The actions reflected the new president’s top policy priority - getting a handle on a debilitating pandemic. Biden’s order also extended the federal eviction freeze to aid those struggling from the pandemic economic fallout, created a new federal office to coordinate a national response to the virus and restored the White House’s National Security Council directorate for global health security and defense, an office his predecessor had closed. Among the executive actions signed Wednesday was one putting in place a mask mandate on federal property. But mask wearing is now required in the building. “There’s no time to start like today,” Biden said in his first comments to reporters as president.īiden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office - a marked departure from Trump, who rarely wore a face covering in public and never during events in the Oval Office. But Biden, facing the debilitating coronavirus pandemic, a damaged economy and a riven electorate, is intent on demonstrating a sense of urgency and competence that he argues has been missing under his Republican predecessor. Only two recent presidents signed executive actions on their first day in office - and each signed just one. The 15 executive actions amount to an attempt to rewind the last four years of federal policies with striking speed.

With the stroke of a pen, Biden ordered a halt to the construction of Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall, ended the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries, declared his intent to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization and revoked the approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, aides said. The new president signed the orders just hours after taking the oath of office at the Capitol, pivoting quickly from his pared-down inauguration ceremony to enacting his agenda.

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