Facts

Posted on: October 15, 2021 at 07:30:19 CT

https://capaction.medium.com/what-has-joe-done-for-me-lately-biden-administration-accomplishments-98c71f9ce2d8

Job One - it was really his only job - Remove Trump from power. But while he has been in office, he has done the following. Are they all great? I don't know. But the poster seemed to think nothing had been done. Not true.

"Here’s a list of some of the major accomplishments Biden has achieved since entering office and see what he’s done for you lately:
Delivered 200 million shots in less than 100 days. This was double the initial goal of 100 shots in 100 days, and 200 shots was hit with a week to spare. 220 million in total were administered in 100 days. [NBC News, 4/22/21]
Sent checks up to $1,400 to 160 million households. This represents a total value of more than $384 billion. [CBS News, 4/28/21]
Committed to cutting carbon pollution in half by 2030. [NBC News, 04/22/21]
Fully reopened majority of schools. The Biden administration provided support to states and localities and “distributed $81 billion of $122 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to states for immediate use this spring and planning ahead for summer and beyond.” [Department of Education, 4/29/21]
Paused student loan payments and set student loan interest rates to 0 percent. [CBS News, 1/21/21]
Confirmed the most diverse Cabinet in history. [NPR, 2/5/21]
Protected LGBTQ people from discrimination. This Executive Order issued on his first day in office established federal policy to “fully enforce” the “laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.” [WH, 1/20/21]
Expanded child tax credit. This could cut child poverty in half. [Yahoo News, 4/28/21]
Gave billions in support for meals to those affected by the pandemic. Up to 34 million kids will have $375 per week to buy food over the summer. [NBC News, 4/26/21]
Helped ensure more than 50 percent of adults vaccinated with one shot. [NBC News, 4/18/21]
Mandated masks on federal property. The Executive Order is meant to protect the federal workforce and encourage mask usage across the country. It also developed a testing plan for the federal workforce. [WH, 1/20/21]
Rejoined Paris climate accord. The Biden administration rejoined the Paris Climate accord nearly four years after the Trump administration began the process to exit the international agreement which sets ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and nearly four months after the Trump administration had officially withdrawn. This would have left the United States in the company of Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Eritrea, Yemen, and Libya, which are the six nations who have not joined. [WH, 1/20/21]
Rescinded Muslim ban. Biden issued an Executive Order revoking Trump executive actions he called “a stain on our national conscience and are inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all” and “just plain wrong.” [WH, 1/20/21]
Rejoined World Health Organization. The Trump administration had pulled the United States out of the global health organization. [WH, 1/20/21
Decreased amount of deportations. Initially a 100-day pause on deportations that a judge halted, deportations have dropped dramatically and focused on actual dangers and threats. [WH, 1/20/21]
Preserved and fortified DACA. [WH, 1/20/21]
Extended federal unemployment insurance through September. The extra $300 per week is targeted at the 11 million Americans who are unemployed, many due to the pandemic. [American Rescue Plan, 3/11/21]
Helped small businesses and nonprofits weather the pandemic. This boosted the Paycheck Protection Plan by $7.25 billion. [American Rescue Plan, 3/11/21]
Provided billions in emergency rental assistance. This includes money for the unhoused and victims of domestic violence. [American Rescue Plan, 3/11/21]
Supported airline industry workers. This saved at least 27,000 airline industry jobs. [MSNBC, 3/12/21]
Supported restaurant workers. This supported small restaurant owners and workers by opening an exclusive PPP window for smaller mom-and-pop stores to apply and get aid. [CSBJ, 3/3/21]
Boosted COVID-19 testing and vaccine implementation. This includes: $7.5 billion to CDC to administer vaccines, $46 billion to diagnose and trace infections, $2 billion for testing and PPE [American Rescue Plan, 3/11/21]
Helped families with heating and cooling costs. The ARP boosted LIHEAP by $4.5 billion. [American Rescue Plan, 3/11/21]
Gave teachers and schools necessary pandemic funding. This provided $128 billion to state education agencies [WH, 3/15/21]
