By a vote of 84 – 15, Janet Yellen was confirmed yesterday as Treasury Secretary by the Senate. She becomes the first woman to head Treasury in its history. In her role, she will play a critical role in the Biden Administration’s COVID recovery plans.
News and updates
Biden Repeals EO on Diversity Trainings
President Biden has repealed a Trump-administration Executive Order 13950 requiring all new and amended federal government contracts to include language prohibiting the contractor from implementing any workplace training that endorsed what the Order deemed “divisive concepts,” including that an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is prone to behaviors that are inherently racist or sexist.
Biden’s Executive Order repeals the Trump order in its entirety and affirms it is the policy of the federal government to “pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.”
More details here.
Austin Confirmed as Secretary of Defense
Earlier today, the Senate confirmed Lloyd Austin as the Secretary of Defense by a vote of 93 -2. The retired four-star general becomes the first African American to assume that position.
Before he could be confirmed, both chambers of Congress had to grant him a waiver to serve in that position. The waiver was needed as military personnel need to be out of uniform for seven years before serving as the Secretary. The Senate approved the waiver 69 – 27 while the House preceded it by a vote of 326 – 78.
Education Names Initial Political Appointees
The Education Department has released its initial list of political appointees. The list is available here.
More Executive Actions Taken on First Full Day
President Biden took more executive actions on Thursday, his first full day in office, with these aimed squarely at addressing different aspects of the impact of COVID-19. Among the executive orders issued was one specifically geared towards reopening educational institutions, including colleges and universities.
In total, he issued seven executive orders and a memo, all of which are available here.