March 25th
Joe Biden held the first press conference of his presidency today. Major topics included: COVID-19, immigration, the filibuster, and Afghanistan. For an overview of the conference, click here.
March 24th
The Biden Administration is in the process of opening six emergency holding facilities to house an influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. As of right now, as many as 16,000 migrant children are being held in U.S. custody, 5,000 of which are with Border Patrol. Border Patrol is encountering around 530 unaccompanied children at the border each day. It is hard to say what conditions are like at this facility because as of now journalists have not been granted permission to visit any of these facilities. It is likely that immigration and the border will be focal points of Biden's press conference tomorrow, the first of his presidency.
March 23rd
Joe Biden delivered remarks today regarding the mass shooting on Tuesday in Boulder, Colorado. A total of ten people were killed in a grocery store this morning, ranging in age from 20 years old to 65.
Our hearts go out to the survivors, those who had to flee for their lives, and who hid, terrified, Unsure if they would ever see their families again; their friends again.
Joe Biden is expected to address concerns over gun control on the 25th when he is scheduled to hold his first press conference as president.
March 19th
Five White House staffers were fired today because of past drug use including cannabis according to a statement given by press secretary Jen Psaki.
In an effort to ensure that more people have an opportunity to serve the public, we worked in coordination with the security service to ensure that more people have the opportunity to serve than would not have in the past with the same level of recent drug use.
March 18th
Joe Biden delivered a press conference regarding the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. In his address, Biden officially announced that his administration has kept its promise to deliver 100 million shots within the first 100 days of his presidency.
That's just the floor. We will not stop until we beat this pandemic.
Eight weeks ago, only 8% of seniors had received the vaccine. Today, 65% of people age 65 or older have received at least one shot, and 36% are fully vaccinated.
March 17th
Biden spoke briefly about the Atlanta shooting on Wednesday. As information about a motive is still coming out, Biden said that the rise in violence against Asian Americans is very troublesome. He then added that he did not want to speculate on the possible motives of this tragedy.
Biden then held a virtual meeting with Ireland's prime minister, Taoiseach Micheál Martin to discuss the renewal of the Good Friday Agreement. Signed in 1998, the Good Friday Agreement helped end sectarian violence that had raged for three decades over the issue of Northern Ireland unifying with Ireland or remaining part of the U.K.
March 16th
Joe Biden sat down with George Stephanopoulos to discuss the U.S. Mexico border. The number of unaccompanied children in border control custody jumped 25% in just the last week alone. When Biden was asked about the recent surge in migrant children at the border he told Stephanopoulos "I can say quite clearly don't come. We're in the process of getting set up. Don't leave your town or city or community."
March 15th
Deb Haaland has made history today with her official confirmation into the Cabinet. The Senate confirmed Biden's pick for Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland today, making her the first Native American to hold a Cabinet Secretary post. The Senate voted 51 to 40. As head of the Department of the Interior, Haaland will oversee the country's public and tribal lands. This is not the first time Haaland has made history, however. The New Mexican congresswoman made history in 2018 when she became the first Native American woman elected to Congress along with Sharice Davids of Kansas.
"This historic nature of my confirmation is not lost on me, but I will say it's not about me. Rather, I hope this nomination would be an inspiration for Americans moving forward together as one nation and creating opportunities for all of us," — Deb Haaland
March 12th
President Biden ordered a PREP Act Declaration Amendment to expand access to the Coronavirus vaccine. This amendment will allow more people to be eligible to administer the vaccine. With the supply of vaccines rapidly increasing, more healthcare workers needed to be eligible to distribute them. Newly eligible vaccinators include Dentists, Emergency Medical Technicians (Advanced and Intermediate EMTs), Midwives, Optometrists, Paramedics, Physician Assistants, Podiatrists, Respiratory Therapists, and Veterinarians. This amendment also authorizes recently retired members of the above professions, pharmacists and pharmacy interns to serve as vaccinators if they were in good standing upon expiration of their license. And, this amendment authorizes medical students, nursing students, and students of the other eligible health care professions with proper training and professional supervision to serve as vaccinators.
March 11th
Joe Biden has officially signed the America Rescue Plan into law. The $1.9 trillion relief plan will include up to $1,400 stimulus checks per individual. He then gave an address to the nation following the signing. This is the first time that the president has given a speech to the nation on prime-time television since he has been in office. During this address, Biden announced that every American adult will be eligible for the vaccine by May 1st. Biden also stated that he predicted that there would be some return to normalcy by the Fourth of July.
March 10th
Biden announced an order of another 100 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. By the end of the year, there might even be a surplus of vaccines in the country. This order doubles the total amount of Johnson & Johnson vaccines previously ordered. The White House announced the order during an event with the heads of Johnson & Johnson and Merck.
