15 Apr Biden Administration – Week 1
Following his Inauguration, President Biden and his team began working in full force to
implement the Administration’s ambitious initial agenda. On day one, President Biden signed a
series of executive actions focused on COVID-19 response, immigration, racial equality, climate
change, and reversing some Trump era regulations (more below), with more executive orders on
tap this week. Additionally, the Biden team has continued to fill out the Administration,
announcing additional nominations and acting heads for key departments and agencies. Despite
this swift action and calls from President Biden for the Senate to prioritize confirmations, Biden
lags his predecessors in terms of Senate nomination hearings and confirmations (just five of
Biden’s Cabinet nominees had a hearing prior to his Inauguration, while Trump, Obama, Bush
and Clinton each had over eleven). The delays are in part due to the negotiations between Leaders
Schumer (D-NY) and McConnell (R-KY) over an organizing resolution for the new 50-50 Senate.
Below we provide an overview of key confirmations, appointments, and nominations, the shifting
FSOC makeup, as well as noteworthy executive actions from the Biden White House.