Supported child care facilities. The ARP invested about $15 billion in the Child Care & Development Block Grant program, targeting high-need areas. [American Rescue Plan, 3/11/21]
Cancelled student debt for 72,000 borrowers. These students were victims of fraud from for profit institutions. [Department of Education, 03/18/21]
Created more than 18,000 infrastructure jobs on public lands. This is a $1.6 billion investment on infrastructure on public lands and for Tribal schools [04/02/21]
Condemned racism and intolerance against Asian Americans. This executive order also directed the attorney General “to explore opportunities to support, consistent with applicable law, the efforts of State and local agencies, as well as AAPI communities and community-based organizations, to prevent discrimination, bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against AAPI individuals.” [WH, 01/26/21]
Stopped drilling in the Arctic. Among other rule changes, this placed “a temporary moratorium on all activities of the Federal Government relating to the implementation of the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program” in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. [WH, 1/20/21]
Halted the Keystone XL pipeline. “The Keystone XL pipeline disserves the U.S. national interest. … Leaving the Keystone XL pipeline permit in place would not be consistent with my Administration’s economic and climate imperatives.” [WH, 1/20/21]
Used the Defense Production Act to fight the pandemic. This sped up vaccinations and increased production of PPE. [The Washington Post, 02/05/21]
Rescinded “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in family separations. [NBC News, 1/26/21]
Fired anti-union NLRB general counsel. The Biden administration fired anti-union NLRB general counsel Peter Robb, who helped Reagan break the air traffic controllers union, and has pushed a pro-business, anti-worker agenda at the NLRB for almost four years. Biden asked for his resignation and when he refused, fired him 10 months before his term ended. [Bloomberg, 1/20/21]
Nominated first Senate-confirmed transgender official, Dr. Rachel Levine. She was confirmed in March as the highest-ranking openly transgender official in U.S. history. [The Washington Post, 03/24/2021]
Demanded resignation of anti-free speech VOA head. The Biden-Harris administration demanded the resignation of anti-free-speech Voice of America head Michael Pack. While he was running the congressionally-funded international broadcaster VOA, he picked fights with media, attacked the so-called “deep state,” disciplined his own journalists for asking questions of Trump appointees, and faced regular accusations of pro-Trump bias. Biden’s pick to replace him was a whistleblower who is part of a lawsuit alleging Pack committed illegal acts. [NPR, 1/20/21]
Created COVID-19 response coordinator reporting to president. This executive order essentially restarted the NSC pandemic response team that Trump eliminated. [White House, 1/20/21]
Revoked “global gag rule,” or Mexico City policy. This rescinded the “Mexico City policy, which bans U.S. aid to groups that make referrals for abortion or discuss abortion as an option abroad.” [Time, 1/28/21; White House, 1/28/21]
Changed White House website to ask for pronouns. Four years prior to this change, the Trump White House removed all mention of LGBTQ from its website. [NBC News, 1/21/21]
Reinstated Spanish-language version of White House website. La Casa Bianca, back after the Trump administration took it down four years ago. [US News, 01/20/21]
Made ASL pledge of allegiance at inauguration. This was the first time the pledge was delivered in ASL at an inauguration, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. [NPR, 1/20/21]
Revoked order on defunding sanctuary cities. [White House, 1/20/21]
Booted deregulation. The administration, highlighting “the urgent challenges facing the Nation, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, economic recovery, racial justice, and climate change,” declared that agencies have to be “equipped with the flexibility to use robust regulatory action to address national priorities,” to tackle them effectively. “This order revokes harmful policies and directives that threaten to frustrate the Federal Government’s ability to confront these problems.” [WH, 1/20/21]
Extended Obamacare enrollment window a second time. This provided coverage to over half a million people. [NBC News, 3/23/21]
Extended eviction ban to June 30. This affects millions of tenants. [Politico, 3/29/21]
Made plans for new vehicles to be more fuel-efficient. [WH, 1/20/21]
Canceled student debt for 41,000 borrowers with disabilities. [Yahoo News, 03/30/21]
