1 Joe Biden Becomes President
Amidst much fanfare and tight security with the world watching, newly-minted President Joe Biden is making a strong plea for unity during deeply troubled times. Biden delivered his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol and called this an "historic moment of crisis and challenge." Along the way: He cited the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, racial injustice, a deeply divided populace and climate change. Biden vowed to put his "whole soul" into the job ahead. Biden asked for prayers for the more than 400-thousand Americans whose lives have been claimed by the coronavirus. The new President cited the violent and deadly attack on the Capitol on January 6th and said, democracy is fragile and democracy has prevailed. Biden again vowed to be a President for all Americans and asked supporters of former President Trump to give him a chance. He condemned extremism and called for an end to "this uncivil war." Biden said the U.S. can be a shining beacon to the rest of the world He vowed to help write the next great chapter of America's story. Biden called it a story of decency, dignity, love and healing. And while Mr. Biden is making history as the oldest incoming president in history – at the age of 78 and as the second Catholic to hold the office – Kamala Harris will be noted in the history books for a number of reasons. Ms. Harris is the nation's first female, first African American and first Asian American Vice President.
2 Biden Signs First Executive Orders on Inauguration Day
Day One and done. With the usual inaugural balls cancelled, President Biden spent his first day in office signing his first executive orders – more than a dozen. He also addressed his new employees and the nation. Speaking in the White House, Biden said "there's no time to start like today." Biden said he was going to start the first day in office by keeping the promises he made the American people...and he apparently did. His first 15 executive orders appeared to have his predecessor in mind as he directed: People wear to masks and maintain social distancing on federal property.
The launch of a “100 Days Masking Challenge” to encourage Americans to wear masks.
The reversal of Trump’s decision to remove the U.S. from the World Health Organization
The creation of the position of COVID-19 response coordinator and restores the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense, a team in charge of the pandemic response, within the National Security Council.
The extension of eviction and foreclosure moratoriums. The moratorium for evictions will be extended until at least March 31st.
The extension of the existing pause on student loan payments and interest for Americans with federal student loans until at least September 30th
An “instrument” allowing the United States to rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change within 30 days. Trump had officially withdrawn the country from the Paris agreement on November 4th
There was an executive order with the aim of “embedding equity across federal policymaking and rooting out systemic racism and other barriers to opportunity from federal programs and institutions.” This order also disband the Trump administration’s 1776 Commission, which released a report Monday charging that historians said distorted the role of slavery in the United States.
He has reversed Trump’s order that excluded undocumented immigrants from the Census. The order now requires non-citizens to be included in the Census and the apportionment of congressional representatives.
A memorandum directing officials to “preserve and fortify” the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
An executive action repealing two proclamations, informally known as the “Muslim ban” that restricted entry into the U.S. from majority-Muslim countries. The president also asked the State Department to develop ways to address the harm caused to those who were prevented from coming to the United States because of the ban.
An executive order revoking Trump’s “harsh and extreme immigration enforcement” and directing agencies to set immigration policies more “in line” with the Biden administration’s “values and priorities.”
A proclamation that will pause the construction of the border wall with Mexico and determine how to best divert those funds elsewhere. The order includes an “immediate termination” of the national emergency declaration that allowed the Trump administration to redirect billions of dollars to the wall.
The directing of the government to interpret the Civil Rights Act as prohibiting workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, in addition to race, color, religion, sex and national origin. In other words, LGBTQ Americans finally have the protections that others do in the workplace.
There are also new ethics rules for government officials. The rules will require executive branch appointees to sign an ethics pledge, barring them from acting in their personal interest.
An executive order reversing “regulatory process executive orders” enacted by the Trump administration. He is seeking recommendations to modernize regulatory review and has reversed Trump’s regulatory approval process.
3 Officials Confirm Three Soldiers Dead In Helicopter Crash
Officials in Upstate New York are investigating the cause of a fatal military helicopter crash just outside of Rochester. The New York Army National Guard confirmed the aircraft went down shortly after 6:30pm last night in the town of Mendon. They identified the aircraft as a UH-60 Medical evacuation helicopter, and say it crashed in a field during a routine training mission. At least three soldiers were on board, and are believed to have died in the incident. Their identities have not yet been released. "This is a heavy, heavy burden upon all of us," Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter said at a press conference. "These are our freedom providers... just showing again that freedom is not free. We lost three great Americans today in the service of our country."