The following story was written by a student on the staff of The Jaguar Times as part of Hilliard Bradley High School’s Journalism Production course.
by Jahari Henry
Staff Writer
If you hadn't already realized we have a new President of the United States. Joe Biden, who became the 46th President of the United States of America on January 20th, is entering his 5th week in office this week. President Biden has entered office in the midst of numerous crises facing the United States. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the ravaged economy, and a fractured democracy as a result of years of ongoing polarization just to name a few. Below is a status update of the Biden Presidency and what to expect in the coming weeks from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Week 1 (1/20/2021-1/24/2021)
On January 20th President Biden kicked off his Presidency with his inauguration. Americans took witness to our oldest President ever being inaugurated as well as our first female Vice President being sworn in. Over at the Capitol Building the Senate confirmed Biden’s first Cabinet member Avril Haines 84-10. Biden would go onto to issues multitudes of executive orders that repealed the Muslim Travel Ban, renterend America in the Paris Climate Accord, and halted the completion of the Keystone XL pipeline just to name a few. After his first eventful day the President would invoke the Defense Production Act in regards to vaccines, increase the minimum wage to 15$ through executive order, welcome Lloyd Austin into his Cabinet as Secretary of Defense and talk to the leaders of Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom
Week 2 (1/25/2021- 1/31/2021)
The President's second week opened with him signing more Executive Orders aimed at reversing Trump-Era policies. The major one being the reversal on transgenders in the military. On this same day Janet Yellen was confirmed as Secretary of the Treasury and the House of Representatives formally brought the Articles of Impeachment against former President Donald Trump to the Senate. In the next coming days Biden would ramp his executive orders. Singing executive orders in regards to Health Care,Climate Policy, Covid-19, Discrimination Policy, and Private Prisons. In foreign relations he held conversations with the leaders of Russia and Japan and Antony Bliken was confirmed as the Secretary of State.
Week 3 ( 2/1/2021 - 2/7/2021)
Week 3 began with the first attempt at the bipartisanship that Biden called for since his campaign started in 2019. 10 Republican Senators came to the White House to discuss Biden’s 1.9 trillion dollar stimulus plan that was proposed a couple days before his inauguration. The next day Pete Buttigieg was confirmed as Secretary of Transportation making hom the first openly Gay cabinet member. Alejandro Mayorkas was also confirmed this day as Secretary of Homeland Security. From there on Biden signed EVEN MORE executive orders in regards to immigration and visited the funeral of slain Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknic. President and First Lady Biden finished off the week with a short address to the nation during Super Bowl 55.
Week 4 (2/8/2021 - 2/14/2021)
Week 4 was the quietest week of the Biden Presidency so far with major events being the confirmation of Dennis McDonough who was the former White House Chief of Staff under President Obama as Secretary of Veteran Affairs.
Biden also held phone calls with the leaders of China and India. He would wrap up the week by speaking about the Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting in Parkland Florida. As he called on Congress to strengthen gun control laws. This week was more notable however because of the events that took place in Congress. As former President Donald Trump was again acquitted after his Second Impeachment Trial.
Four weeks and already the awesome responsibilities of being the leader of the free world has consumed Joe Biden and his advisors. Whether it be conversations with world leaders or beginning the efforts to get a global pandemic under control there are truly daunting tasks that face this administration and this country going forward.