With Biden’s win confirmed and the election of two senators from Georgia last week, the Democrats now have a government “trifecta.” This means they control the Presidency, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. This gives the Democrats enormous administrative control and power, and the public policy issues they focus on will leave a lasting impact on the United States and its divided electorate. The following are a list of public policy issues that will likely be addressed under the next administration:

COVID-19

Installing an effective vaccine distribution plan and passing aid packages are the most urgent policy initiatives of 2021. Biden’s proposed COVID-19 response plan includes increased funding for vaccine production and distribution, expanded testing resources, and increased capacity to produce personal protective equipment. President-elect Biden is expected to push swiftly for Congressional action on additional stimulus, relief or other response legislation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the President-elect’s highest priority — the effectiveness of any other government policies is entirely dependent on whether the pandemic can be controlled and the accompanying economic and social fallout can be mitigated.

The economy

With the income gap between the highest and lowest earners in the United States growing every day, the social repercussions have grown in concern. The “trifecta” will try to implement policies to even this disparity and alleviate the weight of extra expenses on a large percentage of Americans. Biden plans to reverse Trump’s corporate tax cut, raising corporate income taxes to 28% — compared with the current 21% rate set by the GOP-led tax cuts of 2017— to make larger corporations assume more of the burden. This tax initiative falls under Biden’s larger proposed tax plan, which stresses that Americans making less than $400,000 would not pay more in taxes.

The new administration also plans to address student loan debt forgiveness. Biden intends to forgive at least $10,000 in student loan debt for all Americans.

Building on the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), Biden and the Democrats plan to guarantee more equitable access to health care across all income groups.

Racial equity

In the wake of the murders of George Floyd and other African Americans at the hands of police, legislation to address racial equity has become an imperative for Democrats. However, partisan differences have slowed efforts, as when legislation to strengthen the Voting Rights Act passed the Democrat-controlled House last year but not the Republican-controlled Senate. Democratic control over both of these institutions promises passage. 

Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan calls for an increase in affordable housing for people of color, public-private investment for minority-owned businesses, infrastructure and clean energy investments in minority communities, funding for management training and higher education opportunities, opportunity zone reform, and an increased emphasis on addressing wealth disparities. To specifically address police brutality, Biden says he will institute a national police oversight commission, invest $300 million into community policing measures, and task the justice department to investigate existing issues of police and prosecutorial misconduct. A Democratic Congress also plans to address police reform through the Justice in Policing Act which already passed through the House.  

Environment and sustainability

Although climate change does not pose the same immediate, urgent threat as other issues on this list, it is still a pressing matter. Pursuing clean energy options and taxing polluting corporations is necessary to the future security and prosperity of humanity. Biden has claimed that climate change is the “number one issue facing humanity” and has created an extensive agenda to tackle the problem. Biden’s campaign is aiming for a “clean energy revolution” that would reach a “100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions no later than 2050.” 

Biden plans to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, which would re-declare the United States’ position as leaders in the war against climate change. Domestic change could be ushered in with legislature or rule changes by the Securities and Exchange Commission, along with a $2 trillion investment to boost reliance on clean energy and climate sustainable practices. One specific policy change could be to require public companies “to disclose climate risks and the greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and supply chain.”  

Immigration

The Biden Administration will address the issue of immigration, especially following a Trump presidency hostile to both legal and illegal entry. After a presidency where asylum-seeking families were dehumanized and labeled as “illegal aliens,” the Democratic Trifecta will address comprehensive immigration reform.

Biden plans to immediately rescind Trump’s executive orders which bar people in some Muslim-majority countries from traveling or immigrating to the United States. Laws could be implemented to rescind a President’s ability to enact such restrictions. Following Trump’s practice of separating immigrant families at the Mexico-U.S. border, Biden plans to issue an executive order establishing a task force focused on reuniting children and parents. 

New legislature should be implemented to create citizenship opportunities for people in the United States that entered illegally and especially for DREAMers. Legislators could solidify the DACA program, making it permanent.