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Events in 2021 pertaining to politics and government in the United States.
Note: The following is a summary of key political issues in 2021.
NASA says that 2020 is tied with 2016 for the hottest year on record. [108]
President Joe Biden signed an executive order rejoining the Paris Agreement on climate change within hours of his inauguration on January 20, signalling that he intends to prioritize the issue. [109] He signed another order revoking the Keystone Pipeline and is expected to halt oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. [110]
President Biden revoked two Trump directives related to the 2020 census. One tried to determine the citizenship status of U.S. residents through administrative records, and the other sought to exclude undocumented immigrants from the numbers used for apportioning congressional seats among the states. [111]
Arizona became the fifteenth state to legalize recreational marijuana on January 22, 2021. Voters in New Jersey, South Dakota, and Montana also approved making possession of recreational marijuana legal last November. [112]
Advocates are expected to push for marijuana and drug reform at the federal level as well as reforms in bank laws that would make the business easier and safer in those areas that already allow the sale of marijuana. Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer (NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) have said they plan to introduce legislation removing marijuana from a federal list of prohibited drugs in 2021. [113]
Both Democrats and Republicans support major changes to election laws, but their perspectives and proposed solutions are diametrically opposite. Republicans want an investigation of irregularities in the 2020 elections and more restrictions on mail-in voting. [114] The Texas Legislature [115] Georgia General Assembly, North Carolina General Assembly, and other red-state legislatures have already begun pushing for tighter restrictions. [116] Democrats want national rules to make voting more uniform and accessible across the nation. They would mandate early voting and same-day registration along with other reforms. [117] Also, under HR-51, if passed, would allow 16 year olds to vote and members of congress to use campaign funds for personal use. Voters would not have to show ID to vote. [118]
China became increasingly aggressive militarily and on trade under the Trump administration. Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken has made it clear that the U.S.-Chinese relation will be his most important challenge. He promised to address the issue from a position of strength. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also said China is a top priority. [119]
Biden White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that the United States would review its peace agreement with the Taliban to withdraw its remaining 2,500 soldiers from the War in Afghanistan by May. [120] President Biden intends to sign an executive order to review Forever Wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. [119]
Tensions with Iran heat up on the anniversary of the Assassination of Qasem Soleimani on January 3. [121]
As the Yemeni Civil War rages, Mike Pompeo declared the Houthi movement a terrorist organization. President Biden suspended that for a month in January so the policy can be reviewed. If the designation sticks, international banking with Yemen is likely to halt, leading to a famine in a country where 80% of the people already face food insecurity. [122]
The Biden administration reversed Trump policies on Palestine–United States relations, restoring relations the country and promising aid. [123]
President Biden is expected to be tougher on Russia than Donald Trump was. Biden hopes to work with Russia on an extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). [119]
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) went into effect on January 22, 2021, but critics note that no actual nuclear power has signed it. [124] The Biden administration is concerned about North Korea and weapons of mass destruction and is determined that Iran will not gain nuclear capability. The U.S. hopes for an extension of the New START agreement with Russia. [119] Russia agreed to discuss New START and the two countries exchanged documents after a Biden-Putin phone call on January 25. [125]
2021 begins with 346,000 pandemic-related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [126] Over 20 million people had been infected and 4.2 million have received the first vaccine dose by January 2, well behind the projected 20 million doses by the end of 2020. [127] Democrats plan to increase spending to support a more robust government effort to combat the virus and to provide economic support for individuals, government entities, small businesses, and schools. [128]
Among his first acts as president, Joe Biden halted construction of the border wall, [129] froze deportations of undocumented immigrants, and proposed comprehensive immigration reforms. [130] Republicans are expected to fight changes from Trump-era policies. [131]
Twenty states and 32 cities raised their minimum wage to $15/hour or more on January 1, and five states and 18 entitites are expected to follow suit later in 2021. The fight to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 promises stiff resistance from business interests. [132]
Fears of domestic terrorism outweigh foreign threats following the storming of the Capitol on January 6. [133] More than 20,000 National Guard troops were called upon to help provide security for the January 20 inauguration of President Biden, and although there were no significant incidents in Washington or state capitals, 5,000 remained for the Trump impeachment trial. [134] At least 135 suspect have been arrested and 400 identified as of January 26 in the attack. [135] DHS issued a terrorist advisory starting January 27. [136]
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