Alex Wong/Getty ImagesBy LIBBY CATHEY, ABC News
This is the sixth day of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Here is how events are unfolding. All times Eastern:
Jan 25, 11:35 am
Biden reversing Trump’s transgender military ban
Biden is officially reversing a ban on transgender people from serving in the U.S. military, the White House announced in a release.
The controversial ban was put in place by former President Donald Trump in 2017 and reversed the Obama administration’s policy to allow open service by transgender people.
Jan 25, 11:46 am
Biden enters 1st full week as president with only 2 confirmed Cabinet picks
As Biden assumes his first full week in office, he enters with only two Senate confirmed appointees — lagging behind previous administrations in having Cabinet nominees confirmed.
The Senate convenes at 3 p.m. on Monday and will continue considering the nomination of Janet Yellen to be treasury secretary ahead of an evening vote.
After that, House impeachment managers will walk over and read the article of impeachment against former President Donald Trump to the Senate. The trial isn’t slated to start until Feb. 8 to give Trump’s defense time to prepare and Biden the chance to have his nominees confirmed and spending priorities addressed in the Senate.
On the campaign trail, Biden guaranteed his White House would “look like the country.” Half of Biden’s Cabinet picks are women, and the majority are people of color. Biden has noted that many of his selections would be pioneers in their roles — including the first woman to serve as treasury secretary, the first Black defense secretary, the first openly gay man confirmed to a Cabinet role and the first Native American Cabinet secretary.
Last week, Avril Haines was confirmed as the first female Director of National Intelligence and Lloyd Austin as the first Black Pentagon chief.
Jan 25, 10:19 am
Biden to lift ban on transgender people serving in military
Multiple people familiar with the matter confirm that Biden will sign an executive order that will lift the Pentagon’s ban on transgender people serving in the military on Monday.
That was the controversial ban put in place by former President Donald Trump in 2017 that reversed the Obama administration’s policy to allow open service by transgender people.
Newly-confirmed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin — the first Black Pentagon chief — will be on hand at the White House ceremony Monday where the executive order will be signed.
Biden’s public schedule also includes an afternoon signing of an executive order related to American manufacturing and American workers — fulfilling a long-time campaign promise to increase the amount of federal spending that goes to American companies. White House press secretary Jen Psaki is also scheduled to brief reporters at 1 p.m.
Jan 25, 10:02 am
House managers to deliver impeachment article on Biden’s 1st full week in office
House impeachment managers are expected to deliver the article of impeachment for “incitement of insurrection” against former President Donald Trump to the Senate on Monday evening — triggering the first impeachment trial of a former president that is slated to begin the week of Feb. 8 — giving Biden a two-week window to work on his priorities.
Entering his first full week as president, Biden now gets to work on a sweeping and expensive legislative agenda where the crises are vast and the solutions are complex. An administration official said the president’s conversations with a bipartisan group of lawmakers over the weekend was “constructive,” but already he is coming up against the limits of the inaugural themes that earned him bipartisan praise.
Republicans like Sen. Mitt Romney who have warmed to Biden’s themes are balking at his price tags. And members of Congress who might be less sincere in their desire to work with the new White House are finding reasons to complain about the fast executive actions issued by the president.
The latest ABC News/Ipsos poll found hints of a Biden honeymoon, with broad and even somewhat bipartisan support for his handling of COVID-19 and for his aspirations to turn down the temperature on political rhetoric.
But when it comes to policy areas, such support starts breaking down. That includes overwhelming Republican opposition to Biden’s early moves on immigration and the border wall — signature issues of former President Donald Trump that continue to bring out sharp partisan passions.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.