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Biden, who campaigned on a raft of promises to undo President
Donald Trump’s legacy even before the novel coronavirus pandemic
walloped the nation, will unveil “roughly a dozen” previously
promised executive actions on Wednesday, incoming Biden chief of
staff Ron Klain said in a memo distributed to reporters.
The actions to be taken on Wednesday include rejoining the Paris
climate accords, reversing a travel ban on several majority
Muslim countries, extending a pause on federal student loan
payments, halting evictions and foreclosures, as well as
mandating masks in inter-state travel and on federal property.
All of the measures were previously announced.
Most of the measures are a reversal of policies Trump pursued
and do not require congressional action. But Biden will also
unveil a long-expected immigration proposal that would provide a
pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants
that does require congressional action.
That measure, as well as Biden’s recent proposal for $1.9
trillion in spending on COVID vaccinations and economic
stimulus, face uphill battles in a Congress narrowly controlled
by Biden’s fellow Democrats.
A broader set of Biden’s “Day One” promises will be executed
over the following nine days after inauguration, Klain said.
Those measures include expanding COVID-19 testing and directing
the government to favor American-made goods when it makes
purchases.
“President-elect Biden is assuming the presidency in a moment of
profound crisis for our nation," Klain said. “During the
campaign, President-elect Biden pledged to take immediate action
to start addressing these crises and build back better.”
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Dan Grebler)
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