Month: January 2021

On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Antony Blinken to serve as President Joe Biden’s secretary of state, with an overwhelming 78-22 vote. Blinken served as deputy secretary of state under former President Barack Obama.

Blinken, 58, a foreign policy expert, played a key role in crafting U.S. foreign policy actions in the Middle East. He is considered by many a moderate and is expected to play a key role in rejoining the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement.

Blinken joins several others confirmed to Biden’s Cabinet in recent days, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

Senate confirms Antony Blinken as Biden’s secretary of state

Via www.msn.com

In a strong show of bipartisan support, the Senate voted 78 to 22 to confirm Antony…

01/26/2021 4:59 PM

 

Editorial credit: vasilis asvestas / Shutterstock.com

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Monday to lift a ban issued by President Donald Trump that prevented transgender persons from serving openly in the U.S. armed forces. The Trump administration ordered that all military members must follow standards associated with their birth gender and prohibited those who have received transitional therapies from joining the military.

Biden wrote in the order, which appeared in the Federal Register on Monday, to “immediately prohibits involuntary separations, discharges, and denials of re-enlistment or continuation of service on the basis of gender identity or under circumstances relating to gender identity. It is the policy of my administration to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, and to fully enforce Title VII and other laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. It is also the policy of my administration to address overlapping forms of discrimination.”

The White House said Biden’s order states that “all Americans who are qualified to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States should be able to serve. President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and that America’s strength is found in its diversity.”

Biden overturns Trump ban on transgender people serving in U.S. military

Via www.reuters.com

President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order that overturned a controversial ban by…

01/25/2021 8:34 PM

 

Editorial credit: Yeongsik Im / Shutterstock.com

On Monday, the Senate confirmed Janet Yellen as the first woman to head the Treasury Department in an 84-15 vote.

Lawmakers approved Yellen to serve as Treasury secretary as Congress moves to weigh in on President Joe Biden’s cabinet selections. Yellen previously received unanimous approval from the Senate Finance Committee. As Treasury secretary, Yellen will head up the administration’s efforts to support Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus program, which she highlighted as a primary goal during her confirmation hearing.

Yellen was the first woman to serve as chair of the Federal Reserve. She said in a statement that the Biden administration must be able to provide coronavirus relief before turning to other issues, saying, “Right now, with interest rates at historic lows, the smartest thing we can do is act big,” she said.

Janet Yellen confirmed as treasury secretary with bipartisan support

Via www.msn.com

The Senate voted Monday evening to confirm Janet Yellen as treasury secretary with bipartisan…

01/25/2021 7:16 PM

 

Editorial credit: vasilis asvestas / Shutterstock.com