On Jan. 20, President Biden issued an array of executive actions, some of which rescind previous Executive Orders issued under the Trump Administration. The following may be of interest to NRCA members:
- A memorandum—Modernizing Regulatory Review—that directs the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with other federal agencies, to “begin a process with the goal of producing a set of recommendations for improving and modernizing regulatory review.” This memorandum effectively rescinds several Executive Orders issued under the Trump Administration aimed at streamlining federal regulations. Among those rescinded is the Trump Executive Order that required federal agencies to eliminate two old regulations for each new regulation issued and created a regulatory budget by establishing a regulatory cap on federal agencies. View more details. As is common with a new administration, President Biden also initiated an immediate freeze on all federal rulemakings currently in process and a delay of all final regulations that have not taken effect as of Jan. 20.
- An Executive Order requiring the use of facemasks, adherence to physical distancing and other public health measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for on-site federal contractors and other individuals in federal buildings and on federal lands. The term “federal buildings” means buildings—or office space within buildings—owned, rented or leased by the executive branch, of which a substantial portion of occupants are federal employees or federal contractors. View the Executive Order.
- An Executive Order that will require a review of all existing environmental regulations for the purpose of more aggressively addressing climate change. View the Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis.
- An Executive Order revoking the Trump Administration's Executive Order to combat race and sex stereotyping affecting many federal contracts and grantees. The Biden administration replaced this with a new Executive Order that focuses on 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. View the Biden Executive Order.
NRCA will continue reviewing new Executive Orders and other regulatory initiatives from the Biden administration to keep members informed regarding these developments.
