Biden focuses on the economy on second day in office

By Meg Wagner and Melissa Mahtani, CNN

Updated 8:45 p.m. ET, January 22, 2021
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8:22 a.m. ET, January 22, 2021

Biden signed at least 10 executive actions on coronavirus yesterday. Here's what we know.

From CNN's  Betsy Klein, Veronica Stracqualursi and Kate Sullivan

President Joe Biden signs executive orders after speaking about the coronavirus in the State Dinning Room of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Washington. 
President Joe Biden signs executive orders after speaking about the coronavirus in the State Dinning Room of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Washington.  Alex Brandon/AP

President Biden's first full day in office on Thursday focused on rolling out his national strategy to get the coronavirus pandemic under control and signing several executive actions, including ramping up vaccination supplies and requiring international travelers to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test prior to traveling to the US.

On his first full day in office, Biden signed at least 10 executive orders, memorandums and directives focused on tackling the pandemic.

"Our national strategy is comprehensive, it's based on science, not politics. It's based on truth, not denial, and it's detailed," Biden said, speaking from the White House. He said the 198-page plan is posted on WhiteHouse.gov.

Biden's plan starts with a national vaccination campaign in order to meet the President's goal of administering 100 million shots, which is enough to cover 50 million Americans with vaccines that require two doses, in his first 100 days in office.

He said the plan was developed with input from the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, among other advisers and experts.

Biden signed executive orders ramping up supplies for vaccination, testing and personal protective equipment and another boosting development of therapeutics to treat Covid-19.

Biden emphasized the need for Americans to wear face masks in order to stop the spread of the virus, saying masks are "even more important than the vaccines."

Following through on his campaign proposals, Biden also signed two executive orders creating a National Pandemic Testing Board to improve US coronavirus testing capacity and a Covid-19 Health Equity Task Force to ensure an "equitable" pandemic response and recovery.

Here's a look at some of Covid-19 executive orders he signed yesterday:

7:53 a.m. ET, January 22, 2021

Biden's focus today will be economic relief

From CNN's Betsy Klein

The Biden administration has an ambitious slate of actions for the first 10 days in office, many of which will roll back key policies established by former President Trump.

Each day through the end of the month, with the exception of this weekend, will center around a specific theme, with a set of corresponding actions and directives, according to a draft of a calendar document sent to administration allies and viewed by CNN.  

Yesterday's theme was coronavirus, and the theme today is "Economic Relief." Two executive order are expected. One directs agency action on Medicaid, Pell grants, SNAP benefits, and unemployment insurance.

The second executive order will restore collective bargaining rights to federal employees and initiates action to roll back Trump’s Schedule F executive order, which gave the United States Office of Management and Budget and federal agencies leeway to reclassify key roles.

Here's a look at the rest of the themes Biden will tackle this month: 

  • Jan. 25: Buy America
  • Jan. 26: Equity
  • Jan. 27: Climate
  • Jan. 28: Health Care
  • Jan. 29: Immigration
  • February: Restoring America’s Place in the World