BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW EXECUTIVE ACTION FOREIGN POLICY

Biden Administration Takes Global Lead in Cybersecurity

Following up on the administration’s national cyber strategy, released in March, 2023, in May, 2024, President Joe Biden State Department has rolled out its global cybersecurity strategy, intending to strengthen allies, and combat cyber threats from Russia, China, and non-state actors. The strategy also pledges that the U.S. and its allies will “reach consensus on guiding principles” around the development and use of AI technologies, including advancing “global norms” in this space, according to Politico.

ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION INFRASTRUCTURE

Baltimore’s Port Reopens Less Than 90 Days After Massive Bridge Collapse With Major Effort From Biden Administration

Photo ABC News

In less than 90 days, the port of Baltimore, one of the busiest in the world, is again open for business. This was an effort lead and coordinated by Pete Buttigieg and the Department of Transportation, funded by they Federal Highway Administration, with participation from all stakeholders; the Federal Government (the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers), state and local governments, shipping and trucking companies, agriculture producers, etc. Once again demonstrating that an active, effective government, working for the people can solve problems and improve the lives of the American people. Meanwhile, House Republicans are seeking to block funding for rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Buttigieg credited the establishment of the White House Supply Chains Disruption Task Force, created by President Joe Biden and previously discussed here, as a key to the quick recovery.

ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION HEALTH CARE

Biden Administration Bans Medical Debt From Credit Reports

President Joe Biden’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (created during the Obama administration) has issued rules that will prevent credit agencies from including data from medical debt in its credit reports. Biden understands that, among other fallout from our very flawed healthcare system, medical debt damages patients’ credit rating, impacting other areas of their lives, and he recognizes that medical debt is not an accurate predictor of a borrower’s likelihood of paying back a loan, The CFPB estimates over 20,000 more people per year will be able to obtain home loans, among other benefits.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION

Biden Raises Mileage Requirements For New Cars For The Years 2027-2031

President Joe Biden and his National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have released new rules bringing the aggregate mileage for all new vehicles to around 38mpg by 2031, and, for passenger cars, nearly 49mpg. Biden has also set a goal that half of all cars sold in 2030 will be electric. While environmentalists believe these requirements are not stringent enough, if Trump is elected, he has pledged to scale all of these requirements back.

EXECUTIVE ACTION HEALTH CARE LGBTQ+

Biden Administration Takes More Actions On Behalf of LGBTQ+ Americans Than Any Administration In History

It is Pride Month! Check out Human Rights Campaign’s list of some of the many actions taken by President Joe Biden to strengthen and defend America’s LGBTQ+ community, including strengthening the Affordable Care Act to address discrimination in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity, expanding Title IX (discussed here previously), and restoring Health and Human Services protections stripped away by former president Trump.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION INFLATION REDUCTION ACT INFRASTRUCTURE SOCIAL JUSTICE

Biden’s EPA Awards $7 Billion To Winners Of Its “Solar For All” Grant Competition In Underserved And Disinvested Communities

Celebrating Earth Day, 2024, President Joe Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency awarded $7 billion to applicants for deployment of solar to “deploy residential and community solar, integrated storage and cover related upgrades in underserved and disinvested communities throughout the country.“

ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION JOBS

With Help From The Biden Administration, Workers At Georgia School Bus Manufacturer Approve First Union Contract

With the help of President Joe Biden’s acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, union members approved a labor contract with Blue Bird Corp. From ABC News :”The union said the contract will provide all 1,500 covered workers with at least a 12% raise, with some of the lowest-paid workers getting raises of more than 40%. The union says the company will contribute to a retirement plan for workers, share profits, and improve health and safety.”

