President Biden took office on January 20th, 2021 The inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden took place this week outside the US Capitol, officially starting the term of the 46th President of the United States. Along with him, Vice President Kamala Harris makes history as the first Black and South Asian American woman to become Vice President in America. Former President Donald J. Trump was not present at the inauguration.

Legislative Updates

President Joe Biden Repeals Former President Trump’s Muslim and Africa Travel Bans On January 20th, 2021 President Biden rescinded the Muslim and Africa Travel Bans undoing President Trump’s executive order from 2017. Congress made history in 2020 when the House passed the NO BAN Act. However, in order to prevent future presidents from passing similar discriminatory laws, the Senate has to pass the NO BAN Act to close loopholes in immigration policies under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi States 2nd Impeachment Trial Against Former President Trump Will Be Formally Launched “Soon” While no specific timeline was offered, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is expected to formally launch the articles of impeachment against former President Trump “in the coming days” according to Politico. Thereafter, the Senate shall begin a trial to investigate the charges that Trump incited the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol two weeks prior.

Upcoming House and Senate Meetings and Resolutions Forthcoming Senate Committee meetings include Finance Committee, Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, as well as Foreign Relations Committee. These meetings will resume next week starting on January 22nd, 2021. Meanwhile, the House Considers H.R. 335 to provide an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer Makes Statement on the United States Surpassing 400,000 Coronavirus Deaths Upon the passing of 400,000 COVID-19 related deaths in America, Representative Hoyer (D-MD) shared his grievances in addition to a mission to move forth. He stated in a press release “President-elect Biden has announced a plan to vaccinate as many as 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office. He will bring a new approach, one based on prioritizing science, listening to public health experts, and offering full transparency to the American people. He has already presented the nation with his American Recovery Plan, which includes $1.9 trillion in emergency relief aid to support communities, assist families, and fund vaccination and testing efforts.

Democrats take control of the Senate for the first time in 12 years This week, Vice President Kamala Harris swore in Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California. Upon the swearing in of Georgia Senators, Chuck Schumer also became Senate Majority Leader late Wednesday afternoon. These changes result in Democratic control of the Senate, with Kamala Harris as the tie-breaking vote.

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