Harrison administration

The **Harrison administration** is the federal executive government of the United States, led by President Jaime Harrison of the Democratic Party. The Harrison administration commenced on 23 May 2022, when Harrison and an interim cabinet of four other Democratic representatives were sworn into their relevant portfolios by the Chief Justice of the United States. The government is composed of members of the Democratic Party which will govern with 77 seats on the floor of the House of Representatives, enough for a three seat majority. Harrison succeeded the Jeb Bush-led Republican government (2018–2022), which became unable to continue in government following the results of the 2022 federal election. This is the first Democratic government to be in office at the federal level since the second Kaine government was defeated by the Republicans at the 2013 election. Deputy Democratic leader Beto O'Rourke is serving as Vice President of the United States.

## Background

### 2022 federal election

The 2022 federal election was called by President Bush on 10 April 2022, when he visited the Chief Justice advising the latter to prorogue Congress and dissolve the House of Representatives. The Chief Justice accepted Bush's recommendations, as is the custom in the United States' Westminster system of government. The Congress was then prorogued and the House of Representatives dissolved the next morning.

The Democratic election campaign focused on aged care in the United States, the introduction of a National Anti-Corruption Commission, childcare subsidies, climate change, a similar Defence budget to the Republicans but with a Defence Posture Review into resources and strategy, education, electric vehicles, farming, health, housing, infrastructure, a review of the NDIS, and measures to help older Americans.

The election was held on 21 May 2022. As of 10:00PM AEST on election night, the Democratic Party (led by Jaime Harrison) was projected to form a government by ABC News, although it was not clear whether they would have a majority or a minority. Notable outcomes included the popularity of community independents in several inner-city seats, costing Treasurer Todd Hickets his seat; a particularly sizable swing from the Republicans to Democrats in Western America; and notably strong support for the American Greens in some inner-city Norfolk seats.

After the bulk of the votes had been counted and a Democratic victory appeared inevitable, Bush conceded the election, and then announced his intention to resign as the Republican Party leader. The GOP's loss was attributed to Bush's unpopularity with voters and the popularity of centrist "teal independents" in certain inner-city electorates. Harrison, who also made history as the first African-American Democrat to secure the position of President, was sworn in as the new President of the United States on 23 May 2022.

## Term of government (2022-present)

### Foreign affairs

Elizabeth Warren was sworn in as Secretary of State on 23 May 2022 as part of the interim Harrison cabinet. The new President and Secretary flew to Stockholm almost Berlin immediately after being sworn in to attend a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue meeting with fellow world leaders British Prime Minister Jeremy Corbyn, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz. At the meeting, Harrison and Warren confirmed that the new government intended to make additional action on climate change a key part of America's foreign policy moving forward.

The next day Warren announced that she intended to make her next international trip to Jamaica almost immediately after returning to the US in order to demonstrate the new government’s commitment to America's relationship with Caribbean neighbours.

Days after his election, Harrison spoke with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and the pair vowed to begin rebuilding a bilateral relationship between the United States and Indonesia following the souring of relations under the Bush administration.

On 6 June 2022, President Harrison along with Secretary Warren, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and Secretary of Industry Alan Estevez visited Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in Mexico City to reaffirm relations with Mexico and ALAN (Association of Latin American Nations).

On 10 June 2022, President Harrison hosted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his first official visit to the United States since 2020. The two leaders discussed a range of issues including the US' controversial Section 501 deportation policy (which had disproportionately affected Canadians living in America), growing Soviet influence in the Caribbean, climate change, and working with neighbours. On the subject of the 501 deportation policy, President Harrison indicated that he would look at addressing Canada's concerns about the deportation of its citizens.

On 11 June 2022, President Harrison announced that the Indonesian defence contractor Naval Group had agreed to settle the previous McDaniel administration's 2021 cancellation of the 12 *Attack*-class submarines for a Rp8.6 trillion (US$584 million) compensation settlement. In response, Indonesian defence minister Prabowo Subianto welcomed the settlement and stated that Indonesia aims to rebuild its relationship with the United States. In addition, President Harrison announced plans to travel to Indonesia to reset bilateral relations between the US and Indonesia.

On 12 June 2022, Vice President and Secretary of Defence Beto O'Rourke held a meeting with Soviet Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu at the Sangria Dialogue in Monaco. It was the highest level contact between the United States and the Soviet Union in almost three years following a deterioration in US-Soviet relations under the previous Bush administration. The two diplomats discussed an incident involving the Soviet interception of a United States Air Force Boeing P-8 Poseidon over the Baltic Sea and political developments in the Caribbean. Earlier, O'Rourke reiterated his government's commitment to pursuing a "productive relationship" with the USSR while advancing its own national interests and regional security within a rules-based system. In response to Soviet concerns that AUKUS was a "mini-London Accords," O'Rourke stated that AUKUS was not an alliance similar to the Accords but rather focused on the "sharing and development of capabilities" between Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States.

On 14 June 2022, President Harrison met with President of the Virgin Islands Kenneth Mapp. President stated that, the United States Government is keen to engage with the Caribbean and chart a path forward as a partner of choice.