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE LEGISLATION

Biden Provides Pennsylvania $16.7 Billion In Infrastructure, Clean Energy, and Affordable Housing, Among Many Other Initiatives

President Joe Biden has directed nearly $17b in funding to the Keystone State for energy conservation, clean water, more affordable medications, improved roads and bridges, better internet connectivity, and may more areas. “Infrastructure Week may have been a punchline but no more,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian said on a conference call with reporters.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION

Biden Moves To End Coal Leasing In Nation’s Top Coal Mining Area

President Joe Biden’s Bureau of Land Management has issued rulings ending new coal leasing in the nation’s most productive coal mining area, the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana. The move should keep 6 billion tons of highly polluting coal in the ground. “This is a monumental decision that will save lives, safeguard our environment, and significantly cut carbon emissions in the United States,” said Drew Caputo, vice president of litigation for lands, wildlife, and oceans at Earthjustice.

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS

Biden Brings Nevada and California $3 Billion In Funding For The Rail Line Connecting The Los Angeles Area With Las Vegas

President Joe Biden secured $3 Billion in funding for the high-speed rail connecting Los Angeles with Las Vegas. It will be a 2 hour ride from Rancho Cucamonga in the Inland Empire to Las Vegas. He also announced $3 Billion in funding for the rail line that could ultimately connect Los Angeles and San Francisco, currently being built in the California Central Valley. The train to Las Vegas will alleviate frequent traffic problems and reduce carbon emissions, increasing access to Vegas.

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION INFLATION REDUCTION ACT LEGISLATION

Biden Has Taken More Climate Action Than Any President In History

The recently released Climate Powers Memo states the President Joe Biden has taken over 300 climate actions, the most in history. The Center For American Progress details the many ways Biden has taken strong action to protect the enviromment and address the climate crisis, many of which have appeared on this website previously.

While I generally avoid discussing the previous president, it is important to note that Donald Trump has recently asked oil executives for $1b in campaign contributions, and, in exchange, those executives have begun drafting executive actions that would, among other things, roll back as many of Biden’s actions as possible. The contrast is clear.

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE ACTION SOCIAL JUSTICE STUDENT LOANS

The Biden Administration Forgives An Additional $6.1 Billion In Student Loans From Shuttered For-Profit Universities

President Joe Biden continues to deliver loan justice for defrauded students. This time, it is The Art Institutes, a private art school system that shut down last year. President Biden said, in a statement, “This institution falsified data, knowingly misled students, and cheated borrowers into taking on mountains of debt without leading to promising career prospects at the end of their studies.” The relief averages around $19,000 per borrower. This latest round of student loan forgiveness brings the total approved by the Biden Administration to almost $160 billion for nearly 4.6 million borrowers, an average of nearly $35,000 per student.

ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION JOBS

MIllions Of Workers Will Qualify For Overtime Starting July 1, 2024, And Millions More On January 1, 2025

President Joe Biden’s Department of Labor has released a rule that will increase the amount of salary a worker can earn and be eligible for overtime pay. Currently, if you earn more than $35,568 (less than $3,000 per month) as a salaried worker, you are not eligible for overtime pay. As of July 1, 2024, that number will be $43,888, and, as of January 1, 2025, the salary threshold below which you are entitled to overtime after 40 hours of work in a week will be $58,656. After that, starting January 1, 2027, the rate will be adjusted every 3 years. This new rule is expected to affect approximately 4 million workers.

CANNABIS EXECUTIVE ACTION HEALTH CARE SOCIAL JUSTICE

Biden’s DEA Will Move To Reclassify Cannabis As A Less Restricted Drug After Over 50 Years Of Being On Schedule 1

True to his word, President Joe Biden is moving the DEA to take cannabis off of the most restricted drug list — Schedule 1 — and moving it to Schedule III. This move would make it easier to research the effects of cannabis, and would federally recognize and decriminalize its medical use. It will also clear federal resources to deal with actual serious drugs like fentanyl. Should cannabis be legal? Of course. But, this is the biggest federal step in that direction in over 50 years.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION

The Biden Administration Announces New Rules To Strengthen The Protection Of Public Lands

President Joe Biden has finalized a new rule for public land management that puts the concept of conservation on equal footing with those attempting to drill for oil or graze cattle, among other things, on public lands. The Bureau of Land Management currently has over 380,000 square miles under management. This rule changes the BLM from “industry friendly” to a more balanced approach to land management.

ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION JOBS SOCIAL JUSTICE

President Biden Fires Anti-Labor General Counsel Of The NLRB On Day 1 Of His Administration

Today is May Day, also known as International Workers Day! On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden asked for the resignation of Peter Robb. When Robb refused, he fired him. Robb was famously anti-union and was appointed by the previous president. His anti-union bonafides go all the way back to litigating against the Air Traffic Controllers under President Reagan, in what was the opening salvo in the war against unions that has gone on for since 1981. As already detailed here, the Biden Administration has made it a priority to reverse that trend.

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE ACTION LGBTQ+ PUBLIC SAFETY SOCIAL JUSTICE WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Biden Administration Adds Title IX Protections For LGBTQ Students And Assault Victims

Fulfilling a campaign promise, earlier this month, President Joe Biden reversed regulations implemented by the previous administration that had made it more difficult from victims to bring complaints for sexual assault. The new protections broaden the narrowed definition of what constitutes sexual harassment, and finally broaden Title IX to cover gay, transgender, and pregnant people.

ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION SOCIAL JUSTICE STUDENT LOANS

The Biden Administration Forgives An Additional $7.4 Billion In Student Loan Debt, Targeting Unfair Loan Programs

President Joe Biden continues to forgive loans whose programs have taken advantage of borrowers by their unfair terms. The recipients of these forgiveness programs are lower income borrowers, people who have made at least 10 years of payments if they originally took out $12,000 or less in loans to pay for college, public servants like teachers and government employees, and over 65,000 people who met the terms of their loans, only to find themselves still in debt. After the Supreme Court blocked President Biden’s forgiveness of $400 billion in loans, the Biden administration continues to attack the problem piecemeal. Thus far, Biden has forgiven over 4.3 million student borrowers and a total debt of $153 billion, and counting.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION SOCIAL JUSTICE

Biden Administration Restricts Oil And Gas Leasing On 13 Million Acres Of Alaskan Wilderness

On April 19, 2024, President Joe Biden struck a blow for conservation, Alaska’s indigenous populations, and endangered species in taking this action, which also included the rejection of an application for a 210 mile road through the Alaskan wilderness. In a statement, President Biden said that Alaska’s “majestic and rugged lands and waters are among the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world,” are critical to Alaska Native communities, and “demand our protection.” The Tanana Chiefs Conference, an Alaska Native nonprofit corporation, said the administration’s “choice to reject the Ambler Road Project is a monumental step forward in the fight for Indigenous rights and environmental justice.” 

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION FOREIGN POLICY

Biden Administration Cements Closer Ties With Japan, Countering Increasing Chinese Presence In The Indo-Pacific

President Joe Biden hosted Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a state dinner at the White House, part of his visit in which the US and Japan announced a number of important financial, technologicial, and military initiatives. The two nations will also welcome President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for tri-lateral talks, strenghtening US presence in the Philippines, again, as part of an effort to offset China’s increasing presence in the area. Over 70 deals between the US and Japan were announced, including technology partnerships, and assistance from Japan on the development of high speed trains in the US. Manay of the initiatives are intended to address climate concerns, including a partnership in the development of fusion energy.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION HEALTH CARE PUBLIC SAFETY SOCIAL JUSTICE

The EPA Issues New Regulations Cutting Cancer Causing Emissions From Chemical Plants, Particularly Where Those Plants Are Near Residential Neighborhoods

The new regulations, issued by the EPA under the direction of President Joe Biden, will primarily affect people living near industrial sites. Those people are disproportionately poor and people of color. The new rule would, among other things, cut toxic pollutants by 6,200 tons annually and reduce emissions of ethylene oxide and chloroprene by 80 percent. Biden again demonstrates that he is making government work for all Americans, in that these regulations will largely benefit communities in Louisiana, Texas, other locations on the Gulf Coast, West Virginia, and the Ohio River Valley, predominantly red states Biden is aware will not be voting for him in November. A more detailed list of the regulations is in this EPA Press Release.

