Most U.S. Presidents want to get off to a fast start when they take office. Since the election gives them the mandate to make some changes, the first 100 days are often seen as a gauge of what to expect in the coming years.
When Biden was sworn into office, he started signing executive orders within hours to begin the process of correcting what he thought was wrong with the country.
Here are the highlights of the various executive orders signed in the first month of the Biden Administration.
Biden Made an Aggressive Push on the Executive Order Front
The following table doesn’t show the proclamations, changes, or requests that don’t involve an executive order.
For example, Biden’s first action was to re-engage with the World Health Organization. That step didn’t require an executive order to complete on January 20.
Executive Order | Subject Matter | Date |
Create the position of a COVID-19/coronavirus response coordinator. | This EO provides for streamlined vaccine distribution and virus management duties. | January 20 |
Revoke Keystone XL pipeline. | Biden paused energy leasing in ANWR while stopping the construction of the oil transportation pipeline. | January 20 |
Launched an initiative to advance racial equity in schools. | This EO effectively ended the 1776 Commission that looked at how American history got taught. | January 20 |
OSHA guidance updates. | This order looks at how to keep workers safe from COVID-19. | January 21 |
Re-establish the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. | The goal of this EO is to address the needs of low-income Americans. | February 14 |
Revoke city targeting when local officials declare themselves as sanctuaries. | With this executive order, Biden hopes to remove “anarchist” titles from U.S. communities. | February 24 |
Rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program. | This order works to restore the systems used to resettle refugees when their lives are threatened in their home countries. | February 4 |