Directed review of standards that encouraged needless pollution from coal and oil-fired power plants. This was part of a review of regulatory action taken during the Trump administration. [WH, 1/20/21]
Protected national monuments. This includes taking action to reverse the shrinking of Bears Ears National Monument, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. [WH, 01/20/21]
Acknowledged the cost of carbon pollution. [WH, 01/20/21]
Changed rules to allow 25 million people to get boost in food stamp benefits. [CNN, 04/21/21]
Brought science back to chemical safety regulations. [EPA, 04/08/21]
Restored daily weekday press briefings. [ABC.Net.Au, 01/21/21]
Extended eviction moratorium. His first day in office, Biden immediately extended the moratorium through the end of March. [CDC, 1/20/21]
Advanced racial equity within government. This directed federal agencies to “assess whether, and to what extent, its programs and policies perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for people of color and other underserved groups.” [WH, 1/20/21]
Redirected funding from border wall construction. This also ordered an investigation of whether the funding redirected from the military under Trump was legally done. [WH, 1/20/21]
Unfroze $27 billion in funds for international COVID-19 efforts frozen by Trump. [The Hill, 1/20/21]
Issued science-based guidance to keep workers safe from COVID-19. [WH, 1/20/21]
Ensured equitable pandemic response and recovery. “In order to identify and eliminate health and social inequities resulting in disproportionately higher rates of exposure, illness, and death, I am directing a Government-wide effort to address health equity. The Federal Government must take swift action to prevent and remedy differences in COVID-19 care and outcomes within communities of color and other underserved populations.” [WH, 1/21/21]
Incorporated CDC guidance to promote safe travel. This guidance, heretofore lacking, involved mask wearing, recent negative Covid tests for international travel, basic worker protections, and other state and local support measures. [WH, 1/21/21]
Set up pandemic testing board to get testing where needed. This includes schools and other high-priority areas. [WH, 1/21/21]
Provided national guidance on safe school reopening under COVID-19. This guidance was meant to “provide support to help create the conditions for safe, in-person learning as quickly as possible; ensure high-quality instruction and the delivery of essential services often received by students and young children at school, institutions of higher education, child care providers, and Head Start programs; mitigate learning loss caused by the pandemic; and address educational disparities and inequities that the pandemic has created and exacerbated.” [WH, 1/21/21]
Kept and maintained COVID-19 data. This followed a disruptive approach to data collection under the previous administration. [WH, 1/21/21]
Ensured pandemic support for the National Guard and FEMA. [WH, 1/21/21]
Expanded care and access to treatment for COVID-19. This is meant to accelerate novel therapies, improve health care capacity, and make care more equitable. [WH, 1/21/21]
Established a global COVID-19 response director. [Politico, 4/05/21]
Made funding for non-congregate sheltering of homeless fully reimbursable. This compares to 75% of the cost covered by FEMA and the rest passed to cities and states, who often cannot pay. [WH, 1/21/21]
Strengthened food assistance. “The order will ask the department to consider increasing the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer program, or P-EBT, by 15% and making it easier for households to claim those benefits.” [USA Today, 1/22/21]
Guaranteed a $15 minimum wage for federal contractors. This could affect up to 390,000 workers. [Associated Press, 4/27/21]
Allowed workers to draw unemployment if they quit because their jobs are not safe. This had been a problem for workers worried about Covid-19. [WH, 3/15/21]
Overturned transgender ban on military service. The ban had been put in place by the Trump administration. [Reuters, 1/25/21]
Proclaimed science-based COVID-19 travel restrictions. This also included a new ban on travel from South Africa in response to the outbreak of the variant there. [NBC News, 1/25/21]
Promoted “Buy American” agenda. The order directs agencies to strengthen their requirements to buy products and services from American companies. [NBC News, 1/25/21]
