• Signs executive orders on covid-19, climate change
United States President Joe Biden has made a swift move after being sworn-in yesterday, to reversing some “controversial” policies set by the previous administration.
The Trump administration had banned immigrant visas upon several countries; not excluding Nigeria, from accessing, and settling in the US permanently.
However, hours after assuming office as 46th president, Biden issued an executive order that reversed the travel restrictions, saying “immigrants have helped strengthen America’s families, communities, businesses and workforce, and economy, infusing the United States with creativity, energy, and ingenuity”.
Biden also halted construction of Trump’s border wall with Mexico. The order includes an “immediate termination” of the national emergency declaration that allowed the Trump administration to redirect billions of dollars to the wall. It says the administration will “begin ‘a close review’ of the legality of the effort to divert federal money to fund the wall”. Biden plans to establish a family reunification task force.
Furthermore, the president authenticated executive actions regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, and several others.
Biden told reporters in the oval office as he began signing the orders and memoranda, “I’m going to start by keeping the promises I made to the American people”
Regarding the pandemic, Biden signed an order appointing Jeffrey D. Zients as the official Covid-19 response coordinator, who will report to the president, in an effort to “aggressively” gear up the nation’s response to the pandemic. It also required social distancing, and wearing of masks on all federal property and by all federal employees. He is also starting a “100 days masking challenge” urging all Americans, State and local officials to wear masks, implement public measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
President Biden signed an order to re-enter the United States in the Paris climate agreement, which it will officially rejoin in the next 30 days. Recall that, in 2019, former president Trump had officially informed the United Nations that the US would recede from the union of about 200 countries working to move away from planet-warming fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas.
Biden’s agenda for Monday focuses on the need for government purchase of goods and services from US companies. Executive order for tuesday, includes equity, coupled to eliminate private prisons.
On Wednesday, kicking off regulatory actions, reestablishing the president’s council of Advisor on science and technology; and combating climate change.
Executive Orders for Thursday focuses on health care. A day which Biden would rescind the so-called ‘Mexico City policy’ blocking Federal funding for non-governmental organization that provide abortion services and immigration.
Biden Focus on February’s is identified in the calendar document with the title “restoring America’s place in the world”.
Ijeoma Njoku reporting, Obinwannem News