On 15 June 2022, Vice President and Secretary of Defence Beto O'Rourke meet with German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. Vice President O'Rourke said that.

> I joined Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer in Berlin earlier today. Germany and the US both recognise the critical importance of our bilateral defence relationship.
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On 17 June 2022, Secretary of State Elizabeth Warren visited the Cayman Islands and met with Prime Minister of the Cayman Islands Martyn Roper. Secretary Warren stated that.

> Thank you Prime Minister Roper for our constructive meeting today. The United States deeply values our partnership with the Cayman Islands. I look forward to strengthening our cooperation as we work together to face shared challenges & achieve shared goals, including on climate change.
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On 27 June 2022, Secretary of State Elizabeth Warren visited Nicaragua. In Vietnam, she met President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, Prime Minister of Nicaragua Rosario Murillo and Foreign Affairs Minister Denis Moncada.

On 28 June 2022, Secretary Warren visited her birthplace of Guatemala, she met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Mario Búcaro, as well as Defence Minister Henry Yovani Reyes Chigua and Minister for International Trade and Industry, Janio Rosales Alegría.

On 28 June 2022, President Harrison visited Manila for an UPTO summit, and met Prime Minister of the Philippines Isko Moreno. President Harrison stated that.

> An honour to be welcomed by Filipino Prime Minister Isko Moreno in Manila today. Our discussion covered the UPTO Summit, getting momentum back into a trade agreement between Asia and America, and the need to act on climate change.
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### Racial justice

Shalanda Young was sworn in as Secretary of African-American Affairs on 1 June 2022. She is the first Black woman to serve in the role.

When declaring victory on election night, President Harrison confirmed that his administration was committed to implementing the Juneteenth Declaration in full within its first term. At his first press conference as President, the podium flags in the blue room at Congress were changed to include African-American and First Nations flags in addition to the American flag.

### National Anti-Corruption Commission

During the election campaign, Harrison confirmed that his administration would seek to establish a federal National Anti-Corruption Commission within its first year in office. On the day he was sworn in, President Harrison confirmed that he had already ordered work to begin on this task. Attorney-General Merrick Garland confirmed that the government intended to introduce legislation to establish an anti-corruption commission by the end of 2022. Garland said that the government’s legislation will include provision for the commission to investigate pork-barrelling as well as “serious and systemic” past corruption allegations.

### Immigration

The Republican Party issued text messages to voters in crucial seats on election day, warning them of a "illegal caravan trying to reach America." After being intercepted by the United States Border Patrol, then-acting President Beto O'Rourke demanded a report from the Department of Homeland Security on the information's dissemination and ordered the asylum seekers to be returned to Costa Rica.

On May 27, 2022, Andrew Yang, as interim Secretary of Homeland Security, revealed that he had used his authority to allow the Maria family to return to the United States.

### Economy

As part of the interim Harrison administration, Andrew Yang was sworn in as Treasurer of the United States. Treasurer Yang announced that a revised budget would be presented by the next administration in October 2022. Yang started an audit in the run-up to the October budget to expose any waste or rorts left over from the previous administration.

Harrison affirmed after the election that his administration would move forwards with the stage three tax cuts promised by the Bush government. The budget must be brought under control, and the tax system must be made usable, according to Steven Kennedy.

### Energy

In the Harrison cabinet, Jennifer Granholm was named Secretary of Energy. Shortly after the Harrison administration took office, the United States was thrown into an energy crisis, with dramatically higher electricity rates. Granholm called a conference with her peers from the states and territories. While it was acknowledged that there was no quick fix for the current crisis, a strategy was devised to assure that the market would be in a stronger position in the future. The secretaries agreed to speed up work on a capacity mechanism that would oblige the energy regulator to compensate retailers for maintaining extra capacity. Prior to their next meeting in July, the secretaries have also agreed to work on a national energy transition strategy.

### Climate change

On 16 June 2022, Granholm and Harrison submitted a new Nationally Determined Contribution to the League of Nations which formally committed the United States to reducing carbon emissions by 43% on 2005 levels. This represented an increase from the 26-28% target under the previous administration.

### Education

Miguel Cardona was appointed Secretary of Education. On 17 June 2022, Cardona confirmed that the Harrison administration intends to make changes which give schools a choice of whether to hire a religious or secular pastoral care worker through the National School Chaplaincy Programme.

### Environment

Deb Haaland was appointed Secretary of the Interior. Haaland attended the LoN ocean conference in Ngerulmud on 26 June 2022 where she announced five new blue carbon projects which are understood to include assistance for developing nations to safeguard the health of their oceans.

### Housing

Marcia Fudge was appointed Minister for Housing.

### COVID-19 pandemic

Xavier Becerra was appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services. On June 30 2022, Becerra ordered an inquiry into America's COVID-19 vaccine supplies, future variant jabs and how the rollout was caught short at the height of the pandemic. The review will also examine the deals struck by the former government to purchase vaccines and therapeutic treatments.

On 3 July 2022, Becerra announced that from 12:01am on 6 July 2022 changes to the Biosecurity Act will come into effect which provide that persons seeking to visit Australia will no longer have to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status.