President Joe Biden has fortified public health policies to withstand potential reversals in what some see as a move that indicates the Biden administration has read the writing on the wall.
President Biden's recent measures are designed to embed his public health policies deeper within federal agencies to counter possible policy shifts by a returning Donald Trump.
Breitbart reported that the Biden administration has implemented a series of new rules and structures within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This embedding aims to safeguard Biden's policies from being easily undone by Trump. What is interesting is this move indicates that the Biden administration is conceding that victory in November is unlikely.
In an unprecedented move, the Biden administration, in April alone, enacted 66 significant rules. This marked the highest number of major regulations passed in a single month since the Reagan era. These regulations cover a broad spectrum of issues, including climate change and economic policies, securing Biden's agenda against potential disruptions.
Notably, these efforts extend beyond the environmental and economic fronts. The administration's focus also spans to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and vaccination strategies, emphasizing a holistic approach to public health.
To solidify the foundation of these policies, a new Scientific Integrity Council is being established. This council is tasked with ensuring that decision-making processes remain rigorous and transparent, guarding against partisan manipulation of scientific data.
Lyric Jorgenson, commenting on the initiative, highlighted the importance of this move, stating, "Interfering and manipulating science to hit a partisan agenda is inappropriate and is what we’re working to wall against." This council will play a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of scientific policies.
Comparisons between the current and previous administrations show a stark increase in regulatory activities. With 111 more regulations implemented than at the same point in Donald Trump's presidency, Biden's proactive regulatory approach is evident.
However, the stability of these rules faces potential threats. Trump has expressed intentions to reimplement an executive order, known as Schedule F, which was previously canceled by Biden. This order aims at reclassifying federal employees to enhance accountability, a move seen as a step toward purging "unelected technocrats."
Russell Vought, reflecting on the bureaucracy's influence, remarked, "The mere mention of Schedule F ensures that the bureaucracy moves in your direction." This indicates a significant potential shift in administrative control if Trump were to return to office.
One of the critical challenges facing Biden's health policies is the absence of a solid legal framework for some of these new rules, like the NIH’s scientific integrity plan. Without legal fortification, these policies are vulnerable to reversal under future administrations.
Michael Gerrard aptly notes the precarious nature of these protections: "The rules are safe in this Congress, but all bets are off if Republicans take over Congress and the White House." This underscores the political volatility and the importance of upcoming electoral cycles in determining the fate of these policies.
Donald Trump, focusing on the bureaucratic dynamics, has criticized the protection of certain federal employees, stating, "You have some people that are protected that shouldn’t be protected." His planned policies aim to streamline the administrative process, potentially undoing Biden's efforts.
The "lookback period" for reviewing these new rules is set between mid-May and September, a timeline that suggests a rapid implementation and consolidation of Biden's policy measures ahead of the next election cycle.
To conclude, President Biden's administration has taken significant strides to embed its health policies within the bureaucratic framework, making them more resilient to potential political changes.
This involves establishing new levels of bureaucracy and a scientific integrity council aimed at protecting these policies. The implications of these efforts are profound, influencing future public health directions and the broader political landscape.