March 8th
Biden signed two executive actions today on International Women's Day. These executive orders are meant to target sexual assaults and how they are handled on college campuses. The order created an agency meant for reviewing sexual assault policies on college campuses and seeking to improve them or remove weak policies. “The policy of this administration is that every individual, every student is entitled to a fair education — free of sexual violence — and that all involved have access to a fair process,” Jennifer Klein, co-chair and executive director of the Gender Policy Council, told reporters at a White House briefing.
March 7th
Joe Biden signed an executive order today aimed at improving voting rights. This executive order comes on the 56th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," when Alabama state troopers attacked peaceful protestors fighting for the right to vote in Selma. The executive order focuses on making voter registration services more accessible.
March 6th
Joe Biden's Covid relief bill, more commonly known as the America Rescue Plan, has been given Senate approval today. This is a massive step toward another round of stimulus checks for many Americans. This massive $1.9 trillion package now makes its way to the House for approval before Biden can sign it into law. The bill was passed without Republican support in the Senate. The bill previously had an amendment that would have raised the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, but this was removed in an effort to garner support from more moderate Democrats. The House is expected to vote on this legislation on the 9th.
March 5th
Biden signaled today that he is in favor of replacing decades-old authorizations for the use of military force in the Middle East. The Biden administration announced its position after a bipartisan bill was introduced earlier this week that would repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for the wars in Iraq that presidents from both parties have relied on for legal justification to carry out strikes in the region. Biden recently used these authorizations to carry out an airstrike in Syria against Iranian-backed militias.
March 4th
Biden voiced his criticism toward Texas and Mississippi after they lifted mask mandates and allowed for full capacity at indoor businesses. He said that the move was a "big mistake," and that it was "neanderthal thinking." This comes during an uptick in overall Covid cases. The governor of Mississippi responded to Biden by saying that "Mississippians don't need handlers."
March 3rd
Joe Biden visited Texas today after the devastating snowstorms in the state. With millions without power and people resorting to boiling their water for hot water, it has been a trying time for Texans. Biden touched down in Texas today to get a first-hand look at recovery efforts. Responding to this crisis has been extremely costly to Texas counties. Some estimates put the cost at above $165 million. Texans continue to face the hardships of these storms, some even having to pay thousands of dollars for a few days of power. This money was automatically drawn from their accounts, leaving many wondering who is going to held accountable for this. Texas still has a long way to go in recovery efforts, but Biden has stated that bipartisan help is on the way.
March 2nd
Today Joe Biden has implemented sanctions against Russia after the poisoning and imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Navalny is the lead opposition to Vladamir Putin in Russia. He was on a flight in Serbia when he became increasingly ill and had to be airlifted to Germany for treatment. Novichok, the military-grade nerve agent was discovered in his system. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the poisoning. The United States joins all 27 members of the European Union in imposing sanctions against 7 high-ranking Russian officials, along with one government agency and 13 Russian businesses.
February 26th, 2021
The United States air struck Iranian-backed militia facilities in Syria today, marking the first military action of the Biden administration. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby issued a press briefing about the strikes this morning. He stated that the purpose of these strikes was to send a deliberate message to Iran and to deescalate the situation in the situation in Syria and Iraq.
February 25th, 2021
Biden issued a major disaster declaration for Oklahoma in the wake of winter storms in the U.S. south. The declaration covers 16 counties in Oklahoma and allows increased federal funding for recovery. On Saturday, Biden issued a major disaster declaration for Texas, which freed up funds to aid recovery efforts after the storms left millions without power. The president is set to visit Texas on Friday to see relief efforts and visit a vaccine distribution facility.
The Biden Administration will unveil a new policy regarding diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and other nations. The policy outlines consequences for the harming of journalists working under a United States publication. This policy follows the release of an intelligence report that shows evidence that the Saudi Crown Prince did in fact issue the order to kill a journalist in 2018. Jamal Khashoggi was a journalist who often contributed to the Washington Post. He was an outspoken critic of the crown prince and was murdered in Istanbul in October of 2018.
February 24th, 2021
Biden's pick for director of the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden was supposed to have her confirmation hearing today, but they have been postponed due to the mounting controversy surrounding her. The Biden administration has made it clear that they stand by their pick and do not plan to change it.
The White House will send 25 million masks to more than 1,300 community health centers, food pantries, and soup kitchens to deliver for vulnerable communities, it said in a press release this morning.
Kamala Harris officially swore in Thomas-Greenfield today as President Biden's U.N. ambassador.
