President Joe Biden speaks during an event at the State Dining Room of the White House on Thursday.(Photo by=Alex Wong / Getty Images) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] US President Joe Biden has issued two more executive orders as he continues to roll back his predecessor's agenda. He signed one order on boosting food assistance and another on raising the federal minimum wage to $15. Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, said the action would "provide a critical lifeline" to millions of families according to BBC.
It comes a day after the new US president signed a raft of orders to boost the fight against coronavirus. This included expanding testing and accelerating vaccine distribution. Mr. Biden signed the two executive orders on Friday. The first increase food aid for children who rely on school meals as the main source for nutrition but are unable to access them because of remote learning.
It also creates a guarantee that workers can access unemployment benefits if they refuse a job on the grounds that it could jeopardize their health. The second is aimed at expanding protections for federal workers, by restoring collective bargaining rights and promoting a $15 (£11) hourly minimum wage. The US has recorded the highest coronavirus death toll of any country in the world, with more than 410,000 fatalities, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University. It has recorded more than 24.6 million cases.