’s legacy
- Placed a moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
- Added gender-neutral pronoun options to the online White House contact form
- Fired Trump-appointed labor board general Peter Robb
- Established interagency group on societal impact of carbon pollution
- Asked Environmental Protection Agency to immediately reconsider methane regulations
- Announced intention to revoke transgender military ban
- Designated Domestic Policy Council Susan Rice to spearhead “robust, interagency” effort towards “rooting out systemic racism” in federal agencies.
- Proposed new Covid-19 national strategy
- Encouraged Congress to grant special waiver for defense secretary nominee Lloyd J Austin III
- Named acting Cabinet members until nominees slate can ben confirmed
- Withdrew previous administration’s order limiting diversity trainings
- Ordered federal agencies to develop plans to address “barriers to equal opportunity” in the next 200 days
- Suspended all gas development projects at national wildlife monuments
- Restructured immigration arrest priorities for ICE
- Re-examine federal funding to ensure equitable distribution in communities of color and low income areas
- Directed agencies to “consider revising vehicle fuel economic and emissions standards”
- Froze all last-minute regulatory actions taken by the previous administration
- Stopped referring to immigrants as “aliens” in paperwork and started using the word “non-citizens” instead
- New National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan held introductory calls with France, Germany, the UK and Japan stressing the administration’s “intention to strengthen the transatlantic alliance”
- Created pathway to $15 national minimum wage via executive order
- Promoted expansion of federal workers’ rights vira executive order
- Sought to reduce hunger and increase food expansion for needy Americans via executive order
- Plans reported to resume processing thousands of stalled visas for select Afghans
- Ordered Treasury Department to identify Americans still awaiting stimulus payments
- Rescinded Schedule F for federal workers
- Included language in executive order encouraging schools to allow transgender athletes in girls’ sports
- Signed 10 additional executive orders on Thursday targeting Covid-19 relief, vaccine rollout and further reopening plans
- Established the Covid-19 Pandemic Testing Board to focus on expansion of test kits and access
- Issued memo directing FEMA to increase federal reimbursement for National Guard costs to states and tribes
- Ordered Department of Education and Health and Human Services to create guidance for safe reopening of campuses
- Ordered Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide guidance for employees on how to reduce risk of exposure to Covid-19
- Issued executive order requiring face masks in airports and other certain modes of transportation
- Signed directive which “restores US leadership and seeks to support the international health and humanitarian response to the Covid-19 pandemic”
- Senate Finance Committee meets to confirm Janet Yellen, who would be the first female Treasury secretary in American history
- Announced plans to build a “national resource” making Covid-19 information “easier and more transparent” for Americans during the vaccine rollout
- Established preclinical program for expansion of therapeutics in pandemic threats
- Invoked Defense Production Act to help increase vaccine supply by 20 per cent nationwide
- Issued executive order laying groundwork to require federal workers offer emergency paid leave
- Announced plans to roll back three previous order from the Trump administration targeting collective bargaining protections
- Senate confirmed Biden’s defense secretary, General Lloyd Austin, after granting waiver, making him the nation’s first black defense secretary
- Designated Jessica Rosenworcel to serve as acting FCC chairperson
- Began receiving daily intelligence briefings, as well as joint briefings with the vice president on economic recovery efforts
- Established a “network of benefit delivery teams” to ensure aid distribution via executive order
- Ordered Treasury Department to improve delivery of direct stimulus payments via executive order
- Issued executive order laying groundwork to require federal workers offer emergency paid leave
- Announced plans to roll back three previous order from the Trump administration targeting collective bargaining protections
- Senate confirmed Biden’s Defense Secretary, General Lloyd Austin, after granting waiver, making him the nation’s first Black Defense Secretary
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken sworn in at the State Department
- Signed proclamation reinstating coronavirus travel restrictions affecting non-US citizens traveling from Brazil and much of Europe
- Began receiving daily intelligence briefings, as well as joint briefings with the vice president on economic recovery efforts
- Called for a four year increase in government purchases of US services and products totalling $400 billion
- Announced plans to direct ACA insurance marketplaces to reopen
- Directed Housing Department to “examine effects of previous administration’s regulatory actions”
- Overturned Trump’s ban on transgender troops from serving in the US military
- Added South Africa to list of countries with travel restrictions due to fast-spreading COVID-19 variant
- Encouraged additional federal spending on US companies via a “Buy American” executive order
- Signed executive order denouncing xenophobia and anti-Asian discrimination
- Replaced former White House Physician Sean Conley with Biden’s longtime physician, Dr Kevin O’Connor
- Janet Yellen confirmed as Treasury Secretary, first woman to hold the job
- Ordered Department of Justice not to renew contracts with private prisons
- Ordered FEMA to establish vaccination centers supported by federal funding
- Enhanced national analysis of coronavirus data via executive order, expanding the collection, production and sharing of scientific materials across agencies.
- Rescinded ‘zero tolerance’ border policy memo resulting in family separations
- Announced an increase in vaccine distribution by 15 percent to states for first week of February
- Ordered 200 million additional coronavirus vaccinations in bid to vaccinate 300 million Americans by end of summer
- Signed executive order reaffirming nation’s commitment to tribal sovereignty
- Began swearing in the most diverse Cabinet in American history, with four newly-confirmed members including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the first woman to hold the job, Lloyd Austin, the nation’s first Black Defense Secretary
