WASHINGTON — Officials in the Biden administration are racing against time to allocate billions in grants and implement measures aimed at preserving some aspects of the outgoing president’s legacy before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office in January.

“Let’s make every day count,” President Joe Biden remarked in a recent address after Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged Trump’s victory in the presidential election.

Trump has vowed to eliminate unspent funds from Biden’s significant climate and healthcare legislation while halting clean-energy initiatives.

“There’s only one administration at a time,” stated Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg during a press conference. “That’s true now, and it will also be true after January 20th. Our duty is to responsibly utilize the funds allocated by Congress during our administration and ensure their distribution in these final months.”

However, Trump’s administration will have authority not only over fiscal matters but also the capacity to propose new regulations that could reverse some of the Biden administration’s actions taken through the rule-making process.

Currently, the Biden administration is pursuing several initiatives:

Promoting infrastructure spending

Administration officials are optimistic that projects funded by the $1 trillion infrastructure law and $375 billion climate law will outlast Biden’s presidency. They are diligently working to ensure that the funding from these hallmark legislations continues to flow.

Recently, Buttigieg revealed over $3.4 billion in grants aimed at enhancing passenger rail services, supporting U.S. ports, reducing fatalities on highways, and bolstering domestic production of sustainable transportation materials.

“We are investing in improved transportation systems throughout the nation, and in the workforce that will manufacture materials and construct these projects,” he explained. “Communities will experience safer commutes, cleaner air, and strengthened supply chains which are crucial for all of us.”

Accelerating environmental goals

The past months have seen a surge in announcements regarding significant environmental grants and project approvals, characterized by White House officials as a “sprint to the finish” of Biden’s term.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently implemented a national deadline for the removal of lead pipes and allocated nearly $3 billion to assist local water systems. The agency has also instituted a federal fee for oil and gas companies that exceed certain methane emissions levels for the first time.

Additionally, the Energy Department disclosed a $544 million loan to a Michigan company for expanding manufacturing capabilities of high-quality silicon carbide wafers used in electric vehicles. This loan is part of a broader initiative, with 28 deals totaling $37 billion under a clean-energy loan program refreshed and enlarged under the Biden administration.

“There is a renewed urgency to accomplish these tasks. We’re witnessing substantial financial resources being deployed,” remarked Melinda Pierce, legislative director of the Sierra Club. Biden and his supporters “are committed to finishing the job they started.”

Aid for Ukraine

Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh reported this week that President Biden aims to utilize the authority granted by Congress to allocate funds before he departs from office. “We will work diligently to ensure that this happens,” she stated.

The Biden administration must expedite the release of $7.1 billion in weaponry — $4.3 billion from the 2024 supplemental and $2.8 billion stemming from updated valuations of previously dispatched systems — from its stockpiles to meet the funding obligations before Trump is inaugurated.

Additionally, $2.2 billion is available for placing weapons systems on extended contracts. However, the recent financial aid packages have been considerably smaller, typically ranging from $200 million to $300 million each.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted that these funds are already obligated, which should complicate any effort by the incoming administration to retract them.

Urgent confirmation of judicial nominees

Another key focus for the White House is ensuring the Senate confirms as many federal judges as possible ahead of Trump’s inauguration.

This week, the Senate voted 51-44 to appoint former prosecutor April Perry to serve as a U.S. District Court judge in northern Illinois. More than a dozen judicial nominees have already advanced from the Senate Judiciary Committee, while eight nominations await committee votes and six are pending hearings.

Trump has encouraged Republicans to resist confirming judicial nominees during this transitional period, stating, “No Judges should be approved at this time because the Democrats are trying to push through their Judges while the Republicans are dealing with internal Leadership disputes.”

Student loan relief

The Education Department is swiftly finalizing a new federal regulation aimed at canceling student debts for individuals experiencing financial difficulties. This proposal, one of the few that has not faced a halt from federal courts, is currently in a public commentary phase scheduled to conclude on December 2.

Following this period, the department will have a limited timeframe to finalize the regulation and initiate its implementation, a process that typically takes several months. Like previous efforts by Biden, this initiative could also confront legal challenges.

Furthermore, the Biden administration has the latitude to expedite loan forgiveness for those who have been promised relief due to fraud by their educational institutions, as indicated by Aaron Ament, a former Education Department official under the Obama administration and president of the National Student Legal Defense Network.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has the authority to resolve these cases rather than transfer them to the Trump administration, which is anticipated to favor for-profit colleges. “It’s a straightforward decision,” Ament asserted. “Numerous cases are likely sitting on Cardona’s desk. It’s hard to envision those being neglected.”

Trump has yet to disclose his plans regarding student loan forgiveness, although he and the Republican party have critiqued Biden’s initiatives in this area.