VOA常速英语:拜登上台首日火速签署行政令

This is VOA news. Reporting by remote, I'm David Byrd. In his first hours as president, Joe Biden struck at the heart of President Donald Trump's policy legacy, signing executive actions that reverse his predecessor's orders on climate change and handling of the coronavirus pandemic. With a stack of executive orders on his desk in the Oval Office, Biden signed three orders in the presence of reporters. The first mandating masks and social distancing on federal property, the second on support for underserved communities, and the third rejoining the Paris climate accord. "I think some of the things we're going to be doing are bold and vital and there's no time to start like today, so what I'm going to be doing - I'm proud of today's executive actions - I'm going to start by keeping the promises I made to the American people." Biden answered one question from reporters about his letter from Trump, saying it was very generous but would not share more details.

"... do solemnly swear that I'll support and defend the Constitution of the United States ...." Vice President Kamala Harris swore in three new Democratic senators as part of her first day in office. That means the Democrats now have control of both the White House and Congress for the first time in a decade. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff both won Senate runoff elections in Georgia earlier this month. Alex Padilla was appointed by California's governor to fill Harris's vacant seat. Wednesday was Harris's first time presiding over the Senate. The Senate is now divided 50-50. Democrats will be in control because the vice president casts tiebreaking votes in the chamber. Democrats have a 221 to 211 House majority with three vacancies. You can find more on these stories and the rest of the day's news at VOAnews.com. You can also follow us on the VOA mobile app. This is VOA news.