Directed HUD secretary to redress history of housing discrimination. The order declared, “it is the policy of my Administration that the Federal Government shall work with communities to end housing discrimination, to provide redress to those who have experienced housing discrimination, to eliminate racial bias and other forms of discrimination in all stages of home-buying and renting, to lift barriers that restrict housing and neighborhood choice, to promote diverse and inclusive communities, to ensure sufficient physically accessible housing, and to secure equal access to housing opportunity for all.” [WH, 1/21/21]
Eliminated continued use of private prisons. The order directed the Attorney General to not renew any contracts with private prisons. [WH, 1/26/21]
Reaffirmed federal government’s commitment to tribal sovereignty. “The United States has made solemn promises to Tribal Nations for more than two centuries. Honoring those commitments is particularly vital now, as our Nation faces crises related to health, the economy, racial justice, and climate change — all of which disproportionately harm Native Americans.” [WH, 1/26/21]
Asked OMB to “embed racial equity in its work.” [CNN, 01/26/21]
Announced major offshore wind energy initiative that would help create 135,000 jobs. [New York Times, 3/29/21]
Issued memorandum on scientific integrity. “Improper political interference in the work of Federal scientists or other scientists who support the work of the Federal Government and in the communication of scientific facts undermines the welfare of the Nation, contributes to systemic inequities and injustices, and violates the trust that the public places in government to best serve its collective interests.” [WH, 1/27/21]
Re-established presidential council on science and technology. Listening to scientists again. [WH, 1/27/21]
Strengthened Medicaid and the ACA. This includes a comprehensive agency review of actions that might undermine Medicaid or support for people with pre-existing conditions. [WH, 1/28/21]
Revoked justification for family separation. This includes a task force to reunite families. [WH, 2/2/21]
Finalized deal for 200 million more vaccines. [NBC News, 2/11/21]
Issued executive order to promote access to voting. Within 200 days of the order, all agencies will need plans to increase access to voter registration and participation, as well as modernizing the Vote.gov portal. [CNN, 3/7/21]
Ensured everyone is counted in the census. [WH, 01/20/21]
Declared to agencies that gay and transgender youth are protectedunder civil rights law. This confirms that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bostock decision applies to Title IX. [Department of Justice, 3/26/21]
Stopped the venting of methane needlessly into the atmosphere. This includes an immediate agency review of actions that have enabled the oil and gas industry to leak methane from their equipment and wells. [WH, 1/20/21]
Revised conservation standards to ensure building appliances are more efficient. [WH, 1/20/21]
Revoked Trump’s order sanctioning International Criminal Court officials. This move was applauded by human rights groups. [CNN, 4/02/21]
Made ethics pledge for administration staff. Among several requirements are a lobbyist gift ban, a revolving door ban, and a golden parachute ban. [WH, 01/20/21]
Moved up deadline for all adults to be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine to April 19. [CNN, 4/06/21]
Initiated modernizing regulatory review. This orders a “swift and effective” process that promotes “public health and safety, economic growth, social welfare, racial justice, environmental stewardship, human dignity, equity, and the interests of future generations.” [WH, 1/20/21]
Established presidential commission on the U.S. Supreme Court. [WH, 4/09/21]
Tripled the number of daily vaccinations. The daily rate was 1.1 million when Biden took office, and it reached 3.3 million within a few months. [POTUS Twitter, 4/14/21]
Punished Russia for cyberattacks on America. The administration also formally accused Russia of backing the massive SolarWinds hack of U.S. government and corporate computer systems.[Wall Street Journal, 4/15/21]
Acknowledged the Armenian genocide. [NPR, 4/24/21]
Imposed sanctions on Burma following coup. [AP, 2/10/21]
Reopened office of faith-based and neighborhood partnerships. [WH, 2/14/21]
Guaranteed an educational environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual orientation or gender identity. [WH, 3/08/21]
Established gender policy council in the White House. [WH, 3/08/21]
Signed $5 billion in relief for Black farmers impacted by decades of discrimination made worse during the pandemic. [NBC 4, 4/5/21]
Saved the pensions of more than 1 million retirees. Biden’s American Rescue Plan restored to financial health more than 100 failing pension plans covering more than 400,000 workers and their families. [Forbes, 3/12/21]"