The Biden administration was under heavy scrutiny today as news broke of an expanded detention facility for migrant children was reopened today. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez brought attention to the matter on Twitter writing:
Many others on social media were critical of this facility reopening and made comparisons to the Trump administration's immigration policies.
Biden has officially extended the nation's state of emergency during the Covid-19 pandemic. The state of emergency would have officially ended on March 1st had it not been renewed.
Biden signed into action an executive order to secure U.S. supply chains of critical sectors including computer chips, large capacity batteries, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and critical and strategic materials, including rare earth minerals. Biden stated that these measures would be paramount in preventing another global pandemic, and would help the U.S. going forward in pursuing new solutions to climate change, and strengthening the nation's cybersecurity.
February 23rd, 2021
Biden's pick for UN ambassador has been approved by the Senate. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a retired career ambassador and former top U.S. diplomat for Africa, was voted in which a count of 78-20. Thomas-Greenfield is the first black woman to become a member of Biden's cabinet.
Xavier Becerra, Biden's pick for the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, had his first Senate hearing today. Although there was some clear opposition on issues like abortion and healthcare, the nominee had a relatively smooth hearing. If elected, Becerra would become the first Latino to hold this position.
Biden’s nominee for secretary of the interior, Rep. Deb Haaland, D-Ariz., appeared before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for the first round of questioning in her confirmation hearing today. She opened the hearing speaking in her native language of the Laguna Pueblo and thanked her family, her partner, and her ancestors. She made an emphasis on the promotion of clean renewable energy. The committee will be back tomorrow at 10 a.m. for the second round of questioning. If elected, Haaland would become the first Indigenous secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
The Senate has confirmed Tom Vilsack to serve as secretary of agriculture, in a 92-7 vote.
Sen. Bernie Sanders voted with six Republicans against Vilsack, who had the same role under former President
Barack Obama.
February 22nd, 2021
Merrick Garland, Biden's nominee for Attorney General, had his confirmation hearing today before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He was faced with many hard-hitting political questions regarding the Trump Russia probe and the Hunter Biden investigation. Many questions directed at him regarded the rise in domestic terrorism in the United States. Garland oversaw the investigation into the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995. In one statement given by Garland during the hearing, he called immigrant child separation a "shameful policy." There were many tough questions raised in today's hearing, but it is not over. The meeting has adjourned and will resume on Tuesday.
The House is one step closer to sending the White House's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package to the Senate after the bill advanced through the House Budget Committee. The committee favorably reported the proposal to the full House in a near-party line 19-16 vote. Republicans decried the price tag for the package and accused Democrats of using the pandemic as an excuse to pass key agenda items, including the $15 an hour minimum wage increase.
February 11th, 2021
Today Joe Biden gave a speech at the National Institute of Health to discuss the progress of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution network. During this address, he announced that the U.S. will have enough vaccine supply to vaccinate 300 million people by the end of July.
February 10th, 2021
Biden has announced that he will issue an Executive Order which implements sanctions on the military government takeover in Myanmar. These sanctions will be enacted against the military leaders, their businesses, their family members, and anybody having to do with the coup.
February 9th, 2021
The Biden Administration announced today that they plan to send the COVID-19 vaccines directly to health centers across the country. The plan is to supply at least 250 health centers with the vaccine by as early as next week. The administration has previously stated that they want to distribute 500,000 full doses of the vaccination during the first phase of the rollout.
February 8th, 2021
The Biden Administration is currently in the process of reengaging with the United Nations Human Rights Council according to a statement released by a spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the United Nations. President Trump withdrew from this council almost 3 years ago, but the U.S. will return to "the table as an observer." Spokesperson Olivia Dalton said, “We recognize the UN Human Rights Council has its flaws, but we also believe it can help promote fundamental freedoms around the world." The Senate has confirmed Biden's nominee for Secretary of Veteran's Affairs, Denis McDonough. McDonough previously served under President Barack Obama in multiple positions, including chief of staff.
February 7th, 2021
Joe Biden released a statement today regarding the passing of former Secretary George Shultz. Shultz was a secretary who served under three separate presidents during his lifetime. He had served under presidents Eisenhower, Nixon, and Reagan. Shultz was the catalyst behind the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union. Shultz passed away at the age of 100.
He was a man of incredible courage. Whether it was donning the uniform of the United States Marines to defend the cause of liberty in World War II, or speaking out directly to the President of the United States when he disagreed with a policy, George Shultz knew when to stand and fight. For the young women and men whose minds he helped shape throughout his career, there was no better role model for a life of integrity and service than George Shultz.
