What stimulus and executive actions does Biden plan for his first 100 days?

While Donald Trump remains adamant in his baseless assertion that the election wasn’t fair, Joe Biden’s transition team pushes ahead full-pelt with plans for the beginning of the Democrat’s presidency.

Among plans for the crucial first 100 days of his first year as president, Joe Biden and his team are preparing for an early, all-out push to pass ambitious new stimulus legislation – something that has been stalling in a divided Congress for months, amid both ideological and political tensions. The Biden administration is also already drawing up a flurry of executive actions aimed at delivering on his campaign promises, as well as reversing some of the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine key government agencies, according to CNN.

The challenges facing the new administration will be far-reaching and seemingly never ending, as it inherits an economic and public health crisis, climate, civil rights and racial justice crisis and will be tasked with rolling out the mass vaccination campaign that could end up being the most complex in American history.

Biden plans stimulus bill in first 100 days

The scope of any potential stimulus legislation will largely depend on the results of the Georgia state Senate run-off elections in early January, where two Democrats are looking to unseat rival Republicans. If the Democrats manage to snatch control of the Senate from Mitch McConnell and the GOP, control over both chambers could mean that something akin to the $2.2bn HEROES Act that passed in the House under Nancy Pelosi in October.

What Executive Orders does Biden have planned?

As soon as his first day in office as the 46th president of the United States begins, Biden plans to sign at least five executive orders. These executive orders may include:

Paris Climate Accord

Biden plans to immediately rejoin the Paris climate accords and to seek to push other countries into lowering their emissions. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, tweeted, “Welcome back America!”. Biden has said he would build upon Barack Obama’s efforts to fight climate change. As part of the plan, Biden proposed $2 trillion in clean energy and infrastructure spending and he is also aiming for net zero emissions by 2050.

World Health Organization

Biden wants the US to rejoin the World Health Organization. The coronavirus pandemic will remain top of Biden’s agenda in 2021. Biden would undo Trump’s action to withdraw the US’s membership from the WHO, and rejoin the WHO as a global health leader.

Travel Ban: Muslim Countries & "DREAMers" program

On immigration, Biden will reportedly repeal the travel ban that includes many Muslim countries and reinstate the "DREAMers" program, which allowed children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the country. Trump, through executive action, instituted a travel ban from Muslim countries such as Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. The ban, which Trump has said is in the best interest of national security, included some immigrants, refugees and visa holders from entering the US. With the "DREAMers" program, Biden would ensure that DACA - the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - would continue to allow these immigrants to live and work in the US without threat of being deported.

And on immigration, there may even be more than only executive orders pending, "I will send an immigration bill to the United States Senate with a pathway to citizenship for over 11 million undocumented people in America,"  Biden said in an interview with NBC News last week. 

Military Ban

Biden also plans to repeal the transgender military ban. While Trump banned the practice through executive order in 2017, Biden would undo Trump’s policy. Biden, as commander in chief, would allow a transgender individual to serve openly in the US military. LGBTQ activists are expecting Biden to follow through on his promise to undo all of Trump’s anti-trans policies from the last four years. During his victory speech, many activists noted that Biden referenced trans people specifically, a first for a president-elect during an acceptance speech.