January 21, 2021 7:00 AM By Zachary Sherwood and Brandon Lee
Joe Biden is seeking to wipe away Donald Trumpâs fingerprints from U.S. policy, but his predecessor left lasting partisan divisions in Washington that pose a risk to getting the new presidentâs agenda through Congress.
While Biden pleaded for unity in his inaugural address âthe most elusive of all things in a democracy,â he allowed his top policy priorities including coronavirus relief were already running into headwinds.
Several GOP senators led by Mitt Romney (Utah) expressed misgivings about his $1.9 trillion plan for addressing the pandemicâs damage to the economy. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who voted for Trumpâs impeachment last week, faulted Bidenâs first-day flurry of executive actions. More Republicans dismissed his proposed immigration overhaul as an âamnestyâ for people who unlawfully entered the country.