The president’s priorities include expanding clemency, providing student debt relief, and allocating remaining funds from his signature law.
WASHINGTON—The White House in a new memo on Dec. 15 has outlined President Joe Biden’s key priorities to accomplish his stated goals before leaving office next month.
The president’s priorities include expanding clemency and pardons, advancing climate-related initiatives, providing student debt relief, and addressing concerns about artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new memo by Ben LaBolt, senior advisor to the president and communications director. Biden will also prioritize allocating additional funds from his signature laws including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the CHIPS Act.
“The President has been clear to his team that we need to make every day count, and build on the historic progress we have made,” LaBolt said in the memo. “In the coming weeks, you will see him do just that.”
On Dec. 12, Biden issued pardons for 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes and commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 others, in the largest single-day act of clemency in history.
Biden has commuted more sentences at this point in his presidency than his recent predecessors. He is also the first to issue categorical pardons to people convicted of using or possessing marijuana and former military members convicted of private conduct related to their sexual orientation.
In the coming weeks, the president will “take additional action in the clemency and pardons space,” LaBolt said.
Biden has made climate action a central focus of his presidency through both executive measures and legislation, such as the IRA.
In his final weeks, the president will maintain this focus by “taking action to protect our lands and waters and continue our climate ambition alongside state, local, and tribal and business leaders,” according to the White House.
In addition, Biden will take action on AI, though the specifics remain unclear.
On Oct. 24, Biden issued a national security memorandum on the use of AI.
“The United States must lead the world in the responsible application of AI to appropriate national security functions,” the memorandum read.
Biden has repeatedly warned of threats stemming from the development of AI.
By Emel Akan
