Wasting No Time: President Biden Signs Record Number of Executive Orders
Author
Published
1/28/2021
In the first week of his Presidency, President Biden has signed more executive orders than any past president. The President’s first actions also include an array of memorandums, proclamations, and introduction of new legislation.
Regulatory Freeze:
One of the first actions taken by President Biden was issuing a memorandum freezing federal agency rulemakings. Under this memo, agencies are not to propose or issue any rule until a department or agency head - appointed by President Biden - approves the rule (exceptions can be made for emergency situations). For rules that have not yet taken effect, agencies are advised to consider postponing the rules’ effective dates and opening a new comment period to further evaluate the rules. This action will result in reconsideration of a wide variety of rules proposed or issued in the final days of the Trump administration. In fact, the Department of Labor (DOL) withdrew the DOL Final Rule on Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in the United States, which was posted days before President Biden’s inauguration and pending publication in the Federal Register.
Worker Safety and Climate Change:
Amongst the first Executive Order (EO) signed by the President was “Protecting Worker Health and Safety” during the pandemic. The order calls for considering whether emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 are necessary. It also calls for the review of the enforcement efforts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) related to COVID-19 and identifying changes that could be made to better protect workers. The order establishes an outreach campaign to inform workers and their representatives of their rights under applicable law, and includes engagement with labor unions, community organizations, and industries, and places a special emphasis on those communities impacted by the pandemic.
The latest EO, signed by the President on January 27, pauses new oil and gas leasing on public lands or offshore waters, seeks to more than double the amount of land conserved in the U.S. and looks to involve the agriculture sector in the federal government’s efforts. The order commits to a goal of conserving at least 30 percent of lands and oceans by 2030 and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to collect input from farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders on how to use federal programs to encourage adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. Click here to read American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall’s comment on the executive order.
The Arizona Farm Bureau Federation has been actively monitoring the actions of the Administration and communicating with Arizona’s Congressional Delegation. For questions, email advocacy@azfb.org.
Regulatory Freeze:
One of the first actions taken by President Biden was issuing a memorandum freezing federal agency rulemakings. Under this memo, agencies are not to propose or issue any rule until a department or agency head - appointed by President Biden - approves the rule (exceptions can be made for emergency situations). For rules that have not yet taken effect, agencies are advised to consider postponing the rules’ effective dates and opening a new comment period to further evaluate the rules. This action will result in reconsideration of a wide variety of rules proposed or issued in the final days of the Trump administration. In fact, the Department of Labor (DOL) withdrew the DOL Final Rule on Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in the United States, which was posted days before President Biden’s inauguration and pending publication in the Federal Register.
Worker Safety and Climate Change:
Amongst the first Executive Order (EO) signed by the President was “Protecting Worker Health and Safety” during the pandemic. The order calls for considering whether emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 are necessary. It also calls for the review of the enforcement efforts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) related to COVID-19 and identifying changes that could be made to better protect workers. The order establishes an outreach campaign to inform workers and their representatives of their rights under applicable law, and includes engagement with labor unions, community organizations, and industries, and places a special emphasis on those communities impacted by the pandemic.
The latest EO, signed by the President on January 27, pauses new oil and gas leasing on public lands or offshore waters, seeks to more than double the amount of land conserved in the U.S. and looks to involve the agriculture sector in the federal government’s efforts. The order commits to a goal of conserving at least 30 percent of lands and oceans by 2030 and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to collect input from farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders on how to use federal programs to encourage adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. Click here to read American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall’s comment on the executive order.
The Arizona Farm Bureau Federation has been actively monitoring the actions of the Administration and communicating with Arizona’s Congressional Delegation. For questions, email advocacy@azfb.org.