Mr. Francis, president of Natural Law Energy, entered into a historic agreement in September between TC Energy, the pipeline’s developer, for the five-tribe company to become an equity partner with a $1 billion investment in Keystone XL.
“We, like many Indigenous communities across North America, have been inspired by President-elect Biden’s position to support minority communities and build an economy where everyone enjoys an equal chance to get ahead,” Mr. Francis said. “A decision against Keystone XL is the exact opposite of that pledge.”
Indeed, Mr. Biden stressed during his campaign his commitment to “working to empower tribal nations.” He then followed up by announcing that he would name Rep. Deb Haaland, New Mexico Democrat, to head the Interior Department, which would make her the first American Indian Cabinet secretary in U.S. history.
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Carter, a Democrat who became the
longest-lived American president in 2019, is among the many who landed musical heavyweights for his swearing-in. Queen of Soul Franklin, who also performed at Obama’s first inauguration, sang “God Bless America” for Carter, and Linda Ronstadt sang a cover of “Crazy.”
Alas, the 39th U.S. president, who has attended every swearing-in ceremony since his own in 1977, won’t be attending Biden’s inauguration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Like Carter before him, Democrat Clinton invited a number of luminaries, including Michael Jackson, Elton John and Barbra Streisand to perform at events surrounding his first inauguration, ramping up the star power with celebrity cameos. His preinaugural events accommodated almost every musical taste with a wide array of events across several days leading up to his swearing in.
Biden to Announce Broad Plan to Reverse Trump Immigration Policies
Legislation he will propose on his first day as president will give undocumented immigrants the chance to become citizens and restore and expand programs for refugees and asylum seekers.
Supporters of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2019 outside the Supreme Court.Credit.Erin Schaff/The New York Times
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WASHINGTON President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. will propose far-reaching legislation on Wednesday to give the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States a chance to become citizens in as little as eight years, part of an ambitious and politically perilous attempt to undo the effects of President Trump’s four-year assault on immigration.