Keeping up with politics and important news can be very overwhelming. However, it is extremely important to have an understanding of what is happening in the hectic world around us. As we all know, Joe Biden is the new president of our country. So let’s discuss some of the things he has done since his first day in office.While there are many things that he has done, we will just be going over the basics.
- Healthcare
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Healthcare is a very touchy and complicated topic in politics. President Biden planned to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, especially with so many people left unemployed due to COVID-19. He reopened applications for healthcare while also reevaluating certain policies that may block people from qualifying for the Affordable Care Act.
- Climate
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Early into Trump’s presidency he had mentioned wanting to withdraw from the Paris Accord. The Paris Accord is an agreement amongst the UN where each country that signs, vows to help tackle climate change and help our world grow resilient to the damage that has been done thus far. There are over 190 signatories, the US not being one of them since we withdrew ourselves in November 2020. However, recently, President Biden rejoined the agreement!
- Equity
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President Biden signed an executive order combating discrimination (specifically in workplaces) regarding gender identity and sexual orientation. His administration passed a bill condemning racism and xenophobia. This order specifically mentions the hate Asian Americans have faced since the rise of the COVID-19. His goal in this Memorandum was to prevent hate crimes, specifically due to the recent spike in hate towards Asian Americans.
- Prison Reform
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Prior to taking office, President Biden mentioned wanting to eliminate private prisons due to their high expense and because they are known to be significantly more dangerous and cruel towards prisoners. His new bill directs the attorney general to avoid renewing contracts with privately owned prisons.
- Economy
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As we all know, this pandemic has placed many citizens in severe financial trouble. In response to this, President Biden paused student loan payments until September 2021. He also extended the forgiveness of foreclosure and eviction to avoid leaving citizens homeless during this time.
- COVID-19
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In an attempt to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are a handful of bills President Biden has proposed. He made it mandatory for international travelers to show proof of a negative covid test before entering the U.S. He is also requiring masks to be worn in airports and all forms of public transportation, which was not previously required nationwide . He also directsThe Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to create more vaccine centers with greater federal support.
- Immigration
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President Biden paused the construction of Trump’s border wall and plans to redirect the money that was once used to fund the wall, towards other things for our country and citizens. He strengthened the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protection of children who were brought here with their parents. This will prevent the separation at the border and protects the children from sudden deportation upon their arrival.
- Regulation
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The last one I am going to bring up is more metaphorical but still revolutionary in terms of American politics. President Biden had his executive branch appointees sign an ethics pledge, stating they will not make bias or racist decisions and rather than acting in personal self-interest, act for the betterment of our country.
Clearly, a lot of things happen behind closed doors. It may feel impossible to keep up with what is happening around the world and inside our capital, but I hope that this helped to further inform those reading and in a more digestible manner.