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION HEALTH CARE PUBLIC SAFETY

The Biden Administration Regulates The Presence Of “Forever Chemicals” In Our Drinking Water

On April 10, 2024, the EPA, at the direction of President Joe Biden, has set stringent new standards regarding the presence of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in the US drinking water supply. This is the first time the US has ever regulated these toxic, cancer-causing chemicals. The Biden Administration is deploying funds allocated in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help fund states’ efforts to test and treat their local water supplies to attempt to eliminate PFAs.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION

Biden Restores Protection of Bears Ears And Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments Gutted By The Previous President

In October, 2021, President Joe Biden reversed the previous administration’s elimination of protections on significant pieces of the sacred and spectacularly beautiful Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. These protections have been restored and the protected areas have been expanded. And, because competence matters as much as good intent, the executive actions were written well enough to survive the inevitable attack by the state of Utah. Aside from the unspoiled beauty of these monuments, they are also the birthplace of many Hopi and other indigenous peoples.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION INFLATION REDUCTION ACT LEGISLATION

In His First 18 Months, Biden Signs Numerous Executive Orders Addressing Climate Change And The Environment

Prior to the Inflation Reduction Act providing massive funding for climate related matters, President Joe Biden had signed many executive orders battling climate change and stimulating the economy at the same time, including, among other actions:

  • a moratorium on the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program
  • requiring half of all cars and light trucks sold in 2030 to be zero emission
  • improving access to safe drinking water, and
  • strengthening the nation’s forests in collaboration with local and tribal governments
EXECUTIVE ACTION HEALTH CARE SOCIAL JUSTICE WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Biden Issues Numerous Executive Orders To Protect Women’s Access To Reproductive Health Care

Throughout his presidency, President Joe Biden, with the help of Vice President Kamala Harris, has been incredibly active through executive orders in battling the loss of Roe v. Wade and the statewide iniatives designed to deny women health care, including abortions, access to contraception, safeguarding patient privacy, and sensitive health information. Initiatives include protecting the right to travel, providing services to veterans, current service members, and emergency abortion care.

CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE ACTION SOCIAL JUSTICE

Biden Picks Deb Haaland To Run The Department Of Interior, First Indigenous Person Ever To Hold A Cabinet Position

Not only did President Joe Biden choose an indigenous woman to run a major governmental department and sit in the Cabinet, but the choice was the Department of Interior, which deals with our protected lands and natural resources, covers the Bureau of Indian Affairs, among other very important matters for all Americans, including our indigenous populations. Deb Haaland has been an environmental warrior, and an advocate of the rights of the indigenous peoples of the US.

ECONOMY EXECUTIVE ACTION JOBS SOCIAL JUSTICE

Biden Is Cracking Down On Monopolies Unlike Previous Administrations, Both Republican And Democrat

Among President Joe Biden’s campaign promises was to fight back against the monopolistic practices of the major power brokers in this country. He has delivered and continues to work towards fulfilling these promises. He has done so with executive actions, Federal litigation, and the NLRB. He has prepared an aggressive agenda for 2024, so let’s keep watching to see how that goes.

EXECUTIVE ACTION SOCIAL JUSTICE STUDENT LOANS

Biden Cancels $138 Billion In Student Debt; Not Done Yet

President Joe Biden, through executive actions, has thus far cancelled $138 billion in student loan debt. This affects 3.7 million borrowers. Included are:

  • 790,000 public servants have gotten their debt erased as a result, amounting to more than $56 billion.
  • 510,000 disabled borrowers totaling $11.7 billion.
  • 1.3 million borrowers whose schools have closed or were cheated have received $22.5 billion
  • 153,000 borrowers who borrowed less than $12,000, and have been paying for at least 10 years
CANNABIS EXECUTIVE ACTION HEALTH CARE SOCIAL JUSTICE

Biden Pardons All Federal Convictions Solely For Cannabis Use

Finally, a president takes executive action relating to the failed drug war. President Joe Biden does it twice. Thousands of people are affected by the order. Also, Biden has been lobbying state governors and his regulators are making noises about reviewing cannabis’ Schedule 1 classification, with an eye toward rescheduling it as a Schedule 3 drug. Baby steps, to be sure, but finally a move in the right direction.

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