February 6th, 2021
Joe Biden in an interview this morning with CBS News that he believes Donald Trump should not continue to receive White House intelligence briefings because of his “erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.” He stated that there is just no reason for him to have these briefings, adding that it would have no impact at all. Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial is set to begin on Tuesday. President Biden also rode on Air Force One today for the first time in his presidency, calling it “a great honor.” The trip was to visit his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware to see his grandchildren and finish gathering his belongings from his home.
February 5th, 2021
Biden’s COVID-19 relief package, also known as the American Rescue Plan, has just passed a huge milestone on the way to approval. The bill was approved by the Senate with Kamala Harris breaking the tie with no Republican support. This conclusion came after an overnight vote-a-rama, which resulted in the removal of several components of the relief bill. The proposal to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour during the pandemic was rejected after an amendment proposed by Republic Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa passed via a voice vote. This bill, worth $1.9 trillion, now makes its way back to the House of Representatives for final approval. In a speech about the state of the economy today, Biden said that Republicans were “just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go.”
February 4th, 2021
President Biden issued a memorandum today which reaffirmed the principles established in a memorandum by President Obama in 2011. That memorandum was implemented to ensure that Executive foreign agencies and departments promoted and protected the rights of members of the LGBT+ community. This updated memorandum expands the previous one by adding further protections for the community. These protections include: combating the criminalization of being LGBT+ abroad, protecting LGBT+ refugees and asylum seekers, funding foreign aid agencies that battle discrimination, quick responses to nations with poor LGBT rights records such as sanctions, building a coalition of nations with similar LGBT interests, and removing policies which don’t work and keeping an updated record on progress.
February 3rd, 2021
Former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was approved by the Senate yesterday and has officially been sworn in as the Secretary of Transportation. With this approval, Buttigieg has become the first openly gay member of the presidential cabinet in U.S. history. The White House also gave a press briefing today with the COVID-19 response team and several public health officials. They discussed the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and how important it was that when these vaccines are given that the booster is given within 21 days for Pfizer and 28 days for Moderna. The issue of vaccine hesitancy was brought up to the panel. According to a poll by KFF, 13% of adults say that they will refuse the vaccine, and 7% say that they will only get the vaccine if required to do so. The Director of the Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Rochelle Walenksy, stated that she believes as many more people get the vaccine there will be more of an understanding of how mild the side effects are for most people. She expects these percentages to drop over the coming months. As of today, over 32 million Americans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
February 2nd, 2021
Joe Biden released several executive actions this morning to overhaul the immigration system. This included the creation of the Family Reunification Task Force to combat the separation of migrant children from their parents. Biden has also reversed several Trump Administration policies regarding information. The administration has stated that they are to implement a 3-part plan to promote safe and lawful immigration. The first part of this plan is to directly combat the factors that drive migrants to leave their homes in the first place. This includes economic instability, violence, and food insecurity among other things. The second part of this plan is to work with foreign governments and organizations to expand their capacity to house asylum seekers. The last step in this plan is to create an easier path for Central American refugees and asylum seekers into the United States. The goal of the administration is to restore faith in the American legal immigration system.
February 1st, 2021
Joe Biden met with ten Senate republicans today to discuss his proposed coronavirus relief bill. The proposed bill is worth $1.9 trillion. The GOP senators proposed a counter bill worth only $617 billion. The counter bill would only administer relief checks to those making under $50,000 as opposed to Biden’s bill which covers everyone making up to $99,000. Joe Biden stated on Friday that this bill must be passed with or without bipartisan support. The Democrats currently hold the Senate and, through special budget rules, can pass the bill with a simple majority.
January 31st, 2021
Joe Biden sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stating that he was undoing Trump’s proposals to cut federal funding to several departments totaling $27.4 billion. These departments include Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, the Interior, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury, as well as the African Development Foundation, the Commission of Fine Arts, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the District of Columbia, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Inter-American Foundation, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, the National Gallery of Art, the Peace Corps, the Presidio Trust, the United States Agency for International Development, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the Legislative Branch.
January 29th, 2021
Joe Biden made a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to visit wounded servicemen and women, and to see the distribution process of the coronavirus vaccine. Biden also released a statement regarding the 12th anniversary of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay act introduced by Biden and Obama. He then stated that he and Kamala Harris plan on passing more equal pay legislation.
January 28th, 2021
Joe Biden signs an Executive Order to strengthen ACA and Medicaid. The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to open a "Special Enrollment Period" from February 15 to May 15 to give more people access to these programs during the pandemic. Biden has also issued a Presidential Memorandum to expand access to reproductive health care. This memorandum repeals the global Mexico City Policy, which prevents non-profit organizations that provide services like abortion counseling and referrals from receiving funding from the U.S.
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