Biden will halt federal executions, other actions on first day in office

Joe Biden plans to rejoin the World Health Organization, halt federal executions and rescind the ban on transgender individuals serving in the military among a range of other executive actions on his first day in office, according to people familiar with his plans.

Ron Klain, Biden’s incoming chief of staff, outlined some of the actions the new administration will take in his first 10 days in a memo to senior staff on Sunday. But a document distributed by the transition team detailed more specific actions Biden will take on Jan. 20.

The transition document was first reported by CTV News and its contents were confirmed by POLITICO.

Biden will also rescind the Keystone XL pipeline permit, issue a proclamation terminating the border wall emergency and send an immigration bill to Congress. It remains unclear exactly what will be in the immigration legislation. Biden’s transition declined to comment.

The new administration will also take action to protect Dreamers and improve workforce diversity and equity across the federal government. Biden will also announce a date for a climate summit hosted in the U.S.

The actions are largely grouped into buckets aimed at addressing the four crises Biden has been focused on: the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, racial equity and the economic recession.

Klain specified other actions in Saturday’s memo, including rescinding the travel ban on several majority-Muslim countries, rejoining the Paris climate accords, extending limits on student loan payments and evictions instituted during the pandemic, and issuing a mask mandate on federal properties and for interstate travel.

“These executive actions will deliver relief to the millions of Americans that are struggling in the face of these crises,” Klain wrote. “President-elect Biden will take action — not just to reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration — but also to start moving our country forward.”